What does it take to manage social channels for an event with thousands of in-person attendees, and an even larger audience online?
For nearly five years, Inkhouse has collaborated with Databricks to develop an integrated digital strategy for the Databricks Data + AI Summit, a week-long conference in San Francisco that brings together data and AI professionals for networking and real-time education, and the pinnacle of fast-paced digital planning for end-user conferences.
We supported the amplification for some of the biggest product and brand announcements from the event — including major acquisitions, exciting new features, and prominent use cases — and acquired a wealth of learnings that continue to define our digital footprint where it matters most. With countless moving parts, our guiding principle has remained simple: plan ahead, stay flexible, and anticipate what will resonate. Here’s how that plays out:
Get Ready…
For a first-party user conference, content planning should start early — ideally, six months to a year in advance. During this time, internal and external teams should come together to map out timelines for announcements, keynotes, on-site activations, and other pivotal moments across every channel. It’s essentially the kickoff for creative ideation, content development, and alignment on how the brand will arrive on-site, visually, and in voice.
At this stage, shared visibility is everything. You need to work together to set realistic engagement and growth goals and keep a running tracker of priority moments, draft deadlines, and go-live dates to ensure the team is fully aligned on what success looks like way before the event. This is also the stage when logistics and team roles are solidified, like who will be on-site to capture content, manage community engagement, edit in real time, schedule posts, and record metrics.
And Stay Ready…
Even with a solid plan, digital content demands improvisation. Having ready-to-go templates — both visual and written — is a lifesaver when reacting to a moment… well, in the moment. Templates save time, keep messaging consistent, and make approvals faster when it truly counts. Their power only grows when combined with key learnings from previous years.
Beyond quick-turn content, stay curious as the event approaches. Refreshing the event agenda often surfaces new sessions, speakers, or activations that can inspire content pivots or additions. It’s also worth going down some creative rabbit holes to discover trends gaining traction on platforms like Instagram or TikTok. Make use of these sounds, formats, or moments that can be adapted and realistically executed on-site.
…But Not Too Ready.
Sometimes, especially in the world of social media, things just don’t go as planned. A last-minute shuffle or surprise product drop can impact a content plan and will require communication with relevant stakeholders to adjust as needed. An integrated team will likely need to coordinate with PR or comms specialists to monitor less predictable press and media coverage that should be promoted on social.
Once the team is at the event, stick to the plan… for the most part. Assign individual schedules to ensure clear responsibilities throughout the week, while also building space for breathing room to encourage creative moments.
Ready To Log Off
The event may be winding down, but the work is ramping up. Before logging off, sync with all stakeholders to align on metrics, celebrate the wins, and identify new opportunities for growth while the memories are still fresh. This step could potentially save hours of planning in the future. And once that’s done, set aside some time to decompress — away from screens and other digital distractions.
There’s no one-size-fits-all playbook for managing social channels at a first-party event, but having a clear plan, a responsive team, and room to adapt goes a long way. We’re no strangers to building digital campaigns that meet those moments at Inkhouse — reach out to [email protected] to learn more.
