7 ONLINE PUBLICITY STRATEGIES YOU CAN USE TO PROMOTE YOUR EVENTS AND REEACH MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ONLINE
Promoting an event in today’s digital world is easy, easy because unlike before where billboard, Tv, newspaper and Radio were the only channels for publicity, and they were costly and without analytical data to help make informed decisions, now, with digital media, you can quickly launch an online publicity campaign and reach millions of people in just a few hours.
If you are a Nigerian, I believe you have heard about Hilda Baci , and how her Cookathon trended online for weeks and her congratulatory post by GBWR became the most engaged post ever on the Guinness Book of Records platforms. I’m sure You have also seen how Mercy Chinwo’s wedding became the talk of the town from her engagement to her traditional marriage to white wedding. It didn’t happen because Mercy is a celebrity, it happened because they planned and executed a PR and publicity campaign. Chances, you probably didn’t know Hilda before her Cookathon. And just like Mercy who grew not just her social media followers but also that of her husband, a great online publicity campaign can take your brand and minister from obscurity to national and even global awareness. It can grow your followers from zero to hundred thousand. It can grow your church from 200 members to 10,000 members in few weeks. Event is a great way to launch out and get known. So how can you do it, see the strategies below.
Events Platforms
Perhaps you didn’t know, there are website and apps designed for events. While Some of them are for event marketing and online publicity, others allow you to set up and host an event while also supporting event registration and event tickets, payment and event management. There are a lot you can do with these tools, and it makes sense to use them to achieve your goal. Some of them like Event Brite provide search engine value for your church and personal brand when you put your event on their platform. Others like Facebook event helps you connect with people in your location and show your event to people in your area who are likely to be interested. So, add event platforms to your online publicity strategy and use them to get results.
Press Releases
A press release is a statement, a write up containing information about your event including the date, time, theme, venue, registration, what to expect and every detail about it that the public needs to know. It is written for the media and sent to journalists to publish on their platforms. When you see media houses carrying stories about a pastor or his church, it does not happen by mistake or coincidence, someone is contracted to handle their PR and media relations and those content are sent to the media to publish. You can do the same for your ministry- be in the news and build good relationship with the media. The secret with this strategy is that if there is a bad story about you on social media, those media houses and journalists you have engaged to tell story about your event will most likely not spread the bad story. Think about it!
X (Twitter) Trend
This is the fastest way to get your name, your church or event known by many people within a short time is by being on X trends in Nigeria. Everybody on the platform who checks what is trending on the will see your name or hashtag depending on what is you use and they will click on it to see more and from there, they will know about you, your program and your ministry. Just go on X trends (Twitter) now to see what I mean. Do you want your event to trend? Get it to trend on X.
Facebook and Instagram Ads
Facebook and Instagram are the two biggest social media platforms at the moment, and with the Meta ad, you can reach 100 million people if you have the budget. It a must used strategy for online publicity. However, you need to have a result- oriented strategy to get the best results.
Influencer Marketing and Media Partnership
In the days of Jesus Christ, John the Baptist was the biggest influencer, and he was used to tell the people about Jesus Christ- that was influencer campaign. Today, everyone is on social media and you can get some of the popular people on the social media platforms that your target audience is using to announce your events and spread news about it while encouraging their followers to register and attend. Use influencers for your online publicity.
Start with the number of influencers your budget can afford. If you need help, contact QliqMedia.
Cross Posting
Cross-posting on Facebook means sharing live video on a page to other pages. It will notify the page followers to join your live video thereby increasing your views, reach and engagements. This is the strategies used by big ministries and pastors to promote their live-streaming and program. You can use this for your online prayers, Sunday service and more.
Google ads
Google ads is such a powerful tool for event promotion. We have used this to gain result for our clients. People like Pastor Mathew Ashimolowo has used this to promote their events.
Bonus
Digital Banners
The same way you have billboards and banners on the streets, you can also have digital banners on strategic websites and blogs. It could be your event flyer redesigned for the digital banner. Think of it the same way people pass or walk on the street and see your billboard, people will visit blogs and see your digital banners.
You can make your event trend online with these online publicity strategies; however, it requires a results-oriented planning and ruthless execution. The good news is, QliqMedia has the best company for your publicity campaign. And if you think promoting your ministry is bad, remember Jesus was on the streets during His time on earth because the souls were on the streets. Today, they are on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, etc. If this is true, it makes sense to reach them through strategic publicity campaigns.
Also, Jesus said, ‘go ye to the world and preach the gospel’’. The world today is social media and online forums. If it was today, Jesus would have been active on social media. Let QliqMedia help you get results.
Reach out to them today. Speak with Henshaw on 08070950313.
Written by Henshaw Jacobson. Henshaw Jacobson is a digital media expert, blogger and PR professional. He helps businesses and individuals get the best results from their digital media campaigns.
