Your special event involves planning, expense, and usually agita. The mainstream media probably will cover it. An employee is doing a video of the high points and will edit them so that your organization can post the best on your website and on YouTube. One thing you might not have thought of is this: Live-blogging.
In essence, someone who’s adept at blogging uses your or his/her blog platform to chronicle and comment on the activities. That’s live-blogging.
At Apple’s new product announcements, the major media send their bloggers to catch every fact and nuance of what is being unveiled. The bloggers might also interview the Apple leadership as well as those in the audience. They could also interview other bloggers at the event. Those posts, which could number 5, 10, 20, or 30, reach readers around the world (blogs are global) in real time. Afterward the bloggers might follow that up with a more formal article on the roll-out. The two reinforce each other and bloggers usually put links to their posts in the article.
On top of all the rest you are concerned about for your special event, doing live-blogging may seem too much. Actually it isn’t. Bloggers love to blog. They especially love doing it about an event which is being covered in real time. Each post contains one small aspect of the story, one interview, one observation. There could be photos. There could be video clips attached.
What are the benefits of live-blogging for your organization? Here are just a handful:
Creates Excitement. From the corner of their eyes participants spot the blogger. This enhances the specialness of the event. They will ask you to email them all the links. Of course, they want to see them.
Involves Audience. Interviewing attendees makes the event interactive. Those interviewed probably will send the links along to their own networks. They might post them on their own digital sites. They might send them to media. All that provides a multiplier effect for the exposure the special event receives.
Provides Links. The 5, 10, 15, 20 or 30 posts leave you with links you can bundle and provide on your digital sites, send to media, package as marketing material for prospects, and analyze for insight on what to do the same or differently on your next special event.
Kate Sirignano, founder of Image Marketing Consultants, provides complimentary consultations of live-blogging as well as Social Media, Special Events, Advertising, Public Relations, and Parterning 203-404-4868, mgenova981@aol.com.