Special Guest Post: Trade Show Social Media Checklist (courtesy of Skyline)

Effective social media marketing means taking the proper steps before, during, and after the show. To ensure you cross everything off your social to-do list, refer to the following checklist:
PRE-EVENT PLANNING

• Create a calendar for event marketing.
• Work with your designer to conceptualize any infographics, Twitter cards, Pinterest Pins, social display ads or other visuals for your campaign.
• Add your event to your email signature.
• Create an event page on LinkedIn, Facebook, and/or Eventbrite, as well as on your own website.
• Submit the event to the relevant directories, so that it shows up ASAP in listings.
• Create a highlight reel from last year’s event, and upload it to your YouTube channel. This can also be repurposed for Facebook and Instagram, and used a teaser for the next event.
• Find out what the show’s official hashtag will be, and come up with your own company hashtag.
• Designate a social media leader to be the primary voice and driver for your messaging.

PRE-EVENT MARKETING

• Commit to doing X posts per day/week on each of your social platforms
• Amplify your updates via promoted posts, tweets, and updates to reach new, lookalike audiences.
• Send a LinkedIn InMail to prospects you’d love to see at the conference and expo, to alert them to your attendance.
• Upload any and all email lists to AdWords, Facebook, and LinkedIn, and create Custom Audience campaigns to serve display ads to just these people.
• Participate in any discussion groups on LinkedIn that are relevant to your event.
• Start following the show hashtag several weeks in advance to stay up to date on what’s trending.

AT THE SHOW

• Use Facebook live to capture and webcast the most exciting moments as they occur.
• Use photos of attendees in your social updates. ID the people (with their permission) to encourage social sharing and interaction.
• Utilize HootSuite or another social scheduler to post on your behalf when you are busy at the show.
• Use the Twitter @ sign to engage directly with your sponsored speakers or other known social brand champions in attendance.
• Engage in social listening to see what topics and events attendees are interested in. Respond to other attendee questions, rather than just inviting people to come to your booth.

POST-SHOW FOLLOW-UP

• Go through any leads you gathered, and connect with those people on LinkedIn, follow them on Twitter, or like their business page on Facebook.
• Follow up with your leads and connections via email.
• Post an event summary on your blog, with photos of the show highlights.
• Create and share a Twitter Moment of the event highlights.

Most importantly, nurture your social leads and build your network year-round, rather than being a fair-weather user. Effective social media usage means being an active and engaged part of your social community!