How to Use Social Media for Community Events

Every good party planner knows how to use social media.

Getting community support for an event always takes some coordination, but using a few online services can make your task much simpler. Whether you are running a charity event, a fundraiser for a community center or just a good old-fashioned block party, utilizing social media can help you to reach a whole new audience. Just about everything has a Web presence these days, so without using at least one of these services, your event runs the risk of being overlooked.

Instructions

1. Create a Facebook page for your event. Send invites to your friends and encourage them to bring along their own guests. Make the event public to ensure that everybody who want to come to your event can RSVP. Send messages to the event's attendees to keep them posted about updates or to get them excited as the event draws close. Any status updates you make to your page will also show up in your friends' news feeds, giving them a regular reminder about your upcoming event.

2. Make a Twitter account for your event, or use your own existing account to tweet about it. Your tweets can be focused on the event preparations or any news that may be relevant to your guests. As Twitter has a 140-character limit on tweets, you will need to craft messages that are clever and concise. Create an event-related hashtag for your followers to tag their own tweets with. Twitter users don't like overly verbose tweeters, so don't be too pushy about trying to get retweets. Once the event takes place, designate someone to "live tweet" the event. Even if people can't attend this particular event, reading about the goings-on in real time may make them interested in your next shindig.

3. Launch a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for your event. Kickstarter is an online funding platform through which you can easily launch a crowd-sourced fundraising campaign. Each campaign has a Web page through which potential supporters can learn more about your event and donate to your cause. If your event needs cash to get off the ground, Kickstarter can help you build a truly community-supported event. The most successful Kickstarter campaigns offer incentives to their donors, such as free tickets or swag. The advantage of fundraising with Kickstarter is that it can also help you to determine how many people are actually interested in attending your event.

Resources

• Facebook: How To Create and Manage Events
• Twitter Support: What Are Hashtags?
• Kickstarter: FAQ