In today's digital age, events have become more than just physical gatherings - they have transformed into immersive experiences that extend beyond the venue walls. One powerful tool that event organizers are utilizing to maximize audience engagement is a social wall. A social wall acts as a real-time social media feed, displaying user-generated content related to the event, such as tweets, photos, and videos, all in one place. By incorporating a social wall into their event, organizers can create a sense of community, encourage interaction, and amplify the reach of their content.
Attendees can actively participate by posting on social media using event-specific hashtags, while those following the event from afar can stay updated through the social wall. This not only increases attendee engagement but also generates valuable user-generated content and boosts brand visibility. In this article, we will explore the power of a social wall at events and examine how it can be leveraged to create a truly immersive and engaging experience for all attendees.
What is a social wall?
A social wall is a digital display that aggregates and showcases social media content in real time. It can be set up at events to display user-generated content related to the event, such as tweets, photos, and videos. The content is typically curated using specific event hashtags or handles, making it easy for attendees to contribute and for event organizers to monitor and control what is displayed.
Social walls can be displayed on large screens throughout the event venue, creating a focal point for attendees to engage with and share their experiences. By bringing social media content to the forefront, social walls create a sense of community and encourage attendees to actively participate in the event conversation. This not only enhances the overall event experience but also extends the reach of the event beyond the physical venue, allowing those who couldn't attend to still feel connected and engaged.
Best Examples of successful social walls at events
Dreamforce: Salesforce's annual Dreamforce conference is one of the largest tech events in the world. Dreamforce utilizes a social wall to aggregate and display social media content related to the event. Attendees can use event-specific hashtags to contribute to the social wall, creating a sense of community and encouraging interaction. The social wall at Dreamforce not only enhances the attendee experience but also amplifies the reach of the event's content, making it a powerful tool for engaging with a global audience.
Coachella: The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is not only known for its stellar lineup of artists but also for its social media presence. Coachella incorporates a social wall into its event, displaying user-generated content from attendees. By using event-specific hashtags, attendees can share their experiences and be a part of the larger Coachella community. The social wall at Coachella not only enhances the event experience but also generates valuable user-generated content that helps promote future festivals.
How to create a social wall for your event
Creating a social wall for your event requires careful planning and execution. Here are a few steps to get you started:
Determine your goals: Before creating a social wall, it's important to define your goals and objectives. What do you hope to achieve by incorporating a social wall into your event? Are you looking to increase audience engagement, amplify content reach, or enhance the overall event experience? By clarifying your goals, you can tailor your social wall strategy to meet your specific needs.
Choose a social wall platform: There are several social wall platforms available that make it easy to create and manage a social wall for your event. Look for a platform that offers customization options, real-time updates, and analytics capabilities. Some popular social wall platforms include Tagboard, Tint, and Walls.io.
Curate event-specific hashtags: To encourage attendee participation and ensure relevant content is displayed on the social wall, create event-specific hashtags. These hashtags should be unique to your event and easy for attendees to remember and use in their social media posts. Promote the hashtags through your event marketing channels to maximize participation.
Moderate and curate content: To maintain control over the content displayed on your social wall, it's important to moderate and curate the content in real-time. This ensures that inappropriate or irrelevant content is not displayed, creating a positive and engaging experience for attendees. Assign a dedicated team or individual to monitor and curate the social wall throughout the event.
Display the social wall: Determine the best locations within your event venue to display the social wall. Consider high-traffic areas where attendees are likely to gather, such as registration areas, networking lounges, or main stages. Opt for large screens or video walls that are easily visible and accessible to attendees.
Promote the social wall: Encourage attendees to actively participate by promoting the social wall throughout your event. Include information about the social wall in event materials, such as programs or signage. Encourage attendees to use the event-specific hashtags and share their experiences on social media. Consider offering incentives, such as prizes or recognition, to further motivate attendee participation.
Best practices for using a social wall at events
To maximize the impact of your social wall at events, consider implementing the following best practices:
Create engaging content: To encourage attendees to actively participate and share their experiences on the social wall, create engaging content that sparks conversations. This can include thought-provoking questions, interactive polls, or challenges. By providing attendees with interesting content to engage with, you increase the likelihood of them sharing their experiences.
Encourage user-generated content: Attendees are more likely to engage with a social wall if they see their own content being displayed. Encourage attendees to post on social media using event-specific hashtags and highlight the best user-generated content on the social wall. This not only motivates attendees to participate but also creates a sense of community and recognition.
