Creating event-based content can be tricky. The room is full of extremely smart people. And they’re all talking. Loudly. You find a chair in front between two people you don’t know, but who smile and offer a handshake and a name. Looking around, everyone is working on a laptop. Or a smartphone. Or both.
A hush falls over the crowd. A speaker stands up at the microphone, offers an introduction, and launches into a mind-blowing presentation full of statistics, facts, tips and tools. There are dozens of keys being typed, tweets being sent, and people whispering.
And you have to make sure you catch it all.
Event-based content creation isn’t always the easiest thing to tackle, but it’s worth learning. Liveblogging is a great way to interact with people who are participating in the same event, communicate information to coworkers, share wisdom with your subscribers, and learn things that can take your digital marketing efforts to another level. (Not to mention the increased visibility, social shares, and traffic this type of content can bring your brand).
There are certain things you can do to prepare for creating compelling, shareable content during an event (when we learn how to get speakers to speak slower, or how to get all attendees to put their phones on silent, we’ll share those, too). Here are 5 liveblogging tactics you can use at your next event:
1) Choose the Interesting, the Useful, and the Relevant
Can you imagine trying to liveblog, a webinar or presentation from the teacher in Ferris Bueller (Bueller…Bueller…Bueller)? It would be painful to listen to, and even more painful to try and make interesting for your readers. When you’re deciding what to liveblog, make sure you choose content that intrigues you. The more you relate to the topic, and the more useful it is for you, the easier it will be to create compelling content.
2) Prepare, Prepare, Prepare
There is a lot that goes into events. The more you can do to prepare for it, the better you’ll be at covering it. Research speakers ahead of time, learn what topics are represented, and choose which sessions you’ll attend. Create a schedule of everything to help keep you on track and mentally prepared for the days ahead. Then, prepare for your actual posts. Do some contextual research and draft your introductions. That way, you’re part way done before the presentation even starts!
3) Leverage Social Media Channels Before the Event
Connect with the speakers on different social channels a week or two before the event. Engage with them, let them know you’re excited to watch their webinar, or hear their presentation. This puts you on their radar, and lets them know you’ll be attending their session. Doing so also creates the added bonus of making social profiles easier to reference in posts during their presentations (thanks to auto-populate).
4) Don’t forget to smile
It can be easy to get wrapped up in writing the best liveblog, or posting the most tweets that you forget to interact with the people around you. It’s really important to break that habit. Networking with others at the event can compel fellow attendees to share your posts and feature your content on their own sites. Plus, you only have so many opportunities to build great relationships that will last longer than the event.
Bonus Tip: introduce yourself to the presenters and ask to take a picture to feature in your post—they’ll love that you’re covering them, and will often promote your post on their own channels.
5) Always Respond
The event is over, your post is live and the social shares are climbing. So you’re done, right? Not quite. It’s important to interact with the people who engage with your post. Thank the people who tweeted, liked, or shared your content. Respond to all the comments. It will help show you care about the content you created, and are committed to helping others understand your topic.
Remember that, like you, your audience is interested in unique and creative content that provides them with something useful. Let your personality show through, connect with those around you, and your event-based content will be as successful as you are!
What are some tips you’ve found useful when liveblogging?
