VMWorld
VMworld (now known as VMware Explore), VMware’s annual user conference, offers stakeholders the knowledge and tools needed to fully leverage virtualization and cloud technologies. The conference has grown over the years and attendee feedback showed VMworld had begun to lose the “magic” it once had, becoming a more formal, predictable affair.
LEWIS was charged with renewing the excitement and character that once helped establish the conference and draw in new attendees.
Strategy
- Pre-event activities to build community engagement and momentum leading into the show
- On-site activities to increase VMworld social media SOV and attendee engagement
- Post-event activities to extend the life of content generated during VMworld and maintain momentum leading into VMworld Europe
Execution
- #VMworldQuiz Contest: LEWIS developed a mobile-responsive app for the VMworld Facebook page as a way to increase direct interaction with the VMworld community
- #VMworldChat CrowdChat: The team organized a CrowdChat one month prior to the event, inviting both VMworld alumni and new attendees to participate and share insights
- Onsite buzz was continued with daily contests, live tweeting, daily event highlight blogs, live-streams of key events and publishing rich media content across the VMworld social channels
- LEWIS served as a central resource for VMworld attendees by managing a “Twitter Concierge” program
Results
VMware significantly expanded their social media share of voice compared to previous years.
- The #VMworld hashtag trended on Twitter during the first day of the event, with 74,800 uses over the length of the conference
- VMworld US and Europe mentions on social media, blogs, and forums increased by 26.5K compared to the previous year
- Live streams generated over 14K views in total, nearly a 10x increase over the year before
- VMworld-related keywords received ~135,000 social media mentions
- Gained 2,150 new followers and 21,000 blog page views across the VMworld social media and blog channels