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Social media has revolutionized how conferences and conventions engage audiences. It is an integral component of event marketing and post-event engagement, and with the right strategy, you can harness its power to transform any event, using it to boost attendance, elevate your brand, amplify your message and create lasting connections.

Start With a Clear Strategy

“We’ve all heard the phrase ‘meet people where they are’ — and they are certainly on social media,” says Michael Hoffman, CEO of Gather Voices, a software company that empowers event planners and marketers to create, collect and share authentic video content from attendees, speakers and sponsors to boost engagement and extend event impact.

When it comes to reaching your audience, social media can help, but first you have to know exactly who you are targeting and what makes them tick. Then you must create a focused strategy based on a plan for how to reach them. Not only should you connect with your attendees and others on social media, but they should be connecting with each other as well.

“Involve attendees with social media posts that encourage engagement and give them a voice,” says Rachel Covello, content strategist and event host for the Florida OutCoast Convention. “Use polls to have viewers assist in deciding content or selecting keynotes. They then have a vested interest in the success of the event, and you are assured that the [people] who attend because of this promotion strategy will want to learn more about the topics selected.”

Are you looking to boost your conference attendance numbers, increase brand visibility within your industry or generate leads for potential sponsors and exhibitors? By defining your goals up front, you can tailor your social media strategy to align with any and all of these objectives.

Connect Before, During & After

With a little creativity, you can generate awareness to get everyone talking about your event before it even begins. To raise visibility, promote conference highlights by sharing posts and sending messages via Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram and LinkedIn. Be sure to clearly explain why the event is being held, including complete details about where and when it will take place.

You can also build anticipation by giving your audience sneak peeks. Ask your speakers to help get the message out by sharing presentation teasers on your social platforms. The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) — billed as “the world’s most powerful tech event” — uses Twitter and Instagram to unveil speaker lineups, highlight innovative tech products and share behind-the-scenes event footage. This approach makes people feel connected to the event well in advance, helping to further boost attendance.

Once your gathering is in full swing, take advantage of social platforms to instill “fear of missing out” (or FOMO), which can serve to increase attendance numbers for your subsequent events. Keep the momentum going by lining up interviews with notable speakers, exhibitors or special attendees. To add even more excitement, feature them in live feeds where they take questions in real time.

Then, when it’s all over, continue to maintain connections and amplify your conference message via social media — so you can keep the excitement going long after your last attendee has returned home.

At the same time, always be cautious about letting a chatbot write your posts. AI fatigue is a real phenomenon, and odds are, your audience will be able to tell the difference.

Remember that when using social media, it helps to “cross-pollinate.” This is when you strategically share content or promote activities across multiple platforms, which helps to strengthen their collective marketing power and encourage people to interact with other facets of your brand (e.g., using LinkedIn to get more Twitter followers or Facebook likes).

Social media should be used to create human connection before, during and after an event, says Devon Montgomery Pasha, CMP, CED, emcee and chief experience officer at DMP Creative.

“Social needs to be deployed to create human connection, tap into emotions, what we value, which is the number one behavior driver,” she adds.

Social media enables attendees to become part of the story. “By encouraging user-generated content, you allow attendees, speakers and sponsors to become storytellers,” Pasha says. “Branded hashtags and prompts give your audience the tools to share their excitement authentically. When people see that personal buy-in, it validates the value of the experience and fosters a sense of belonging before the event even begins. Understanding how to create belonging as a tool can help drive the desired behavior.”

It’s important to keep in mind that social media isn’t just a megaphone to announce the event is happening. “It’s an invitation to be a part of a community that values you. When attendees are part of the story, they’re not just watching the excitement — they’re creating it. That energy is contagious, and it builds a community before anyone even walks through the door,” Pasha says.

That means pulling back the curtain to show attendees what it takes to create the event, or engaging them in some way that will build anticipation. “From playful polls and countdowns to sneak peeks of the venue, or footage of speaker prep, behind-the-scenes content builds excitement and FOMO. It gives potential attendees a glimpse of what they’ll experience, creating emotional touchpoints that draw them in,” Pasha says. “Play is where the magic can be sparked. Interactive content [isn’t] just fun — [it fires] up different parts of the brain. When you tap into that playful energy, you’re not just building hype. You’re creating real, emotional bonds that stick. Social media becomes this epic playground where excitement grows, and everyone feels like they’re already part of the adventure before it even starts.”

