Social walls are a great way to create an engaging and interactive experience for attendees at educational events. Social walls display user-generated content from social media platforms, such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, in real-time. This content can include tweets, photos, videos, and other types of posts that are relevant to the event. Social walls provide an opportunity for attendees to share their thoughts, opinions, and experiences with others, which can help to create a sense of community and foster engagement.
The importance of social walls for educational events cannot be overstated. In addition to creating a sense of community and engagement, social walls can also help to increase brand awareness, drive traffic to event websites, and provide valuable insights into attendee behavior and preferences. In this article, we will discuss some ideas and best practices for creating successful social walls for educational events.
Ideas for Creating a Social Wall for Educational Events
Choose the right platform for your social wall
There are a variety of platforms available for creating social walls, including Tagboard, Walls.io, Tint, and many others. It is important to choose a platform that is easy to use, has a wide range of features, and is compatible with the social media platforms that you plan to use.
Define your goals and objectives
Before creating your social wall, it is important to define your goals and objectives. What do you hope to achieve with your social wall? Are you looking to increase engagement among attendees, generate buzz on social media, or drive traffic to your website? Once you have defined your goals, you can begin to develop a strategy for achieving them.
Determine the types of content to be displayed
Social walls can display a variety of content, including text, photos, videos, and other types of posts. It is important to determine the types of content that will be most relevant and engaging for your audience.
Encourage audience participation
Encouraging audience participation is key to creating a successful social wall. You can do this by asking attendees to share their thoughts, photos, and videos on social media using a specific hashtag. You can also ask attendees to vote on their favorite posts or to submit questions for speakers.
Use hashtags and other social media tools
Hashtags are a great way to organize social media posts and make them easier to find. You can also use other social media tools, such as live streaming, to create a more interactive and engaging experience for attendees.
Monitor and moderate the social wall
It is important to monitor and moderate the social wall to ensure that the content is appropriate and relevant. You can do this by using moderation tools provided by your social wall platform or by appointing a moderator to monitor the social wall in real-time.
Provide incentives for participation
Providing incentives, such as prizes or giveaways, can help to encourage participation and engagement among attendees. You can also provide recognition for attendees who share the most engaging or creative posts on social media.
Best Practices for Creating a Social Wall for Educational Events
Keep it simple and visually appealing
Social walls should be easy to use and visually appealing. Avoid cluttering the social wall with too much content or using overly complicated design elements.
Ensure that the content is relevant and appropriate
It is important to ensure that the content displayed on the social wall is relevant and appropriate for the event. This may require moderation and filtering of user-generated content to ensure that it is appropriate for all audiences.
Provide real-time updates
Social walls should provide real-time updates to keep attendees engaged and informed. This may include updates on speakers, sessions, or other event-related information.
Encourage engagement and interaction among participants
Encouraging engagement and interaction among participants is key to creating a successful social wall. This can be done by using gamification elements, such as contests or challenges, or by asking attendees to share their opinions and experiences with others.
Use analytics to measure the impact of the social wall
Analytics can provide valuable insights into attendee behavior and preferences, as well as the effectiveness of the social wall. You can use analytics to track metrics such as the number of posts, engagement rates, and sentiment analysis.
Have a plan in place for addressing negative or inappropriate content
Negative or inappropriate content can damage the reputation of your event and discourage participation among attendees. It is important to have a plan in place for addressing negative or inappropriate content, such as moderating or removing offending posts.
Follow up after the event to continue the conversation
Social walls can provide a valuable source of feedback and insights from attendees. Following up after the event can help to continue the conversation and provide an opportunity to gather feedback and insights for future events.
Examples of Successful Social Walls for Educational Events
There are many examples of successful social walls for educational events. Some notable examples include:
TED Conferences – TED Conferences are known for their innovative and engaging social walls, which showcase user-generated content and provide real-time updates on speakers and sessions.
SXSWedu Conference – The SXSWedu Conference uses a social wall to encourage engagement and interaction among attendees, with features such as live streaming, polls, and Q&A sessions.
Adobe Education Summit – The Adobe Education Summit uses a social wall to showcase user-generated content and encourage engagement among attendees, with features such as live streaming and interactive presentations.
EdTechXEurope Conference – The EdTechXEurope Conference uses a social wall to drive engagement and create a sense of community among attendees, with features such as gamification elements and real-time updates on speakers and sessions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, social walls are a valuable tool for creating engagement and interaction among attendees at educational events. By choosing the right platform, defining clear goals and objectives, and encouraging participation and engagement among attendees, you can create a successful social wall that enhances the overall experience for attendees. By following best practices such as keeping it simple and visually appealing, providing real-time updates, and using analytics to measure the impact, you can ensure that your social wall is a valuable addition to your event.