If there’s one thing we all suffer from, it’s social media overload. While websites, blogs and email marketing remain part of the marketing equation, the question is which social media platform should marketers rely upon for event marketing?

Right now, about 63% of people use social media to market their events. But how many are actually connecting with the desired audience? On average, at least 5 methods of PR and event marketing tools are used. The top two go to websites and email marketing; the latter three fall within social media channels. What most marketers don’t know is that most of these efforts are wasted because (a) they’re not on the right channels and (b) they’re not maximizing platform usage.

Use these tips to help guide your next event marketing strategy.

Twitter Works Best for…

  • Industry Influencers
  • Thought Leaders
  • Marketers
  • Media Professionals
  • Tech-Savvy Types
  • Large Audiences (1000+)

Twitter works around keywords, so when it comes to event marketing across Twitter, be sure to establish relevant hashtags. Your audience shouldn’t have to guess which ones to use; in fact, that’s the worst approach since it’s far from unified and does nothing to stream attention in one direction. The rule of conduct is to provide audience members with one or two hashtags at the start of the event. One hashtag is for the event, the other for your topic. You can research hashtags at #twubs.

You can also use SMS/MMS text campaigns for event updates and contests, as well as hosting a “Tweetup” or Tweet chat in addition to (of course) live Tweeting from the event.

LinkedIn Works Best for…

  • Promoting Corporate Events
  • Professional Outreach
  • Industry Outreach
  • Job-specific Outreach

Over 42,000 events are listed on LinkedIn and most cater to the above outreach goals. While the outreach aims are specific, the results speak for themselves. LinkedIn users are very cultish in their exclusivity, making them attractive to event marketers because they’re there for strict professional no-fuss needs and are typically loyal to the platform. Users who favor LinkedIn also rarely frequent other platforms (at least not with the same usage or dedication).

If you’re creating an event on LinkedIn, be sure to include the information for targeted job titles and get your attendees to click the “attending” button – which helps circulate buzz.

Facebook Works Best for…

  • All social events

The name of the game is social and Facebook is the place to market for any sort of social event marketing needs. Whether it’s a party, reunion, fundraiser, festival, concert or even debates, Facebook’s the place to get it posted. For open events, leave the option for attendees to invite others in return. To get the most buzz, be sure to add pictures, links and other event details. This helps increase RSVPs, especially if it’s an open to the public type event. There’s even a feature to shoot an email to non-Facebook users, which allows them to RSVP to the platform through email. Last but not least, encourage users to Foursquare their check-ins. While it might be too late to get others to go, FourSquare check-ins are free word of mouth and great for repeat events.

Use YouTube for…

Youtube should always be used in partnership with any other methods to help extend the life of the event. The platform can be used for pre-event PR boots and marketing plugs, event footage and post event material including highlights, testimonials, demos and interviews.

With monthly stats of 18+ hours of video watched per user and over 3 billion views per day, a YouTube presence is a must-have.