There really is no golden rule when it comes to trending on social media. Sometimes, out of the blue, a random hashtag can turn into a global one-hit wonder and become the most talked about topic of the day. Normally, however, it takes a reasonable amount of research, careful planning, and a few basic marketing skills to ensure your event is trending on social media.
Think long term: start promoting your event as early as possible so you can create a long digital ‘footprint’ and build up a large audience.
Get everyone talking about you!
As the famous writer Oscar Wilde would say, ‘there is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that’s not being talked about’. It’s no secret that the most effective way to trend on social media is to make sure people are talking about your event, before, during, and after. That means getting influences to held spread your message to the rest of your target audience. People need to show a genuine interest in you, your brand and your event by tweeting with your hashtag, re tweeting and ‘liking’ your posts, and sharing posts and images/videos on Facebook and LinkedIn.
So how do you get people to talk about you?
Encourage more user interaction. Posing a question or framing a fact into a question is a great way to get comments. For example, if cocktails are going to be a key theme of your event, then why not ask your users what their favourite cocktail recipes are? Give people an incentive to respond so you can engage with them. You could also organise a Twitter chat with your Twitter followers, or
arrange a meetup so you can get to know your audience face-to-face.
Choose your hashtag wisely
Check that there are no other hashtags similar to yours or have the potential to be misinterpreted as something else. Get some feedback from other people in your team and make sure nothing in your hashtags could be interpreted as offensive. If you try to push your hashtag when a major international event is taking place, you may struggle to make your voice heard. A good tip is to choose times when no other major events are trending but most of your Twitter followers are active.
Visual content is more important than ever
Facebook posts and Twitter updates are still important, but studies have shown that people respond much more to visual content. For example, on average, a post with imagery will receive significantly more ‘likes’ than one without. This means more people are interacting with your content, which is essential for trending on social media. Post short videos on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, or create a YouTube account so your guests can seeclips of previous events and
testimonials, if you have any.
Remember – there’s no magic formula for going viral on social media.
However regular, informative posts that win your audience’s attention and maximise user engagement give you an authoritative, relevant voice on social media. So follow all the above advice to ensure your next event is trending. And by choosing Ultimate Experience as your event manager, your guests can be assured an outstanding experience with London’s leading events organiser.