To understand the impact of social media on business events travel, Business Events Australia (BEA) has commissioned Ogilvy’s 360° Digital Influence group, Australia’s leading social media and digital influence agency, to conduct a ‘conversation snapshot’ on the importance of social media to the Australian business events industry.

The snapshot was taken over a period of 30 days, and aimed to capture online conversations taking place around the world via social media and networking sites relevant to the business events industry in Australia.

The study revealed three key insights, the first of which suggesting that travellers use social media as a tool to plan for events that combine business and pleasure. Sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are used as forums through which travellers seek advice on how to maximise their trip, and ask questions about where to go and what to do after attending a business event.

A second insight revealed travellers engage with social media to prepare for their business trip. Users consider the pre-trip stage as critical to maximising their time during their business vacation, so are engaging with social media to seek answers on important issues such as visas, currency exchange and arrival logistics.

Lastly, the study suggested that business travellers perceive professional groups and forums as valuable resources through which they can engage in conversations about their experiences post-event. Discussions surrounding personal travel experiences and key learnings from a conference or meeting provide the basis through which future travellers can exchange valuable information.

“With these new insights, the industry can see how important social media is as a platform through which we can lead the conversation on business events in Australia, and consequently connect with our US customer base,” said Penny Lion, general manager, Business Events Australia.

The study also revealed the total number of industry posts, including those directly related to Business Events Australia and its competitors reached 5,165, while posts about the overall industry accounted for 95% of the data.

“The business events industry has a real opportunity to leverage these key insights,” said Brian Giesen, regional director, 360° Digital Influence, Ogilvy.

“Whether it be through developing mobile applications offering up to date business itineraries, or generating online videos answering common pre-trip questions, the industry here in Australia can leverage these insights to position themselves as important resources for corporate travellers, both domestically and abroad,” Brian continued.