Leveraging Social Media for UK Trade Show Visibility

In the competitive world of UK exhibitions, trade shows, and expos, simply booking a stand is no longer enough; your visibility before, during, and after the event determines your real return on investment.

Social media is one of the most powerful (and cost-effective) tools to amplify your presence.

When used strategically, it can drive footfall to your stand, build brand authority, and generate qualified leads long after the show doors close.

Here are our 8 top tips on how to leverage social media effectively for UK trade show visibility.

1. Start Early: Build anticipation before the event

Your social media activity should begin weeks, if not months, before the event.

Announce your attendance:

• Share your stand number – sounds obvious but often overlooked.

• Share your contact details – this might encourage potential customers to commit to meeting you during the event.

• Talk about what you’ll be showcasing – new product, bestselling product?

• Tease exclusive demos or launches – creates FOMO.

• Hint at any prize draws, giveaways or freebies – a human incentive.

• Maximise your reach by using the event’s official hashtag and tag the event organiser’s account to tap into their audience too.

• Align your messaging with the event’s key themes to increase discoverability (E.g. is there a focus on sustainability or British Made?).

Create teaser content:

• Short-form videos, product previews, or “behind-the-scenes” set-up posts create a buzz. Platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram are particularly effective for UK B2B audiences.

2. Use LinkedIn as your B2B powerhouse

As the most successful social media tool for business-to-business connections, LinkedIn should be central to your strategy. Make sure you:

• Reach out to registered attendees and invite your existing customers via DM.

• Post thought leadership content related to the event theme.

• To expand reach, encourage your wider team to share your company posts.

3. Create a branded event hashtag strategy

Alongside the official event hashtag, create your own branded hashtags, which will allow you to build brand association, create a buzz, and track engagement. Ideas include:

• Stand competitions.

• Live Q&A sessions.

• Product demos.

• Giveaways.

4. Go live during the event

Live content increases reach dramatically, so make sure your social media strategy includes on-the-day content posts.

Live content also creates urgency and FOMO, encouraging attendees to visit your stand before the event ends. You might want to consider:

• LinkedIn live interviews.

• Instagram stories from your stand.

• Short video snippets of product demos.

• Real-time testimonials from visitors.

• Tag the event location to increase local and event-based discoverability.

5. Encourage user-generated content

People often trust authentic, peer created content more than branded posts (which can be deemed as ‘sales pitchy’). Here are a few ideas of how you can encourage attendees and visitors to post positively about you:

• Ask them to share photos or videos of your stand.

• Ask them to share their experience via a post.

• Make sure they tag your company.

• Make sure they use your branded hashtags.

You could incentivise participation with a prize draw or exclusive offer. A simple sign at your stand explaining how to participate can significantly increase online engagement.

6. Run targeted paid social ads

Organic reach is powerful but paid ads can extend your visibility even further. Think about investing in:

• Sponsored posts (Meta or LinkedIn) - targeting event attendees by job role.

• Geo-targeted Google ads around the venue, or local businesses.

• Retargeting ads for people who have previously engaged with your social media posts or visited your landing page.

7. Showcase social proof immediately after

Your work doesn’t end when the exhibition closes. Within 24-48 hours make sure you:

• Share highlights and key moments.

• Post photos of busy stand interactions.

• Publish testimonials and quotes.

• Thank visitors publicly.

• Tag any collaborators or partners to extend reach further.

8. Repurpose content for long-term visibility

A single trade show appearance can fuel weeks of marketing content if documented strategically. Maximise the lifespan of your trade show investment by repurposing content into:

• Blog posts.

• Case studies.

• Short-form video clips.

• Email newsletters.

• Sales follow-up materials.

Industry expos, trade shows, and exhibitions remain powerful networking and sales platforms, but visibility now extends far beyond the exhibition hall.

By combining pre-event anticipation, live engagement, targeted promotion, and strategic follow-up, social media becomes a multiplier for your trade show investment.