Understanding LinkedIn Events
LinkedIn Events is a feature that enables LinkedIn users to create, share, and discover professional-level events. Integrated within the LinkedIn platform itself, it offers a space for people to meet, engage, learn and network, all while staying within their LinkedIn sphere. Whether it’s a small workshop, a large conference, or an online webinar, LinkedIn Events provides the opportunity to broaden horizons and establish more connections, on a professional level.
Using LinkedIn Events
LinkedIn Events can be created and shared not just by individuals, but also by organizations that have business network pages. As an organizer, you have control over the privacy settings. You can make your event open to everyone or limit it to an exclusive list of invitees.
Create an event by clicking on the ‘Event’ icon under the left-hand panel of the LinkedIn Home page. You’ll be asked to fill in details such as the name of the event, location (for physical events), date, time, and description. If the event is online, you can add a specific online event link. Adding appropriate hashtags can ensure your event is easily searchable and reaches the right audience.
There’s more. You can add a banner to convey more about your event, mention the names of the speakers and tag them. One significant and truly beneficial feature is that LinkedIn Events enables you to post updates and engage with the attendees even before the event starts. This keeps attendees in the loop about all updates regarding your event and helps to build anticipation.
Inviting people is straightforward. If you’ve chosen to make your event private, you can invite people directly from your network. In the case of public events, anyone can see your event and choose to attend. Moreover, anyone attending your event can further share it with their own networks, meaning that the reach of your event can grow exponentially over time.
Making The Most Out Of LinkedIn Events
Now that we’re familiar with the basics of creating and sharing an event via LinkedIn, it’s also important to understand how you can leverage this feature to gain maximum benefits.
Firstly, tap into the power of LinkedIn’s algorithm. When someone in person’s network expresses interest in an event, LinkedIn’s algorithm may potentially show the event to their connections. This can facilitate a ripple effect that can significantly widen the audience of your event, making LinkedIn Events a potentially effective tool for event promotion.
Next, keep the attendees engaged. Posting regular updates, speaker introduction, behind-the-scenes details, or any critical information related to the event ensures active engagement from your attendees. A pre-event buzz often leads to increased participation and conversations during the event.
LinkedIn Events also provides analytics such as the number of attendees, the demographic data of attendees, visitor count, and attendee acquisition. This data can be leveraged to understand more about your audience and use this insight for future event planning.
Lastly, LinkedIn Events offers an ‘Event Group Chat’ feature. As an organizer, you can initiate meaningful conversations or discussions in these chats, thereby nurturing relationships and having valuable interactions.
In essence, LinkedIn Events offers a platform not just for creating and promoting events, but also for building a network, engaging with professionals, fostering relationships, and ultimately, for collaboration and growth. Whether you’re an individual planning to host a small local event, or a larger organization hosting a major international conference, LinkedIn Events can be a practical, effective tool to bring your event to success.