Events today are no longer just physical gatherings of people at a physical location.  With society’s fixation on technology and social media, these ‘physical’ events are also simultaneously happening online whether the event planner wants them to or not.  Having your event go viral is a fabulous thing if it’s for the right reasons; having it go viral because something was a disaster could blow your career.

Creating a buzz about an upcoming event takes talent and sometimes a lot of luck. No one can force it, as it needs to build a momentum on its own, just like a virus spreading quickly and forcefully. Building that hype is best when it’s organic and authentic. What can a planner do to help nudge it along and get people spreading the word before, during, and post event? Here a few tips that may help you get your next event to go viral:

• Know your target audience and exactly who you want to reach. Your event, speakers, food, venue, cause, etc. must generate excitement and FOMO!
• Ask for the share. Build the ability to share within the event promotion with hashtags, great branding on social media, and exceptional and unique marketing. Ask interested visitors to like, tag, and share well before the event date. Remind them during the event to use these specific built-ins to continue the viral spread.
• Use images in your promotion. Studies show that posts with one or two images get shared twice as often on Facebook and Twitter. Use a simple and impactful theme to get the message across, and let it build from year to year for a recurring event.
• Use outreach marketing. Don’t just cross your fingers and hope someone happens to share something. Tell people about it! And more importantly, tell KEY people about it. These people are the influencers in your target audience, spreading the word to their network especially if they find value in being associated with your event. Start relationships with these key people early as they will more than likely use their influence and actively help promote the event.

Of course, the best way to get your event to go viral is to make sure it’s dynamic, original, and UNFORGETTABLE! Make a lasting impression on the attendees, and if this event didn’t go viral, the next one surely will!

If you would like help promoting your next event, we would love to chat! Give us a call or leave a comment below.