Autospeak-Straight Talk contains articles covering digital and social media marketing social communities and events marketing
Socialcasting is not a new phenomenon but new technologies are providing more effective ways in which to capitalize on it. Social Casting has developed out of several technology trends including:*instant messaging
*videoconferencing
*Social networking
*Blogging and Video Sharing
All combining stream information and photos in “Real Time†across the internet and social channels.
Socialcasting is a movement in online and onsite generated content that combines traditional media content, social networking, and interactive community to create a unique experience for viewers on the internet.
Some have called socialcasting where Web 2.0 meets TV 2.0, offering new ways for video content to be experienced and shared by viewers in an online community.
A Web 2.0 site or a social community allow users to interact and communicate with each other as creators of user-generated content in a virtual community, in contrast to websites where people are limited to the passive viewing of content.
This Social integration is the process of linking information--whether in blogs, forums or other networking options to the Internet. Search engines and communities are instantly alerted to the presence of a particular item. This allows users to quickly find what they need when they need it.
More and more companies are creating onsite social communities for their customers in which to interact. Companies can read the needs and concerns of their customers in new ways and can benefit from the relevant content being generated in the community via comments and articles that can be integrated into their Digital marketing initiatives.
Socialcasting is also seeing a lot of success in “real time events marketing.†On site events are seeing a much greater impact and reaching a much larger audience by going beyond the physical location and traditional media by simultaneously broadcasting the event in real time over the internet and through social channels. Through the real time streaming of photos and video, texting, blogging and social networking many people are engaged which causes the event to virtually feed on itself before, during and after the event.
The use of Socialcasting in digital marketing has increased in popularity but has been being used very successfully for many years. Sporting events of all kinds have been big beneficiaries of socialcasting using the internet and is now being utilized more and more for conferences and onsite promotions with great success.
Socialcasting in its many forms can boost page ranking and drive traffic in ways that no other form of media can. This can positively impact your overall marketing efforts and is something that any business can benefit from. Technology is constantly providing us with new and creative ways of marketing. Socialcasting is a product of all this new technology and is another way of driving social content to get help get your message out, create attention and drive traffic.
William Cosgrove
After making the necessary preparations for a small business event, you have to come up with a marketing plan to ensure its success. Whether you plan to hold a garage sale, open house, or night out, try to add these social media strategies to promote and boost attendance for the event.Before the Event
1. Engage with the audience through social media.
Draw in the audience from the outset by allowing them to propose what will take place at the event. For instance, run a competition on different social networking sites and let the audience decide on the venue or choose the keynote speaker, or suggest details about the venue.
2. Show the event details in visible social media channels and well ahead of the event.
Use social media to build momentum and excitement, especially if your event has a prominent keynote speaker or special guests. To do this, use Facebook and Pinterest to create your event page. If it is a business gathering, add a LinkedIn page.
If the event features a guest or speaker, add photos and links where he or she has already presented. Ask the speaker how he or she wants to be introduced. Then share it on your social media channels. It creates an appealing profile for your guest.
3. Add a countdown timer on your company website and share it on social media.
Once the countdown timer reaches a specific point in time, provide engaging updates and share progress during preparations about the distinctive aspects of the event. Provide more and more updates as the time for the event draws nearer.
4. Use a QR code and hashtag for your event marketing campaign.
QR codes and hashtags are helpful to promote events on different online and offline channels such as posters and invitation cards.
5. Create blog posts, an eBook, or a webinar.
Among the popular trends in marketing is to create a blog post, an eBook, a webinar, or to provide any type of downloadable material that provide a glimpse of the event.
For example, you can start an event marketing campaign with blog posts, a dedicated webpage, and a webinar. Each one of these items has to feature an important aspect about the topic to urge users to purchase or grab tickets for the event. You can ask the keynote speaker to be interviewed for a guest blog post or to write one.
6. Let your attendees register online through the company website or a social networking account.
The best way to lure potential attendees to your event is to offer a convenient method to register for it. If the event requires a reservation, use an online registration form such as Planetreg or Evite.
During the Event
Marketing content from events is outstanding, making it crucial to capture everything. You can use the ideas to document all the happenings during the event.
1. Hold a contest for users to submit their content.
Encourage attendees to be participants by asking them to submit photos or video clips of their favorite parts of the event. Feature this content in your social media channels as the event happens.
2. Allow attendees to take pictures with a professional photographer in a photo booth.
Apart from the fun it brings, it is another chance for you to get guest information and stay engaged with the participants.
