Instant messaging has become part of everyday European life — 72% of people over 12 used a messaging app in 2022, according to CREDOC — and one of them has come to dominate in recent years: WhatsApp. In France it now has 31 million users (AFP), and in some Mediterranean countries adoption sometimes exceeds 85% of the adult population.
By combining the open rate of an SMS with the multimedia advantages of email, a WhatsApp message may well have something to offer when it comes to engaging the participants of an event.
Wondering why, and how to make this channel part of your communication strategy ?
The article that follows sheds some light on the subject, drawing on how it is used by la Mad Jacques, an adventure race somewhere between a festival and a sports event.
Setting up a professional WhatsApp channel
WhatsApp is an excellent way to communicate with the participants of an event quickly and effectively.
Be careful, though, not to use it the way you would with family and friends.
Rather than opening a group to hundreds of participants with no moderation or privacy, you can use the WhatsApp features designed for organisations. They let you create a group where only the organisers can post. It is also important to limit data visibility there, so participants cannot see other members' contact details.
Like la Mad Jacques, you can invite participants to join that group just before the event if they wish, using another channel to send the invitation (below 👇, a practical-information email sent two days before the event).
Engaging your participants around your programme
Once the event has started, whether it is a race or a festival, one of your challenges is to give participants everything they need to make the most of their experience.
A practical-information email before the event and good signage on site are not always enough to tell 100% of participants what is happening. WhatsApp is a chance to drip-feed information about the programme and engage people better during the event.
In the example below 👇, the organisers of la Mad Jacques recap the programme for the last morning of the event in a clear, concise message. Participants have to make no effort at all to know what is on.
Telling participants about a last-minute change
An artist cancelling, exceptional weather: last-minute surprises are the dread of event organisers and festival-goers alike.
There is no magic recipe for avoiding them, but the best way to handle them when they happen is to communicate transparently and without delay. WhatsApp, as the channel of urgency, is an excellent way to get last-minute information across.
In the example below, the organisers of la Mad Jacques tell participants about a change to the schedule, so that nobody misses it.
Using private groups for organisers only
Alongside the WhatsApp group for participants, it can be useful to create private groups reserved for the event organisers. These let staff talk to each other, share sensitive information and coordinate the different tasks around the event.
While preparing la Mad Jacques, for instance, the organisers created several themed WhatsApp groups, including one for volunteers and one for the team in charge of filming and photography.
Extending the event two days on
Once the event is over, the WhatsApp channel can carry one last message to participants: inviting them to fill in a survey, sharing the aftermovie, or setting a date for the next edition.
Here, la Mad Jacques rides the post-event euphoria to invite participants to commit to a future event through an open ticket — the Golden Billet — valid for any race of the current or coming year.
Combining a price incentive with a time limit (the offer lasts only two weeks) makes the mechanic more effective and turns it into a powerful lever for keeping participants from one year to the next.
Making WhatsApp one channel in a multichannel strategy
WhatsApp can therefore be a powerful way to communicate with the participants of an event. If it feels more intrusive than other channels, remember that participants join it willingly and are fond of it.
The example of la Mad Jacques also shows it can be used with judgement: the organisers spoke around ten times over five days, always to share something useful.
WhatsApp is obviously not there to replace your other channels, but to complement them in specific cases.
Alongside WhatsApp, it remains strongly advisable to develop an email strategy, to be present on social media and possibly to offer a dedicated mobile app. That way you reach more participants, targeting them on the channels that suit them best and that fit the kind of message you are sending.
Taking la Mad Jacques again, their command of a multichannel strategy is particularly inspiring, notably in email and on Instagram.
Special mention for their mastery of word of mouth and of UGC, user-generated content, which consists in encouraging your own participants to create content on social media.
At every Mad Jacques, participants are invited to compete for the « Mad Buzz » prize, which rewards the best Instagram post or reel with two places at a future edition. Far cheaper than a series of sponsored social campaigns, and capable on its own of generating digital word of mouth that more than pays for itself.
Enjoyed this piece? We have gathered the best practices of festivals — La Fête de l'Huma, Paléo Festival, Jazz à Saint-Germain and more — in our white paper « Unlock your festival's potential: 10 practical steps to make the most of digital marketing »
