How we sparked 40,000 conversations
The TEDxBristol: Dare to Disrupt event was held over two days at Colston Hall, resulting in 43,820 impressions and 23,078 mentions on Twitter, alongside a remarkable 123% increase in Instagram followers, bringing in 300 new followers—87 of which joined on the first day alone. The event attracted 3,000 attendees and saw a 500% surge in Twitter mentions, while 829 discussions occurred on Facebook. Additionally, we secured 8 radio interviews, 2 TV segments, and published 10 press articles.
The challenge we faced involved promoting an extensive lineup of speakers and collaborating with over 30 partners for this non-profit event. It was crucial to make both days equally engaging to maximize ticket sales, with a strong emphasis on the exceptional speakers who shared their unique and motivating stories. A team consisting of six social media volunteers and 17 student volunteers from Bath Spa University managed TEDxBristol's social media platforms. We also needed to engage the media, launching ticket sales at the Business Showcase South West in May 2017. Following this, we organized daily posts for Twitter and Facebook, which helped generate considerable interest and boost sales. On the event days, every moment was captured, with over 2,000 viewers tuning in to the live stream.