Establishing a social presence goes beyond just interacting on online platforms. It involves delivering genuine experiences to your audience to foster community and connection. Blavity excels at merging social media with real-life interactions, hosting various events throughout the year. Their flagship event is AfroTech™, recognized as the largest multicultural conference in the United States.
This year, Sprout Social made its debut at AfroTech™, and we were eager to take our audience on our journey to highlight the significance of brand diversity in social media. In this article, I will recount our experience at AfroTech™ and outline our approach for event coverage, including our partnership with LinkedIn. Furthermore, I will present Sprout’s best practices for social media during events to spark ideas for your strategy.
What is AfroTech™?
Headquartered in Los Angeles, Blavity is the premier enterprise provider of premium content and networks centered around Black culture and technology. The media tech company hosts the AfroTech™ Conference on a yearly basis. Each occasion attracts a global community of over 20,000 creatives, engineers, venture capitalists, founders, executives, and various tech innovators for a mix of digital and face-to-face events. The conference showcases panels and workshops, as well as networking experiences with industry leaders. Moreover, the annual gathering features an expo hall with mid-market and enterprise recruiters. AfroTech™ 2024 took place in Houston, Texas.
Our Path to Sprout AfroTech™
When you search #AfroTech on social media, you’ll see attendees referring to the event as a reunion, a sanctuary for community, or an incubator for innovation. For me, these perceptions converge, thanks to my mentor who first introduced me to the conference. Our connection developed during the pandemic via Zoom, and she inspired me to participate in AfroTech™ in 2021 when Blavity hosted the event on a metaverse platform, eXp World Holdings.
The event was fully immersive, allowing participants to engage with personalized avatars to communicate and interact in real time. There were also live performances from artists like Jidenna. Captivated by the event’s programming and the presence of enterprises, I knew I wanted to experience it in person.
In 2023, I attended the event in person alongside my mentor. I connected with professionals who have since become friends and business allies—many of whom have provided expertise or served as guest speakers for Sprout. Recognizing the impact on my career and the broader business implications, I was eager to bring Sprout to AfroTech™. Our network partners, customers, and industry peers were in attendance, making it a perfect opportunity for Sprout’s involvement. I relayed the insights to Sprout’s Marketing leaders, showcasing standout programming to our DEI team and Black@, Sprout’s community resource group for Black employees.
As a member of the Black@ leadership committee, I presented the idea of Sprout at AfroTech™ to our co-leads, Kiara Ealy and Chelsey Jordan. With their guidance and the unified support of our executive sponsor, DEI, Recruitment, and Equity teams, we successfully sent 11 Sprouters to AfroTech™ 2024.
“Initially, attending AfroTech™ seemed like a dream, but as support from leadership came together, it reflected Sprout’s commitment to our DEI initiatives. The conference was truly inspiring, filled with underrepresented leaders in tech while highlighting ideas and perspectives from historically marginalized groups.
AfroTech™ was more than just a networking space and a symbol of representation; it served as a venue where our partners, customers, and prospects united for inclusive global innovation.” Chelsey Jordan, Customer Success Manager, Corporate and Black@ Co-lead
While our co-leads and internal teams managed logistics, I began to formulate a strategy for social media event coverage with Sprout’s Social Team.
Social Media Strategies for Events: Sprout’s Approach at AfroTech™
For our social media strategy at AfroTech™ Conference 2024, we arranged pre-event, during-event, and post-event coverage to provide a well-rounded experience for those participating in the conference.
Pre-event
Pre-event coverage plans for AfroTech™ 2024:
- One static post featuring a branded graphic on LinkedIn
- One curated Employee Advocacy link highlighting the LinkedIn post
- One poll regarding event coverage feedback
- One static post by a nano-influencer
- One promotional video on LinkedIn and Instagram
- One Sprout Social Listening Topic
For pre-event coverage, our aim was to raise awareness of Sprout’s participation while encouraging audiences to look forward to our upcoming content. Through the LinkedIn static post, we announced our involvement and our plans for event coverage on Instagram. We enhanced the post internally via our Employee Advocacy initiative. We curated an Advocacy Story and disseminated the link through internal channels, allowing Sprout employees to share it on LinkedIn. Additionally, we introduced a poll to promote further awareness of our attendance and plans for coverage.
Moreover, we collaborated with Kerry Hartley, a LinkedIn nano-influencer known for providing advice on preparing for AfroTech™ annually. This partnership was vital as we wanted to widen our reach by teaming up with someone who had an established audience related to AfroTech™. In addition to sharing valuable tips for attending the conference, he encouraged his followers to connect with Sprout on Instagram and keep an eye on our event coverage.
To wrap up our pre-event coverage, we produced a hype video showcasing some of my favorite moments from last year’s conference to further spread our message:
Before we departed for Houston, our Social team established a Listening topic in Sprout to monitor discussions surrounding the event and uncover any potential media opportunities.
