Daily Buzz: Are You Maximizing Social Media at Events?

As a meeting planner, you know the potential that social media holds for events. With about almost 3.2 billion users—about 42 percent of the world’s population—social can engage attendees, market to new audiences, and more. Are planners effectively using the technology to reap the benefits? A new survey says yes—but also that there’s room for improvement.

According to the “Social Media Trends for Events” survey, conducted by Aventri and Little Bird Told Media, marketing ranks as the No. 1 use for social media in the meetings industry, with 96 percent of event professionals saying they use the technology for outreach. More than 75 percent also say they use social media for customer engagement, news, and community building.

When it comes to platforms, Facebook reigns supreme: About 90 percent use it, compared to only 15 percent using Snapchat. But younger users prefer Snapchat and Instagram, according to Pew Research  (opens in a new tab). “This indicates that event professionals might need to widen their participation in other apps to capture the next generation,” says Hannah Kinnersley in a post on MeetingsNet  (opens in a new tab).

Another area where planners could improve how they use social: crisis communications. Only 38 percent use social media for emergency communications, yet “9 out of 10 social media users access accounts on mobile devices and are therefore easier to reach by this method than any other,” Kinnersley says. “Other worrying findings from the report indicate that social media efforts are often delegated to one person rather than the team, creating a weak link in coverage, and organizations are relying on ‘vanity’ metrics rather than analyzing engagement.”

Big Donation at the golden globes

Hollywood Foreign Press Association gives $1 million to @RCFP  (opens in a new tab)! pic.twitter.com/HAo526qAfo  (opens in a new tab)

— David Boardman (@dlboardman) January 7, 2019  (opens in a new tab)

Actors from around the world descended on Los Angeles for the annual Golden Globes ceremony Sunday, where the Hollywood Foreign Press Association also announced that it would give $2 million in grants to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (whose chairman, David Boardman, is shown above) and InsideClimate News. Each group will receive $1 million, Forbes reported  (opens in a new tab).

HFPA President Meher Tatna said members voted unanimously to expand the organization’s mandate to support journalists around the globe. “The freedom of expression that makes possible your work as creators and our work as journalists is under siege, which is why our mission to establish cultural ties has never been more important,” she said.

Other Links of Note

Is microvolunteering right for your organization? The GuideStar blog explores  (opens in a new tab) the benefits.

Event technology is growing rapidly. BizBash outlines 25 innovative tools  (opens in a new tab) that streamline meeting planning.

It’s not too late to make a new year’s resolution. Here’s what nonprofits should focus on  (opens in a new tab) in 2019, according to the SalesForce blog.

(AzmanL/iStock/Getty Images Plus)