Columbus. Oh. As many of us are in the throws of planning and executing tradeshows in the coming months, I thought this study from Freeman XP might come in handy. Respondents were asked how they employ social media at in-person events, such as conferences, tradeshows, and functions organized by brands. No surprise at the leading channels, but it was interesting to note how Facebook and Twitter were clear outliers overall.
Perhaps the most interesting part of this study is how different platforms are used at different times. Check out how the data changes from pre to duringto post tradeshow. Youtube becomes much more utilized during and after the show, while LinkedIn is more of a pre-show tool.
Leveraging these platforms can go beyond contacts and invites. SXSW (South by Southwest) always has a huge social following and makes them one to watch for clever campaigns. In 2013, the event developed a leaderboard for twitter influencers, by awarding points for retweets, @replies, or mentions with the #sxsw hashtag in tandem with an @name. This year, Amtrak sent a train to pickup nearly 30 tech personalities on their way to the event. Their goal was to get these social media stars to tweet pictures of their journey in real-time to the hashtag #AmtrakLIVE on Twitter and Instagram. In both of these examples, the strategy is harnessing the influencers.
For more on how brands are leveraging social, see 2015 Marketing Trend #2 *POOF* – Instant Advertising.
About the Author:
As Managing Director of Innovation and Insights for Syneos Health Communications, Leigh is responsible for building and scaling a global team of healthcare experts who together help life science leaders better understand the complex lives, influences and expectations of their customers. Specifically, they uncover actionable insights that fuel empathy and creativity; lead co-creation events that let marketers learn from peers, trends, and new possibilities; and help clients identify the most valuable and useful new customer experiences to create.
Leigh has worked with Fortune 1000 companies to craft their digital, mobile, social and CRM strategies for nearly 20 years.She’s worked for category-leading agencies in retail, public affairs, B2B technology, and higher education. Prior to moving to Syneos Health Communications, she held several leadership roles at our largest agency, GSW. There, she founded an innovation practice fueled by the zeitgeist and spearheaded digital and innovation thinking across the business.
Leigh has taken a special interest in complex healthcare products that can change lives in meaningful ways. She was recently a strategic lead on the 3rd largest launch in pharmaceutical history: Tecfidera. Before that she had keys roles with Eli Lilly Oncology, Abbott Nutrition, Amgen Cardiovascular, and Eli Lilly Diabetes.
A critical part of Leigh’s work is trends and new ideas. Every year, she convenes a group of trend watchers from across our global network to identify the shifts most critical to healthcare marketers. This year, she led over 250 experts to experts to focus on the most important changes in the commercial, consumer, marketing, digital and healthcare landscapes. (See reports at trends.health)
Leigh is a sought-after writer and speaker. Recognized as one of the most inspiring people in the pharmaceutical industry by PharmaVoice and Top 10 Innovation Catalysts of 2017 by MM&M, Leigh also was recognized as a Rising Star by the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA) for her overt passion, industry thought leadership and significant contributions in new business, strategy and mentoring.
