Whenever something is going on that affects and impacts your business — something you wish your audience could hear about immediately — social media posts are your way to get through. Delivering a directness and with the capacity for instant reactions, social media platforms provide a forum for you to turn big events into great opportunities for engagement.
This is still true in the era when so many gatherings have gone virtual. An event doesn’t have to be happening in person for you to talk about it with your audience. A video press conference, a webinar, a live stream or the premiere of a pre-filmed piece of content is perfectly valid as the subject of social media hype. As long as you have an audience that wants to hear your message in real-time, you’re in business. The use of live videos on your social media channels can keep your followers engaged, even when they’re tuning in from mobile devices at home. Leveraging live posts on X (formerly Twitter) can connect you with fans in real-time, enhancing brand awareness through immediate interaction.
X (formerly Twitter) is likely the social platform of choice for these purposes. While the “Story” features on Instagram and Facebook can reach people with fleeting and timely messages, the constantly updating scroll of a X feed and easy hashtag navigation make it the perfect medium. With the ability to post multiple posts on X in rapid succession, you can create a live posting session that keeps your audience hooked. But there is a difference between simply sending off some posts on X and really committing to live posting. This guide will help you do the latter, enhancing your live posting strategy to maximize engagement and reach your target audience.
What Is Live Posting on X (formerly Twitter)?
Live posting on X is simple, really. This is just the act of posting comments on something as it happens, all united by a hashtag that will help people find information about that event in general. By using an official hashtag or even creating a branded hashtag, you can ensure your posts on X become part of the larger conversation. The idea is to provide a live feed of updates that keeps X users engaged in real-time.
The event in question can be anything from an industry conference hosted by your company or another business, to a more general cultural event such as an awards show or big game broadcast. You might even live post on X during a podcast recording or a live video stream. With that said, some types of events are much better suited to this treatment than others, as you will see.
Why Should Live Posting on X Be Part of Your Social Media Marketing Strategy?
The main reason to live post on X for an ongoing event — rather than simply putting out posts on your normal cadence — is that you have the opportunity to speak to a specific audience at a particular time. Engaging in live posting sessions on X allows you to connect with your target audience when their interest is piqued. X itself pointed out that the number of people talking about an ongoing event can be massive, with 33.6 billion people viewing tweets about the 2018 Olympic Games and 4.8 billion impressions coming during the 2017 season-end showdown between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots. These staggering numbers highlight the potential for increased follower counts and amplified brand awareness.
Events in your industry will draw smaller audiences but are likely better for targeted social media marketing purposes. The people watching the hashtags related to these gatherings have an investment in your field and may want to hear your perspective on it. By providing relevant posts on X during these events, you position your brand as a thought leader. Rather than entering the blur of chatter around a big cultural moment, you’re zooming in on a relevant audience. This approach can lead to higher engagement rates and more meaningful interactions with followers.
What Types of Businesses Can Benefit from Live Posting on X?
While live posting on X is a helpful item for your social media strategy toolkit, it’s not the kind of tactic to use all the time and it suits some industries much better than others. X’s workbook for business users confirms this fact. The general rule of thumb is that if your company does not have a close relationship with the event unfolding, getting involved on X may do more harm than good. It’s important to consider whether your social media content will resonate with your fans or appear out of place. After all, authenticity is key on any social media platform.
If your business frequently hosts or presents at events where new products are revealed or where your people provide thought leadership, you’re a great candidate for frequent live posting on X. This strategy can boost your brand awareness and increase your follower count. Simply deciding to jump into the conversation around a trending topic, on the other hand, is likely a mistake. You should ask yourself whether your brand has the kinds of insights or comments people watching the event are likely to find useful or valuable. If not, it’s best to sit out and await a better opportunity, ensuring your posts on X remain relevant and engaging to your target audience.
What Types of Events Make the Most Sense for Live Posting on X?
Some of the best events for live posting on X are industry gatherings or conferences. As X’s workbook notes, companies that host their own events are the prime candidates for high-quality live posting experiences. Creating a branded hashtag and encouraging attendees to use it can amplify your event’s reach. Business News Daily added that it’s a common best practice for the presenting organization to come up with an event hashtag that all attendees can use, bringing them into the conversation and creating a stream of great content for the duration of the conference. This user-generated content can then be displayed on a live post wall at the venue or on your website.
Virtual conferences and webinars offer prime opportunities for live streaming and live posting on X. By sharing live videos and engaging with participants through social media posts, you keep your audience connected.
As Business News Daily added, though, the most common events to receive live posts on X are the big ones — the major football games and other events that draw people together to watch the same thing on television. These events have high hashtag stream volumes and your posts on X could easily get drowned out. Of course, trying to carve out some of the conversation amid such a big audience may simply end up with your message being lost in the crowd. Unless you have a unique angle or significant influencer partnership, it may be better to focus on niche events where your voice can stand out.
