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Essay / A study of the interrelationship between event promotion and social media
Table of Contents2.0 Objectives:3.0 Social media4.0 Event marketing5.0 Social media and event marketing6.0 Digital social word of mouth7. 0 Purchase Intent8.0 Digital SWOM and Purchase Intent9.0 Purchase Intention and Brand Loyalty10.0 ConclusionBusinesses around the world are adopting and adapting new media in the digital age for many different intentions: service customer, marketing, internal communications, public relations or corporate social responsibility. Social media has revolutionized the way people communicate and the way organizations interact with their audiences. It is now a reality that social media is changing the way stakeholders and businesses communicate on a daily basis, providing opportunities for collaboration, participation, interactivity and engagement. Therefore, social media is today conceived in the business world as a strategic communication partner, offering organizations new and unique possibilities to interact with their stakeholders (Bagozzi and Dholakia, 2002: 15). We are witnessing a new digital era in which consumers are becoming active users rather than passive individuals, radically changing the way society functions. The contribution of social media in event marketing cannot be neglected, as advertising, publicity and sending invitations to attract many people to events have been further enhanced by social media. This article therefore focuses on exploring the relationship between social media and event marketing. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay A long time ago, event marketing involved simple, proven techniques of paid advertising and public relations outreach to ensure maximum and relevant attendance at an event. Getting media coverage required designating a contact for media inquiries and then crafting engaging press releases. The local newspapers will now alert everyone in town. A few paid advertisements in trade publications and invitations sent by mail were also necessary to start receiving registrations. While these tactics remain essential for driving event attendance today, the media landscape has changed significantly. Rather than turning to different local newspapers, people often turn to search engines and social media for information about events. Rather than simply registering for an upcoming event, potential registrants typically turn to social media to get a sense of what other people have to say about that event (Gunelius, 2011: 21). Clearly, social media has profoundly changed the way today's generation gathers and digests information. Therefore, event organizers must identify and leverage the importance and uniqueness of social media to reach large numbers of potential attendees where they seek information, both online and in real life.2.0 Objectives: The Effects of digital social word of mouth on purchase intention and brand loyalty In addition to event marketing, social media can help organizations publish information and measure the effectiveness of the communication process (Argenti, 2006). This is important to establish a strong brand image and build customer loyalty.consumers to the organization's product or service offering. For stakeholders, social media also offers opportunities to shape the message they want. Therefore, stakeholders can make a brand popular or ostracize it. Coordinating social media marketing has become easier today with many followers within the reach of organizers. Social media can thus be easily exploited to achieve event marketing objectives. Social media further provides people with networking opportunities. The public can identify some potential connections they can make at the event by posting the attendance list on social media, especially popular people or friends (Hudson et al, 2014: 69). Attendees can network via social media before, during and after the event, for example via hash tags (#) on Twitter. This can transform the dynamics of the event in a more positive way, as people can engage in meaningful dialogues and participation. This is possible if participants have an advanced common knowledge base at the start of the event. The objective of this article is to identify the effects of digital social word-of-mouth on purchase intention and brand loyalty, among other event marketing relationships.3.0 Social MediaBoyd and Ellison (2007 ) defined social networking sites as web services that allow people to create a public or semi-public profile and have a list of other users sharing a connection. Today, with the advent of Web 2.0 platforms, companies no longer have absolute power to control their information; therefore, stakeholders are calling for more transparency, open communication and engagement via social media platforms. Today, social media is often used for promotions, tailored advertising, content creation, time management and productivity, to drive traffic to a website, blog or other social networks and to turning subscribers into customers (Evans, 2010: 16).4.0 Event MarketingWhether it's a conference, networking event or launch party, businesses have been marketing and hosting live events for decades. Improvably, in the digital age of social media, getting the word out about an event is easier than ever and increasingly beneficial to an organization's brand. Today, social media is an essential exclusive strategy for planning events. Not only does the company connect with more individuals at once, but the organization is also able to connect and stand out (Biba, 2008: 13). This verifies the company's expertise to an industry and a large audience on the digital stage. Today, the Internet and new technologies play a powerful role in informing and connecting people around the world. Through social media platforms such as blogs, wikis, social networking sites, video sharing sites, etc., businesses can disseminate information and messages quickly and inexpensively compared to traditional media. Additionally, social media allows citizens to participate on their platforms and contribute their ideas and opinions regarding their events. This then establishes a connection and massive following, which businesses can leverage to publicize their events and welcome registrations from potential attendees (Kose et al, 2011: 50). With a global online presence and large following, social media can be a great tool.means of advertising an organization's products because of the large number of audiences at its disposal from which it freely obtains information. Companies no longer need to contact mainstream media to advertise their products or services, new media tools already offer companies the opportunity to profit freely.5.0 Social media and event marketingAn event, which whether it's an open house, a networking gathering, a class or a fundraiser, is inherently a social episode. People attend events with the goal of connecting, interacting, and sharing experiences with other peers. It is for this same reason that people also join social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. Given their analogous nature, it makes perfect sense to use social media to help plan, promote and build excitement for any public event an organization is hosting. If the goal is to interest as many event attendees as possible, social media is the ideal tool to get the message out to members, key customers, sponsors and beyond (Newman and Thomas , 2009: 88).Social media events marketing makes it easier for an organization to combine the power of new media with its events strategy to drive engagement, drive attendance, and generate the type of results expected from events (Getz , 2007: 33). Additionally, event marketing on social media allows you to be better organized, prepared and more connected with the target event audiences (Gillian, 2009: 40).6.0 Digital Social Word of MouthMarketing word of mouth via social media is able to expose an event to many registrants and potential attendees in just a few minutes. Favorably, this is a huge cost savings compared to other expensive methods used in the past, such as mainstream media or direct mail invitations. Although social media propels the marketing of events to a wider audience, it is the digital word-of-mouth social connection that further markets the event. Fans of the event invite their friends and share the events on their social media pages, thereby spreading the word about the occasion and generating interest among more people. It is important to realize that you must choose the most appropriate channel to better communicate about the event. It depends on the nature of the event and its purpose. Twitter is now gaining popularity in such activities and can be easily leveraged to connect with more people and spread electronic word of mouth marketing through hashtags. Facebook is commonly used for less formal events like concerts, festivals and parties, while Instagram can be used to share photos of events (Periera et al, 2014: 45). This gives followers more power to help the organization spread the word about the event on a digital platform. When people send invitations to their friends and indicate that they are attending, it makes them more willing and more interested in attending (Grönroos, 2004: 79). The cycle continues as friends of friends continue to spread the word. It is important for an organization to keep updating the latest events in order to continue to excite its potential attendees. They can also set up a countdown system like 2 days left, to remind people of the date. Nevertheless, even if access to social media for market events.