3. Talk to guests at various times during the event.
Programs such as Ustream allow you to share live interviews. You can ask guests about their expectations before the event or impressions after the event.
Use social media to come up with prize opportunities, such as when guests share their praises about the event. Reward these people with prizes. Then create custom content using guests’ social media updates, and share it on your social media accounts or stream live content at the event using platforms such as Tweetwally.
After the Event
You still can gain awareness about the business and get sales even after the event. There are opportunities to add post-event promotions to your event marketing plan.
1. Share a detailed photo album of the event on social media.
Take pictures, identify the people in the picture, create a compelling caption, and add links to your business website whenever applicable and appropriate. Never miss opportunities like this. You can also ask guests to submit their own photos.
2. Share the highlights of the event through a podcast. Â
Ask the special guest or keynote speaker for a podcast interview and do a recap of the highlights of the event.
3. Write a feature story about the event in the company newsletter.
Contrary to most people’s belief, a newsletter still is an important marketing medium for small- and medium-sized businesses. You can share the newsletter across your social media channels.
4. Set up a post-event email drive.
For those who failed to attend the event, add a sales offer that includes links to the photo albums, the podcast, and the newsletter.
By Francis Rey Balolong
Also Read "RealTime" Events Markting
Events anchor any business to their local community. Which is why real-time event ‘live’ media marketing that broadcasts across every online digital and traditional marketing channel can be a game changing experience.
If you are planning an event there are many things you can do today to enhance the impact and reach of your event to gain a much larger audience.
You already have an audience in your database of existing customers. By creating an onsite community you can make existing sales and service customers and employees members all of whom can help you get your message out by commenting and blogging about you and the event before, during and after the event takes place.
Enlisting them in your community can provide many other benefits that can draw you existing customer and employee base much closer and if structured properly can benefit both you and your members in many ways. (Social Communities Can Redefine Customer Experience)
Imagine blog casting, social casting, and mobile applications all working together to engage existing, potential viewers and fans with GPS galleries that comb your area to attract visibility to the event both during and after it’s over. By creating and implementing social casting tools and applications that span the digital realm all integrated to take your business right into the heart of the action.
Events Marketing can also be used as a multichannel online sales or advertising event tool to enhance your inbound leads.
All this combined with an onsite social community platform gives you the most powerful socialcasting capabilities available in the marketplace today.
What is Socialcasting?Socialcasting is not a new phenomenon but new technologies have provided more effective ways in which to capitalize on it.
It has developed out of several technology trends including instant messaging, videoconferencing; social networking; blogging; video sharing and streaming information and photos in “Real Time†across the internet.
Socialcasting is a movement in online and onsite video and generated content that combines traditional media content, social networking, and interactive community to create a unique experience for viewers on the internet.
Some have called socialcasting where Web 2.0 meets TV 2.0, offering new ways for video content to be experienced and shared by viewers in an online community.
A Web 2.0 site or a social community allow users to interact and communicate with each other as creators of user-generated content in a virtual community, in contrast to websites where people are limited to the passive viewing of content.
This Social integration is the process of linking information--whether in blogs, forums or other networking options--to the Internet. Search engines and communities are instantly alerted to the presence of a particular item. This allows users to quickly find what they need when they need it.
More and more companies are creating onsite social communities for their customers in which to interact. Companies can read the needs and concerns of their customers in new ways and can benefit from the relevant content being generated in the community via comments and articles that can be integrated into their Digital marketing initiatives.
Socialcasting is also seeing a lot of success in “real time events marketing.†On site events are seeing a much greater impact and reaching a much larger audience by going beyond the physical location and traditional medias by simultaneously broadcasting the event over the internet and through social channels. Through streaming photos and video, texting, blogging and social networking many people are engaged which causes the event to virtually feed on itself before, during and after the event.
This all draws attention to drive traffic that otherwise would not be reached.
The use of Socialcasting in digital marketing has increased in popularity but has been being used very successfully for many years. Sporting events of all kinds have been big beneficiaries of socialcasting using the internet and is now being utilized more and more for conferences and onsite promotions with great success.
Socialcasting in its many forms can boost page ranking and drive traffic in ways that no other form of media can.
Socialcasting can make a big impact in your overall marketing efforts and is something that any business can benefit from. Technology is constantly providing us with new and creative ways of marketing. Socialcasting is a product of all this new technology and is an indirect social content driven way of getting your message out, creating attention and driving traffic.
William Cosgrove
Bill Cosgrove Straight Talk