Tailor Content to Your Stakeholders’ Needs

All stakeholders — attendees, sponsors, speakers — have different motivations and goals, and social media can be a powerful tool to speak directly to each group. “Every audience has their ‘what’s in it for me’ question — and social media is the answer. Tailored posts show you’ve done your homework and that you genuinely value their role in making the event shine. That personal touch turns casual interest into desired behavior of commitment and action,” says Pasha.

She emphasizes the importance of storytelling. “[That’s] what builds the emotional bridge between your audience and your event,” Pasha says. “Stories are where the magic happens. When you weave a great story, you don’t just sell an event — you create an experience people need to be part of. And the best part? Those stories don’t stop at the closing session —they keep the event alive year after year.

Get Creative With Event Hashtags

Create an event hashtag and share that with your audience. Encourage them to use it on all their posts. Be sure the hashtag is short and recognizable to your audience, and do your research — as it will be extremely detrimental if you choose a hashtag that is already being used by another show or event. Once you have a hashtag that is creative and unique, push it out on Facebook, LinkedIn, X and Instagram.

Covello takes this one step further. “Create social media graphics and messaging that can be shared by thought leaders to encourage greater attendance on all platforms, including stories,” he says. “It’s one thing for an event host or brand to promote their event, but the significance … is validated when shared by industry leaders and excited event attendees.”

Video Gets Noticed

One of the most popular social media tools is video, but go for authenticity. Over-polished videos are out. “Videos get 1,200% more shares than text or static image posts, for example. TikTok is all video all the time, and even LinkedIn — which is considered a more formal business network — has gone all-in on video,” Hoffman says. “LinkedIn recently introduced a video tab in their mobile app and is creating a video feed that looks a lot like Instagram Reels or TikTok. The kind of content that performs well on these platforms isn’t the overly produced videos of yesteryear. User-generated content is king, and finding ways to get that content into your event mix has become table stakes in the world of event marketing and engagement.”

Event technology leader Cvent chose Gather Voices to promote Cvent CONNECT and to assemble content for year-round customer engagement. To optimize attendee acquisition, the company used Gather Voices’ Speaker VideoBoost, enabling them to collect videos from speakers and use them to promote the event. Almost 100 videos were collected from customers and partners at CONNECT using the Gather Voices kiosks.

Hoffman shares some ideas for collecting and applying user-generated video before your events to create a massive increase in social media engagement:

• When you get their headshot and bio, require every speaker to also submit a one-minute intro video in which they talk about their session and invite people to join. (The Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) got more than 100 speakers to make videos, resulting in a 12% increase in registrations)
•  In the registration process, ask attendees to make a quick video detailing why they are attending and what they are most excited about
• Ask attendees to introduce themselves on video before the event, then share with registrants. When people see their colleagues and peers, they get FOMO and want to be there as well
• Have your industry partners, exhibitors and sponsors make videos introducing themselves (you can even upsell them to create the countdown videos you share on social media)
• During your event you can also collect and use video:
• Ask participants to create short videos in which they share their learnings from sessions
• Ask customers, attendees, members and others to share their conference highlights
• Collect video of your exhibitors in front of their own branding, talking about why they love the conference. These videos will become your best sales collateral for next year’s event
• Share the videos on big screens at your event

After your event, share all these videos on social media to continue engagement and learning. The Independent Packaging Association (AICC) used video to double their social engagement and create three times the number of click-throughs.

Snap Away

Take a lot of photos. Whether you share them on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn, you can show people what you are doing at the event (be sure to tag everyone in the pictures).

Also remember that selfies are another great way to get attention.

Incentives Work

Offer a report, an eBook or white paper that your audience would find useful if they connect with you on LinkedIn or follow you on Twitter.

