The Use of Social Media to Boost Event Attendance - Coursework Example

The Use of Social Media to Boost Event Attendance Table of Contents Introduction 1 Findings 2 Reduction of cost 2 Wide audience 2 Assurance of better events 3 Effective in education 4 Recommendations and conclusion 5 References 7 Introduction Social media is a social interaction in virtual networks where people share or exchange information and has become popular with many people in this century. Companies, government agencies and other organizations are increasingly using this platform to reach a wider market. Therefore, there is need for event organizers and mangers to embrace social media when planning and marketing their events in order to boost event attendance. Findings This report aimed at assessing how the use of social media in event management boosts attendance. This has been done by analysing the benefits of incorporating the social networks in organizing events compared to the traditional methods of marketing events. Reduction of cost Traditional method of advertising events was through posting mail cards, distributing fliers and making individual calls to invite the targeted audience. These methods are expensive in terms of the financial resources used and the time incurred in reaching the audience. Embracing social media in the marketing activities has greatly reduced these expenses since very little cost is involved in advertising an event over the social platform. One needs to only have access to internet and have the relevant accounts to reach millions of people globally. Furthermore the communication is instant since no time is wasted in passing the information and hence an effective mode of communication. The reduced marketing cost implies that the organizers of the events can channel those funds to improving the outlook of the event and hence attract more guests. The little expenses incurred can also prompt lowering of the fee charged for the event and therefore encourage many people to participate (Havaldar, 2010). Wide audience Almost every cultured person living in this dispensation of advanced technology participates in online social activities such as Twitter and face book. This large audience is translated to a large attendance when the respective planners harness and utilize the potential of the network to the maximum (Wale, Robinson & Dickson, 2010). Many organizations have set a team of online marketers whose mandate is to publicize the event and educate the public on the strategies to adopt. The strategies include creating relevant groups in the Face book and hash tags in twitter and then inviting people to join the groups and twit under the given hash tags. The promoters are always influential people with a large number of followers in the social media so that they can affect a large population. An effective mobilization and awareness creation is always a guarantee of success of any program (Serageldin & Cernea, 1994). During the actual event, positive information about what is happening on the site is made to circulate over the social media and hence influencing other people to consider participating. This has been achieved through encouraging the attendees who arrive early to update their friends and followers in the social media. The recipients then opt to either attend physically or participate through the internet if there is such an opportunity and hence consequently increase the number of attendees (Chaturvedi, 2009). It is evident that all event organizers who want their events to be successful have to reach the masses through the virtual networks. Assurance of better events Event planners who over the past years have embraced social media in all the stages of their activities have had successful occasions (Fang, 1997). This is because the planners are able to get feedback and opinions from the potential attendees about the event long before the time scheduled for the actual happening. Possible flaws that might have been overlooked are revealed and rectified; hence, improving the happening, which in turn attracts a larger audience. Furthermore the planners are able to get a clear picture of the kind of people they will be expecting and thus prepare adequately. The social networking trend provides a good opportunity for critic which when used well can be constructive since speakers can use such critics to improve their presentation. The effectiveness of the critic is boosted by the fact that it is usually a clear representative of the peoples’ opinion as opposed to the formal means, which normally gives a biased view. From the research, it was evident that many speakers nowadays are opting to use the online tools to review themselves (Anderson, 2008). This kind of trend is likely to continue becoming more popular as the technology continues to advance and new tools of social communication are invented. Therefore, the few individuals who have not fully appreciated the online tools of communication need to do so if they are to remain relevant. Effective in education Mobile phones manufacturing companies are now incorporating almost all tools of social media in the gadgets; thus, increasing the accessibility of people to the internet. This has ensured that almost every person with an internet-enabled phone belongs to at least one of these influential sites. All these social networks each have millions of subscribers who are active in the various activities that take place online (Gamatie, 2014). Many corporate organizations and government agencies have digitalized their operations and therefore they have posted all relevant information about their operations in the web. Organizers of events are now tapping this important information which is readily available and which suits their purposes through creation of research groups and other sites. Since the media gives people freedom to join the relevant groups, which they are interested in, the organizers are able to get the right people. They then disseminate the information and thus within a few minutes enlighten millions of people about an event. This leads to massive awareness about an event and thus attracting a large number of people who would not be reached if traditional means were relied upon. Through the social forums, people are able to connect to each other before and after an event and thus they are able to exchange important information. This connection becomes very effective when organizing subsequent events and can guarantee the event managers success at minimal effort. The planners who have realized this fact are keeping and following all the participants of their initial events in order to be able to connect easily with them in subsequent happenings (Lilien & Grewal, 2012). Recommendations and conclusion All the people who are involved either directly or indirectly in managing events need to be encouraged to utilize the diverse opportunities that the social media offers today. This can be implemented through government initiatives, which will ensure that the event marketers are well enlightened. Private bodies and Multinational corporations also need to play their part in order to ensure all the relevant personnel are fully equipped to engage in their tasks. Industries that produce internet enabled gadgets such as phones should also continue incorporating all social networking tools in the gadgets they produce. This will increase the accessibility of internet services consequently increasing the number of people who use social media. Increase in the number of people using social media implies that the event marketers will have a large audience, which will be effective in their operations. It is evident that incorporation of social media in event planning and organization is very instrumental in boosting event attendance. The proposed recommendations should be acted upon to ensure that large number of event marketers use the forum adequately. This will definitely lead to continual success in contacting attendees since the communication will be mainly to the interested ones rather than the traditional method of using job titles. References Anderson, T., 2008. The theory and practice of online learning. Edmonton: AU Press. Chaturvedi, A., 2009. Event Management A Professional & Development Approach. Global India Pubns. Fang, I. E., 1997. A history of information revolutions. Boston: Focal Press. Gamatié, A., 2014. Computing in research and development in Africa: benefits, trends, challenges and solutions. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08239-4. Havaldar, K. K. 2010. Business marketing Text and cases. New Delhi, Tata: McGraw Hill Education Private Ltd. Lilien, G. L, &Grewal, R., 2012. Handbook of Business-to-Business Marketing. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Pub. Serageldin, I, & Cernea, M. M., 1994. Making development sustainable: from concepts to action. Washington, DC: World Bank. Wale, D., Robinson, P., & Dickson, G. 2010. Events management. Wallingford: CABI. Read More