For artists, social media is a great way to reach fans with minimal expense. But in many ways, the real advantage comes from fans ability to reach you – provided you can keep them engaged!
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Guest post by Dana Tom of Eventbrite
Social media enables you to reach out to your followers at any time and at a very low cost — a marketer’s dream come true.
More importantly, though, social media enables your followers to reach out to you any time, too. To make them feel heard and keep them engaged, make sure to embrace and encourage an active dialogue. Each time they engage with a post — with a “like,” comment, or share — it appears in their friends’ News Feeds, amplifying your social reach at no extra cost to you.
Here’s how to engage your followers on social media — and turn that engagement into ticket sales.
Ask your followers what they think
What did they like most about your last event? What speakers, food, and activities would they like to see at the next? Not only will you crowdsource some great ideas, but asking these questions will show your followers that you care.
You know how frustrating it is when a friend doesn’t call you back until a week later? Don’t be that friend.
When a follower tags you in a post — to ask a question, provide feedback, or just say “hey” — try to respond within a day. You can expect the most attendee contact in the 24-48 hours surrounding your event, so plan to staff up when you need it.
Create and share valuable content
At the end of the day, people are on social media to learn and be entertained — not just to listen to you brag. Share interesting articles, photos, and videos that teach them something new or make them smile or think. They’ll appreciate the content and share with their friends, deepening your relationship and kickstarting new ones.
Encourage your followers to rally their friends
They’re some of your most influential brand ambassadors, so consider rewarding them for their shout-outs with a group discount or complimentary swag. If you use Eventbrite, the embeddable social media buttons on your event listing help attendees express that post-purchase excitement in two simple clicks.
Turn more interest into sales on Facebook and Instagram
“Likes” are great for garnering interest and getting shared, but you want people on social media to eventually buy tickets, too. If you use Eventbrite, you can add a “Get Tickets” button to your Instagram profile to make it easier for browsers to discover and commit to your upcoming events.
Similarly, you can add a “Get Tickets” button to your Facebook Event and enable ticket purchases directly on Facebook. The easier the checkout, the more likely people are to complete it — and the more ticket sales for you.
Manage your social accounts with less stress
All of this is a lot to keep track of. Luckily, Eventbrite integrates with Hootsuite, the world’s largest social management tool. You can schedule posts, respond to followers, and monitor engagement across multiple networks — all from your Eventbrite dashboard.
For more ways to use tech to engage event-goers and simplify social media management, read The Best Social Media Tools for Sophisticated Event Marketers.