Whether they’re used as a marketing vehicle leading up to the show, a way to extend your brand year-round or simply a place for your community to connect with one another, most organizers understand the value that social networks can bring to their events. But creating a network that serves as an industry destination and truly engages your audience is much easier said than done. Defining what you want your social network to accomplish is just the first step in launching your initiative, which we’ll examine here in the first of a three-part series.

Next month, we’ll delve into selecting a platform, and the following month we’ll cover engaging your audience. EXPO checked in with show managers and social network providers to get the scoop on developing a successful strategy. “Lots of people don’t have a social networking strategy, but are just going for it,” says Mark Sylvester, CEO of social network provider introNetworks. “But even if people think they don’t have the time, defining a strategy contributes to long-term success and is worth an hour or two of your time.” Here’s how:

1. Understand your audience. “Survey your audience to determine who your users are, what conversations they want to have and will get them engaged,” says Andy Steggles, Chief Operating Officer and Social Strategist at social networking platform developer Higher Logic. Find out how your audience normally connects. Is there a place for them to get material before and after the event? Do attendees ever connect with speakers? Do they want to connect only around the event or year-round?

2. Identify your objectives. Establish in writing the goals you want to accomplish with your community, whether it’s to increase awareness of your event, grow your database, draw more exhibitors, increase attendance, get people more engaged, improve satisfaction, establish your event or organization as thoughtleader in your industry, or extend the reach of your event beyond the three days of the show. 3. Decide what tools to implement. “Look at the current tools you’re using such as emails, newsletters and Web sites,” Sylvester says. “Are there just ‘exhale only’ tools where the event talks at me, but I can’t have a conversation? Are there any discussion forums?” Then create a road map that details the tools you’ll need to incorporate into your network to achieve your goals, such as Twitter streams, blogs, podcasts, video, etc. to get users to participate.

It might take some experimentation at first to determine what tools resonate best with your audience. “We find that show audiences don’t behave unilaterally between or within shows,” says Philip Burke, Senior Vice President, GLM, a dmg world media business. “For example, we get better interaction in one show with Twitter than with Facebook, but in another show, LinkedIn works better. It seems there isn’t one right answer, but probably several per show.” Margaret Core, Director of Sales and Marketing, Conventions and Conferences at the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) agrees. “We’re focusing on LinkedIn because of its discussion features and subgroups, but Twitter and blogging are also working well with our audience,” she says.

4. Determine your marketing approach to gain users. Will people be automatically subscribed to your online community as they register for your event? Will they be opted in through e-mail blasts or as part of a value-add? “We’re also seeing some associations trying to entice subscribers into online communities as a membership benefit,” Steggles says. Content can be especially valuable in drawing users, Sylvester says. “The only way it really works is to offer something of value that users can’t get anywhere else,” he explains. “That can run the gamut from discounts on classes, materials and special events; content, such as the only place to get an agenda or attendee directory; or access, the only place you can talk to speakers and press, for example.”

5. Appoint a community manager. Assign at least one person (a staff member, volunteer or paid individual) who can take ownership of the network and dedicate a minimum of two hours a week to it. “This is where building a community of community builders is important,” Burke says. “You need to creatively and synergistically recruit resources. If you have someone who’s into Facebook as part of their personal life, get them to participate almost as an enthusiast in your community.” Most of the effort is in generating activity by posting new content and inviting new people to join. “Just like at a great cocktail party where the host will introduce you to someone they think you should meet, the same rules apply to human interaction and communication online,” Sylvester says.

6. Create a content plan. List the kinds of communications the site will provide, when they’ll be posted and what sources they’ll come from. For example, content items could include blog entries, event updates and announcements (such as when a keynote speaker is confirmed), tweets, updates on public social networks such as LinkedIn and Facebook, podcasts of recorded sessions, YouTube videos from your event, show photos posted to photo-sharing sites like Flickr or Webshots that link back to your network. When should you start posting new content? Timing for event-centric and year-round networks typically ramps up with registration. “I like it when a coordinated plan commences when early bird registration goes live,” Sylvester says. “Before that, people aren’t paying attention.

Then I suggest something called a rolling thunder plan, which builds as the event gets closer. For example, I run a series of monthly virtual events along with an email campaign that drives people to a Web site to capture registration, as well as a Twitter campaign of once per week at three weeks out, three times a week the week before and then twice a day two days before the event.” Who will produce all of the content? Can your staff handle it or will you need to have some pieces freelanced? “You need to get in there and listen,” Core says. “Don’t be afraid to try new things. You can’t just talk all about your event logistics.We have three articles written for us each month, and then chop them up and post different pieces on social media networks to start conversations about them.”

7. Don’t forget about design. Organizers already think about the look and feel of their physical events. Try to incorporate some similar elements in your social network. If you’re using a public platform, try adding logos or show photos.“Make sure your online presence resembles your onsite event design, so they’re interwoven,” Sylvester says. “This creates a safe place for people to have a conversation that keeps them engaged and encourages collaboration.”

8. Factor in costs. Beyond staff time, you’ll need to plan for additional costs if you’re planning to hire a third party to build your social network. Although there are some free networks available that are supported by ads, basic proprietary networks typically start at $1,000 and increase depending on the number of attendees, and full-service networks often start around $10,000.

9. Measure everything. You’ll need to measure your efforts to determine the success of your social networking initiative. This will help you identify the areas that receive the most traffic or engagement, as well as those that see the least amount of activity. If something’s not working, you may need to adjust your strategy.

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