Moderate content in real-time: It's important to monitor and moderate the content displayed on the social wall in real-time. This ensures that inappropriate or irrelevant content is not showcased, maintaining a positive and engaging experience for attendees. Assign a dedicated team or individual to monitor and curate the social wall throughout the event.
Integrate sponsor content: If you have event sponsors, consider integrating their content into the social wall display. This not only increases sponsor visibility but also provides additional value to sponsors. Highlight sponsor logos, promotions, or messages alongside user-generated content to create a cohesive and engaging social wall experience.
Promote the social wall: Encourage attendees to actively participate by promoting the social wall throughout your event. Include information about the social wall in event materials, such as programs or signage. Emphasize the benefits of participating, such as being part of a larger community or having their content seen by a wider audience.
Ways to encourage audience participation on a social wall
To encourage audience participation on a social wall, consider implementing the following strategies:
Incentives: Offer incentives for attendees to actively participate and share their experiences on social media. This can include giveaways, exclusive access, or recognition. By providing a tangible reward for participation, you increase the likelihood of attendees engaging with the social wall.
Real-time engagement: Actively engage with attendees in real-time by responding to their posts on social media. This not only encourages further interaction but also creates a sense of community and connection. By acknowledging and responding to attendee posts, you make them feel valued and more likely to continue participating.
Gamification: Incorporate gamification elements into your social wall strategy to make it more interactive and engaging. This can include challenges, quizzes, or contests. By adding an element of competition or reward, you motivate attendees to actively participate and share their experiences on the social wall.
Live polls and surveys: Use the social wall to gather feedback and insights from attendees in real-time. Display live polls or surveys that attendees can respond to using event-specific hashtags. This not only encourages participation but also provides valuable data and insights for event organizers.
Tools and platforms for creating a social wall
Creating a social wall for your event is made easier with the help of various tools and platforms. Here are some popular options:
Onstipe: Onstipe is the best social media aggregator tool and display platform that allows you to create and manage social walls. It offers customization options, real-time updates, and analytics capabilities. Onstipe also integrates with popular social media platforms, making it easy to curate content from various sources.
Tint: Tint is another social media aggregation and display platform that enables you to create visually appealing social walls. It offers customizable design templates, real-time updates, and moderation tools. Tint also provides analytics and data insights to help you measure the impact of your social wall.
Walls.io: Walls.io is a social wall platform that allows you to aggregate and display social media content from various platforms. It offers customization options, real-time updates, and analytics. Walls.io also provides moderation tools to ensure only relevant and appropriate content is displayed.
TweetBeam: TweetBeam is a social wall platform specifically designed for Twitter content. It allows you to create visually stunning social walls that display real-time tweets. TweetBeam offers customization options, moderation tools, and analytics capabilities.
Measuring the success of your social wall
To measure the success of your social wall at events, consider tracking the following metrics:
Engagement metrics: Monitor the number of social media posts, likes, shares, and comments related to your event. This provides insights into attendee engagement and the overall reach of your social wall.
Reach metrics: Measure the number of impressions, views, and reach of your social wall content. This helps you understand how far your event-related content is reaching and the potential impact on brand visibility.
User-generated content metrics: Track the amount and quality of user-generated content generated through your social wall. This allows you to assess the level of attendee participation and the value of the content being generated.
Conversion metrics: If your event has specific goals, such as generating leads or driving website traffic, track the conversion metrics associated with your social wall. This helps you understand the impact of your social wall on achieving your event objectives.
Attendee feedback: Gather feedback from attendees about their experience with the social wall. This can include surveys, interviews, or social media sentiment analysis. Attendee feedback provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of your social wall strategy and areas for improvement.
Case studies of events that successfully used a social wall
Adobe Summit: Adobe Summit, an annual digital marketing conference, utilized a social wall to engage attendees and amplify content reach. By curating event-specific hashtags and displaying real-time social media content, Adobe Summit created a sense of community and encouraged attendees to actively participate. The social wall not only increased attendee engagement but also generated valuable user-generated content that was repurposed for future marketing efforts.
TEDx: TEDx events around the world have embraced social walls to enhance the attendee experience and extend the reach of TEDx talks. By displaying real-time tweets and photos from attendees, TEDx events create a dynamic and interactive environment. The social walls encourage attendees to actively participate, share their insights, and connect with each other. This not only enhances the overall event experience but also amplifies the impact of TEDx talks.
IBM Think: IBM Think, an annual technology conference, leveraged a social wall to engage attendees and showcase the latest advancements in technology. By curating event-specific hashtags and integrating sponsor content, IBM Think created a visually appealing social wall that encouraged attendee participation. The social wall not only increased brand visibility but also provided valuable data and insights into attendee sentiment and interests
