How to sell tickets through social media?

One of the best ways to spread out your event is by using social media. With different platforms it is possible to reach lots of people around the world. It is not enough for your followers to see your updates; it pays to put some strategy behind your posts.

Sell more tickets on social media with these 10 steps:

Step 1: Choose your social networks

Depending on your target audience, some social platforms may be more effective than others. You, as festival organizers should be covered doing some promotion on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. However, it is relevant you know what information is more attractive to post in those different social media platforms.

Step 2: Choose your event hashtag

Come up with a hashtag that’s short, unique, and easy to understand. Once you land on an idea, stick with it! Consistency is key.

Every time you post something relevant to your event include the hashtag. But don´t forget to promote your hashtag on all your other communication channels. These include your event website, promotional emails, print materials, and more. During the event, make sure your hashtag is visible so your guests know how to use it.

Step 3: Create (and sell tickets through) your Facebook Event

With more than 47 million events created on Facebook every year you need to make your event stand out.

When creating your Facebook Event, be sure to:

• Choose a cover photo that looks good at any size

• Be specific about location, time, and category so Facebook can help you promote your event

• Make a compelling event description

• Put your ticketing link front and center so people can see it easily

Step 4: Craft your content carefully

For maximum engagement, you’ll want to include images in your posts. Remember to keep in mind the different styles and audiences on each platform.

Incorporate images in your post. Images, videos, short clips, posts are more engaging. If you’ve had past events, include photos of happy attendees having a great time. Or, if you have well-known speakers, influencers, or vendors for your upcoming event, you can share photos of those people to build excitement.

Step 5: Invest in tools to streamline your process

Here are two ways the right social media tools can help you save time and make your social media more effective:

· Plan and schedule more efficiently. You can’t be online twenty-four hours a day, so use tools that can help you plan, organize, and schedule your posts. You can also make a content calendar where you organize your future posts, pictures and topic you want to talk about.

· Create and curate diverse content. Content curation platforms help you find interesting content. Bookmark a blog post or a video that relates to your topic.

Step 6: Run a social media contest

If you wish your followers share more of your posts make it happen with social media contests. You can’t just rely on your own accounts to spread the word. Contests are the perfect way to motivate word-of-mouth promotion without a huge investment. You need a strategy to plan your contest to be successful. It has to engage people without risking the event.

Step 7: Work with influencers

Build relationships with key people in your industry that work with you, talk about your event, and share it with all their followers. This can help influence new attendees. Get the basics you need to employ a social influencer campaign that drives attendance at your event.

Step 8: Launch paid social media ads

On average, only about 2-6% of your Facebook, Instagram and Twitter followers will see posts you make on your event page.

To craft an engaging social media advertisement, be sure to include:

• An eye-catching image or video

• Short and interesting post texts

• An even shorter headline — that’s still engaging. Call the attention of your audience

• A direct call to action (i.e., “Buy Tickets”)

• An accurate link description (i.e., “Click here to buy tickets”)

Step 9: Use live video on event day

Use short, live clips from your event, like behind the scenes peek or interviews with performers to engage viewers. Live video is extremely engaging, grows attendance and is cost effective.

Step 10: Measure your social media activity

As you get better on social media, you will want to get a sense of what strategy is working on your followers and what is not. You can use Key metrics to measure that includes:

• Engagement rate. Are you followers engaging with the content you post? Do you need another strategy?

• Clicks. How many social media users are clicking on the links to your ticketing page?

• Return on investment. If you’re using paid advertisements, don’t forget to monitor your ROI (return on investment) to make sure your investment is paying off.