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David Hall called the second screen the trend to watch for 2012. Since then, there has been a lot of talk over how organizations can use ‘the second screen’ – your smart phone, your tablet, or your laptop – to enhance your enjoyment of an event, and I get the feeling there are still many organizations wondering how exactly they go about doing it. Recently, I participated in Huffington Post Canada’s #TrudeauWalkInTheme ‘poll’ of sorts ahead of the Liberal convention, as just one example of how second screen content can be created even if group organizing the event had their own stream going. Campaigns can be limited to an established Twitter hashtags, or they can be more robust with guidelines set in place ahead of time and participation of key event participants. Ultimately, it can be used to shine a spotlight on what you’re doing…but someone else could also use it to capture your audience by beating you on content.

Obviously having your audience hijacked by a rival feed is a missed opportunity for your organization, so you need the tips and tricks to maximize the effectiveness of your content. So, how can you use the second screen to enhance the experience of your audience?

Schedule

Use a post scheduler to ensure a steady flow of content through the event. Make sure you include a ‘starter’ message to let people know about the ground rules, like which hashtag to use. Also schedule a thank you message. Try to remember to include content for people not able to attend as well, such as a link to a live video stream or to more info about the event. However, you don’t want to solely rely on scheduled content…

React

If it is all scheduled posts, you can’t adapt to things on the go and it may seem like you aren’t actually at the event! Make it a point to work photos and other live content from the show floor into your social media stream.

Disney has been a big adopter of the second screen, offering interactive content, galleries, access notes from the filmmakers, and even more content for the kids such as puzzles!

Bake it in

Your second screen effort has to be a part of the event, not just a neat extra. Using Twitter walls, having your emcees contribute, and even just ensuring there is signage at your event and mentions in your reach out ahead of the event (invitations, reminders, etc.) is a must.

Respect the event

There is nothing worse than trying to speak before a crowd of heads looking into laps. Make sure you are reinforcing the importance of tuning in to the event and participating beyond just tweeting. Save your best content for the ‘commercial breaks’ and you may even want to encourage people to put away the phone for a bit – in a positive way – before key moments. I know some sports teams in particular are leery about tweeting too much during games so fans don’t miss the best moments and forget to cheer! And obviously movie and TV content has to be mindful of keeping the audience engaged so they don’t miss plot points, while also respecting their advertisers. So be mindful of what you are asking your audience to look at instead!

Offer something new

If I am at the event and I’m turning to social media, it is because I expect to get more content that way. That means it is your job to get the behind- the-scenes photos, to encourage the speakers to participate in the live tweeting, to give me facts I am not getting elsewhere, and otherwise prove to me that my decision to pop open my phone was a good one (no pressure!).

Be first, be foremost

To go back to my Huffington Post example from the beginning of the article, if you don’t create a second stream of content for your event someone else will. And even if you do, someone else might do it better. The important thing is to try, and use any advantages you have to promote your stream to your advantage. This could include the previously mentioned invites and signage, though a Twitter wall, etc.

What great examples of second screen content have you seen? And how will you use the second screen to your advantage at your next event?

-PG