External Communication and Social Media Presence for Hackathon Success

Your hackathon is only as good as your ability to spread the word about it. This embodies the weight of communication and how vital it is for success. Effective communication serves as the bridge that connects your hackathon with your target audience, stakeholders, and the broader community. It enables you to convey the value and impact of your hackathon, mobilize support, and foster meaningful engagement.

In this chapter, we will dive deep into the significance of communication in the context of your hackathon. We will explore why communication plays a vital role in driving the success of your event and how it can be utilized strategically and effectively to achieve your goals. By mastering the art of communication, you will be equipped with a powerful tool to amplify your hackathon’s impact and ensure its resonance with the intended audience.

Throughout this chapter, we will cover a range of essential...

Communicating effectively to drive your hackathon

The primary objective of external communication is to create the right atmosphere, feeling, and ambiance for participants, partners, mentors, jury members, and the interested public. How you communicate will shape the perception and mindset of your audience, thus influencing their engagement and anticipation as they enter the hackathon. It is crucial to evoke excitement, anticipation, and a sense of limitless possibilities, all while instilling confidence in the success of the hackathon.

Within the realm of external communication, there are several distinct sub-purposes:

• Creating engagement with your existing community: Effective communication allows you to cultivate and strengthen connections with your existing community. By engaging them through compelling content, updates, and interactive discussions, you can foster a sense of belonging, loyalty, and enthusiasm among your community members.
• Inviting potential participants...

Exploring the variety of social media platforms and their uses

The channels of external communication are also suitable for different types of communication with different groups. The channels are also used differently and have different core groups of followers in different countries. Below is a short overview of the channels used in Hack for Earth, but, of course, more channels may be relevant for you and your hackathon, depending on your audience:

• LinkedIn: Targeted partner organizations, jury members, mentors, and participants to share updates and seek support
• Instagram: Focused on engaging participants through visual content and concise captions
• Facebook: Created event pages and groups to disseminate information and facilitate community-building
• Twitter: Enabled fast-paced updates, announcements, and resource sharing for participants
• YouTube: Utilized for hosting and sharing video content related to the hackathon

Additional channels may be relevant...

Exploring real-world examples

As an example, the communication strategy of Hack for Earth at Expo 2020 on LinkedIn primarily focused on engaging existing and potential partner organizations. These organizations were considered crucial in supporting the hackathon by providing valuable resources, such as data, and experts in the form of mentors and jury members. The communication efforts on LinkedIn aimed to establish and nurture relationships with these partners while providing them with relevant information about the hackathon. The United Nations, Amazon Web Services, Astra Zeneca, and The Nordic Council of Ministers were all official organizations who supported the Hack for Earth at the Expo 2020 hackathon, along with 28 more organizations worldwide.

Regular announcements were made on LinkedIn to attract jury members and mentors. These posts not only outlined the specific requirements and expectations for these roles but also highlighted the overall purpose and significance of...

Strategies to facilitate interaction via social media

Furthermore, it is essential to recognize that social media platforms are aptly named as they do just that – they focus on social interaction and dialogue, not just merely sending out information. Therefore, a successful social media strategy necessitates a reciprocal approach, whereby active and prompt engagement is prioritized. It is crucial to be present on each of the aforementioned social media channels, promptly responding to questions and actively interacting with the audience. In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, individuals have come to expect swift responses, typically within a timeframe of 6 to 12 hours, if not sooner.

To meet these expectations, constant and rigorous monitoring of the channels is imperative. This entails a steadfast commitment to regularly check for any inquiries or interactions and promptly address them. By ensuring a timely and comprehensive response to all inquiries, you foster...

Building your audience and hacker community

Better to get things out there that are okay fast than getting things out there that are perfect!

In the realm of social media, it is crucial to recognize the significance of establishing and maintaining an active and engaging online presence, particularly when it comes to promoting events such as hackathons. In this context, it is often more advantageous to consistently publish content that is satisfactory rather than striving for perfection in every post. This approach necessitates relinquishing a certain degree of control over the team responsible for managing your social media accounts, which can understandably pose a challenge. However, it is essential to embrace this necessary shift to cultivate the desired atmosphere and appeal that your hackathon requires.

When considering your social media presence, it is vital to understand that the overall impression and emotional impact conveyed by your posts are more significant than the...

The importance of timing

Timing is everything is an old saying we often resort to. Timing may not be absolutely everything, but it is extremely important if you want to create an impact with your external communication.

We have already covered the importance of a well-thought-through strategy for your external communication, where you outline why you are posting what, when, and where. To build a relationship with your audience and community, however, you need this strategy to be flexible and to exercise good timing.

This means that you need to be able to adapt to events happening in the world around you and pick up on events happening around you so that you can integrate them into your external communication. This gives your communication a dynamic, vibrant, alive feeling that people will react and respond to – and voilá, you are building a relationship with your audience.

For example, if your country wins the football World Cup, you could upload a congratulatory...

Summary

In this chapter, we delved into the realm of external communication for hackathons and discovered how it can be leveraged to expand your audience and establish a profound connection with your community. We began by examining the distinctions between various social media platforms, unraveling their unique features and advantages. To illustrate our points, we drew upon the remarkable campaigns of Dream for Sweden and Dream for Earth, showcasing how they effectively utilized social media.

Moving forward, we explored the fundamentals of setting up social media accounts for your hackathon. We provided insights into the key considerations that must be taken into account when crafting a social media team capable of delivering on your hackathon objectives. The significance of assembling a team with diverse skill sets and a shared passion for the event was emphasized.

Additionally, we emphasized the pivotal role of timing in your hackathon’s external communication strategy...