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Publicity is the use of news, journals, and social media to reach your target audience. Editors do not charge for writing about your conference, but you cannot control what they write. You may also want to pay to place an advertisement in a publication or Web site that reaches a large targeted audience, such as an industry journal.
Consider advertising your conference or working with journalists to gain news coverage in the following types of media outlets:
- Trade, industry, and scientific news publications
- High-profile business and financial media
- Technology and science newswires
- Local newspapers, radio, and TV stations
Develop key messages
By developing your key messages in advance, you can express a consistent message throughout your conference. Key messages that can be reused in press releases, media alerts, e-mails, and other communications are:
- key talking points;
- two-sentence description (known as an elevator pitch);
- conference summary (one or two paragraphs);
- IEEE boilerplate text;
- expert source sheets.
Prepare press releases
You may prepare several press releases for your conference. Most conferences distribute:
- press release announcing the Call for Papers;
- press release about the conference;
- tip sheet to highlight significant papers;
- post-conference press release;
- photographs for placement with press releases.
Write clear communications
You can make it easier for journalists and editors to publicize your conference by providing well-written press releases, photographs, and tip sheets.
- Start with the key point.
- Write in the active voice.
- Keep sentences short and simple.
- Avoid technical jargon and IEEE acronyms.
- Use facts, not hyperbole.
Work with journalists
Journalists and editors are more likely to be interested if your news is relevant and timely. Get to know what kinds of stories they publish, and provide them with your information that would be relevant to their audience. During the conference, you should provide:
- free conference attendance;
- copies of the proceedings;
- a link to the press kit on the conference Web site;
- a press room on site.
Use social media
Social media is an important way to promote your conference. Some popular social-media sites are Facebook, Twitter, Wikipedia, and LinkedIn. To use social media, you need to:
- identify the right social-media platform for your audience;
- plan your content and frequency of updates;
- build the page, create messages, or develop a following;
- monitor the site for new followers and comments.
View "Using Social Media to Promote Conferences in China" (PDF, 6.3 MB). This presentation is by Florence Chua, Director, Association Mgmt & Consulting, MCI China, from POCO 2011 in Beijing, China.
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Did you know that many conferences set up a conference #hashtag on Twitter and encourage attendees to follow the Twitter account and join the conversation before, during, and after the conference?Who do you talk to at IEEE?
IEEE is ready to help. If you have questions about using publicity and social media, please contact Conference Services.
Do you have other questions about organizing a conference? Please see IEEE Conference Organizer Contacts.
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