During the Event
During AfroTech™, Sprout aimed to engage our audience fully by posting daily Instagram Stories. To anchor our posts and highlight Sprout’s connection to the event, I ensured that our content focused on two of our narrative areas for 2024: unforgettable brand experiences and artificial intelligence (AI). For instance, we shared videos of brand activations within the expo hall and across the venue. We also posted clips from the AfroTech™ AI Stage and other event stages.
Post-event
Here’s an overview of our post-event coverage:
- Daily Instagram Stories
- One recap video on Instagram
- Attendee reflection posts on LinkedIn
- One collaborative video with LinkedIn
- Three TikTok videos showcasing style check-ins for article promotion
With our goal being to highlight Sprout’s attendance, we shared a recap video, encouraged attendees to reflect on their experiences on their personal LinkedIn accounts, and collaborated on a partner video. Additionally, we produced TikTok videos featuring style check-ins to publicize this article.
Numerous Sprout partners sponsored AfroTech™, so I collaborated with our Partnerships team to arrange a partnership with LinkedIn. I conducted an informal interview on-site with Andrew McCaskill, LinkedIn’s Career Expert & Global Communications Executive. Acknowledged as a career expert and marketing leader, McCaskill is also noted for his DEI activism, making him an ideal subject matter expert for our video.
Prior to the interview, I met with the LinkedIn team to coordinate logistics and potential interview questions. Advocating for DEI is embedded in Sprout’s values; I aimed to also utilize our AfroTech™ partnership to reinforce our AI narrative focus. With that in mind, I inquired about social media, AI, and the influence of investing in diverse talent. To keep things engaging, I included light-hearted questions about his favorite memes, internet cultural phenomena, and Black-owned brands on social media.
“[My favorite cultural moments on the internet] have to go back to #ScandalThursdays and Shonda Rhimes. But nothing can top Beyoncé stepping into country music. I mean, the cowboy hats, the rhinestones, participating in the [Mute Challenge] during live concerts where everyone went silent globally,” he shared.
These rapid-fire queries served as a captivating introduction and paved the way for more profound discussions about AI, social media, and the effects of DEI on long-term business success.
“Failing to have people within your organization who can help you understand, respect culture, decode culture, and reciprocate with your audience is a significant oversight…we wield considerable influence in shaping cultural and industry dialogues. That’s cultural capital,” he remarked.
The video was shared across Sprout’s brand accounts and LinkedIn to promote this article. If you’re aiming to amplify your key messages, broaden your reach, and cultivate partner relationships, consider co-marketing partnerships when organizing your social media event coverage.
Best Practices for Social Media at Events
Commence Planning Early
Starting your event coverage planning early proves beneficial. This approach allows you to onboard teams ahead of the event, ensuring everyone comprehends their roles and expectations once coverage begins. For events like AfroTech™, where applicants, enterprise brands, and potential clients are present, it’s wise to collaborate with sales, partnerships, and recruitment teams. Beginning in advance enables you to prepare specific components of your posts, such as social media copy, beforehand, eliminating the need to rush content creation. Early planning fosters anticipation, keeps your content relevant, and excites your audience.
Identify Partnerships to Enhance Reach
Collaborating with creators, influencers, and industry partners can expand your social media event coverage reach. These alliances allow you to connect with new audiences, boosting interest and engagement. Work with partners to amplify pertinent messages crucial to your brand. For example, during our LinkedIn interview, we discussed the impact of social media and the AI revolution on culture and diverse workforces. Additionally, utilize employee advocacy strategies to extend your coverage.
Employ AI and Automation to Assist Your Efforts
Utilizing AI and automation tools to handle tasks like post scheduling and performance analysis can significantly benefit your workflow. By leveraging AI to minimize time and effort, you’ll have more freedom for creativity—plus you can be more engaged during the event. For example, we pre-scheduled Instagram Stories through Sprout to save time while onsite. I also used generative AI tools like Writer.AI to assist with proofreading this article according to Sprout’s editorial standards.
Utilize Social Listening to Inform Your Planning
Explore conversations and sentiments surrounding your event through social listening. Insights gained can influence your approach to social media event coverage. In Sprout, you can configure a Listening Query by including relevant themes, hashtags, handles, and phrases to monitor discussions around your event.
Successful Social Media for Events Extends Beyond the Screen
With a well-defined strategy for social media at events, you can craft memorable brand experiences that resonate with your audience both in-person and online. Thorough planning, identifying partnerships, leveraging social listening, and integrating AI will streamline your coverage.
AI was not only a focus during our event coverage at AfroTech™ 2024—it is also a tool Sprout continuously adopts to enhance our work, save time, and produce quality content. That’s why we developed an AI marketing toolkit to assist other teams in achieving the same. It contains resources to elevate your content and document current AI workflows. Utilize it as a support tool for your social media events and beyond.
The article Sprout at AfroTech 2024: Best practices for social media for events appeared first on Sprout Social.
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