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What Goes into Live Posting an Event on Social Media?
Live posting on X is not something to do on a whim. Ideally, you will deliver a series of posts timed to coincide with the rhythm of the live event, with each update becoming part of a greater message. Crafting multiple posts on X that build upon each other helps maintain audience engagement. Business News Daily notes that they should all be posted as part of one reply thread, making it easy for viewers to follow your thoughts and see the exact order and timing of your ideas. This combination of spontaneity and strategy is something your social media team should prepare for in advance. Utilizing X analytics can also help you determine the best times to post and the type of content that resonates most with your followers.
X’s workbook recommends getting in alignment well before the event, agreeing on a few things that will happen during the event that will be the subject of posts on X or a few pieces of content to share. Deciding on topics ahead of time — and clearing them with PR or marketing leaders — is a better strategy than deciding on the exact text of posts on X to send. You don’t want to be caught making an incongruous post when the reality of the event doesn’t match your pre-planned post. This preparation allows you to capture key moments authentically. Remember, live posting should feel organic and spontaneous to your audience.
If you’re the host of an event and consequently the one picking the hashtag, you need to make sure that hashtag is not being used by something else and promote it so that other brands, event attendees and viewers can jump in and communicate. An official hashtag helps consolidate the conversation and makes it easier to track engagement. X (formerly Twitter) Business explains the hashtag should change for every event, for maximum clarity. Next, it’s time to determine the content of your posts, ensuring they are relevant posts on X that add value to the conversation.
What Types of Content and Information Should You Share?
Figuring out what to say is a more difficult part of the process than you may think. One thing not to do is to share openly promotional posts, especially when you are posting along with a greater cultural event rather than your own gathering. X (formerly Twitter) pointed out that major companies such as Duracell were successful by posting fun, lightly branded content that was more celebratory than sales-focused. People scrolling through a fast-moving online conversation don’t want the hard sell. Instead, focus on sharing engaging social media content that entertains and informs. This could include behind-the-scenes glimpses, polls or even live video snippets.
The right mix of content types is important for engagement, too. Mixing things up with animated GIFs, live videos or short videos is a good tactic. According to X (formerly Twitter) Business, a snappy, five-second video is the sweet spot. This is short enough that people can watch it while still paying attention to the event itself, which is their primary focus. Incorporating user-generated content can also boost engagement, as fans love to see their own contributions shared by brands.
How Do You Keep Your Audience Engaged?
When you reach directly out to your audience, giving them chances to get involved with your brand’s live tweeting, you have a better chance at maximizing engagement. This is why Business News Daily recommends using the poll function on X. This is an easy and low-stress alternative to having full-scale conversations with followers while an event is unfolding: Give them a few multiple-choice options to pick from, set a short time for accepting answers and use the results of the poll to keep the conversation moving. Additionally, engaging with influencers during the live posting session can extend your reach to new audiences.
As an event unfolds, it may also be valuable to share multimedia posts of the best, most memorable moments. Capturing live streaming snippets or sharing a live feed from the event can make your audience feel like they’re part of the action. X (formerly Twitter) Business notes that these updates provide engagement opportunities by giving followers a game-changing view of the event. These posts may earn higher levels of reposts and responses than the more mundane live updates did not attain. Of course, a great visual hook is important here, whether that’s a still photo, a GIF or a video. Don’t forget to tag relevant people or brands using their X handles to increase visibility.
How Do You Know if Live Posting an Event on Social Media Was Successful?
As you look back on an event, either in progress or just completed, it pays to ask what worked and what didn’t, and what your key takeaways are. Social Media Today notes that you should be monitoring the sentiment of discussion around your tweets. Utilizing X (formerly Twitter) analytics can provide insights into engagement rates, impressions and follower growth. If you’re drawing a high volume of replies but they are all negative, it’s hard to call that event a win. You should also remember that these live posting experiences are not about sales or conversions, as direct advertising during live coverage is not a way to attract positive sentiment. Instead, focus on building relationships and enhancing brand awareness through meaningful interactions.
As with any marketing strategy, your live posting on X will likely get better through time and experience, as you see which types of content get your followers excited and engaged. Paying attention to your X analytics will help you refine your approach. When you host your next virtual gathering, present at your next trade show or detect the next trending TV show that ties into your brand, you can try out new live posting tactics and start this process of gradual improvement. Whether it’s experimenting with polls, integrating a podcast into your event coverage or collaborating with influencers, there’s always room to innovate.
Editor’s note: Updated February 2025.