In addition, awards can boost engagement. “Adding an award component to an event also creates buzz and engagement, especially when attendee votes and newsletter signup are part of the nomination process,” Covello says. “Use social media to create buzz around awards and to build a database of potential attendees. This is a sure-fire way to create more excitement with a follow-up marketing opportunity.”

Keep It Going

Remember that the social media push should not end when the conference ends. Keep the conversation going on your platforms. Create an email list. Be sure to message those on your list at least once a month with content that may be interesting to them.

To help maintain the event buzz long after the last exhibitor has packed up, curate audience engagement and recap all the poignant moments of your event. Thank your guests, attendees and speakers using their tag or @. You can also recap posts, video highlights and follow-up discussions on platforms such as LinkedIn. Conferences such as TED have mastered this by sharing compelling snippets of talks across platforms to drive ongoing interest and encourage people to attend future events.

“By keeping the conversation going, you can maintain attendee engagement and strengthen their connection to your brand,” says Shayne Smith, director of business development at Kampfire, an AI-powered post-event engagement platform that transforms event photos into personalized experiences, driving deeper connections and maximizing ROI.

“Every post-event sets the stage for the next, so before your upcoming event, generate buzz by sharing standout moments and memorable photos from previous events to build anticipation and ensure a highly engaging experience,” Smith says.

During the event, a tool like Kampfire enables attendees to contribute their own photos to the event gallery and also access any curated images in which they appear. “This not only enhances their personal experience, but also creates opportunities for real-time social media amplification,” Smith adds. “By making it seamless for attendees to share their photos, your event’s reach extends beyond the physical audience to their broader social networks.”

After the event, personalized photo galleries allow attendees to relive their favorite moments and easily share them online. “With 91% of social media content centered around photography and videography, leveraging tools like this ensures your event stays relevant and top-of-mind,” Smith says. “Post-event photo sharing not only sustains the conversation but also delivers valuable insights into attendee engagement. Organizers can track which photos are being shared and identify trends to refine future strategies. When combined with a thoughtful social media plan, attendee-generated content transforms your event into an evergreen source of value, ensuring its impact lasts well beyond the closing remarks.”

Verify Your Impact

Is your social media hitting the mark? Are your followers truly interacting with your content?  There are tools that can help you make sure. One of those is Phlanx, a free online calculator that tests engagement on platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

David T. Stevens, an award-winning corporate events and meeting planning professional, says you should listen to your audience. With more than 20 years in the business, he’s the co-founder of Olympian Meeting, a wellness consultancy.

“Track your hashtags and your @ mentions. It’s called social media, not broadcast media,” Stevens says. “If you have people talking about you, listen, engage and amplify all points during the timeline. Otherwise, they will quit posting. Show up in their comments and thank them and amplify their content.”

Stevens promotes the things he is excited about. He is also a proponent of posting during setup.

“You can leverage social media to help your attendees feel like they are a part of the process and help them see all the hard work going into it. Obviously, don’t give it all away,” he says. “But if you have a menu-planning meeting with the chef, take a selfie and tease what attendees can expect from an inclusivity and nutrition standpoint. Or do a highlight reel of the venue during site inspections, or even something along the lines of having your keynote speaker do a greeting video to welcome people to the event and touch on what they are going to deliver.”

In addition, Stevens recommends leveraging countdown clocks and price increases to drive urgency for ticket sales if applicable.

Stevens says that during the event, it’s important to document everything and make people wish they had attended. “Capture those hugs, smiles, cheers, handshakes and/or communal moments that show how people are connecting at the event. This is 100% about making people question their decisions on not being there,” he insists. “Also, interview your attendees onsite to get their feedback on the event on-camera for use post-event and pre-event for the next one.”

Post-event is where you keep the conversation going. “Snippets from key speakers, hysterical or aha moments that you know made the event special — share the moments that make people want to be in the room or actually go watch the recording of the session,” he says. “Share the survey results, share the comments. It’s okay to humble-brag about what your attendees say when it’s not you saying it.”

When used thoughtfully, social media can amplify the impact of your conference, create lasting connections and ensure that your event remains a must-attend on everyone’s calendar. Start posting today and let the conversations begin. C&IT