How Can The SU Help Advertise Our Event?

WHAT SU OR STUDENT CHANNELS CAN YOU USE?

• SU TICKETING PARTNER

You can sell you tickets on the SU website, or even better, create your event on our ticketing partner's (Native) platform here. This will then feature on the SU website under ‘events’. You can find out more information on the Native platform and its features in our article: [link coming soon].  

• COMMUNICATIONS PLAN

When publicising events, especially larger ones for which you need a big turnout, a communications plan helps make sure you leave no publicity stone unturned. With a bit of pre-planning you can reach a wider audience more strategically and effectively. We have a handy comms plan and guide that you can use, asking you the right questions to focus your thoughts and maximise the effectiveness of your promotional activity. 

• SOCIAL MEDIA

When you make a Facebook event, you can add Durham Students’ Union as a co-host and it will be included on our Facebook page. You need to make sure the event is public for this option to be available. Be sure to do this whilst making the event, as you cannot alter an event’s privacy settings once it is made. Events within closed groups do not count as public, so consider where you decide to make your event. 

Durham SU’s main Instagram account has over 9,000 followers, which you could reach via an Instagram takeover. We’d love to share the great things that happen in student groups via takeovers on the @durham.su or @durhamsu.freshers Instagram accounts. To arrange a takeover, email the staff contact listed in our Instagram Takeover Guide. You will complete your takeover from your own or your group’s account, but tag the SU (@durham.su or @durhamsu.freshers) in each post for them to be shared directly to the SU’s account. Our marketing team will help you decide which SU account is best for your content. 

You can also tag Durham SU in your social media posts, so that we can see what you’re up to and give you a like or share them. Show your members you are an official Durham SU group by using the 'Supported By Durham SU' logo on your promotion materials.

• BLOGS

Publicise your event or group with a blog post on our website. We then share these across our social media channels, so it’s a great way to get exposure for your group. Blog posts are usually around 400-600 words and can be on a variety of topics. Just contact Emily (details below) with your ideas.

• STUDENT MEDIA

Durham has a range of quality student media outlets you can use to get your message out to students. Try these contacts as a starting place, or find more specific contacts on their websites:

Palatinate: editor@palatinate.org.uk

The Bubble: editor@thebubble.org.uk

Purple Radio: production@purpleradio.co.uk

The Tab: durhameditor@thetab.com

WHAT UNIVERSITY CHANNELS CAN YOU USE?

• DIALOGUE AND DIAGLOGUE SIGNPOSTS

Dialogue is a staff and student print magazine published every two months. If you’ve held a particularly big event or won an award, you might want to consider submitting a content suggestion to Dialogue. You can find out more on how to create a submission You can find out more on how to create a submission here.

• STUDENT BLOGS

The University are always looking for blogs for their student blogs website. If you have an idea for a blog, get in touch with Emily (details below) who will help you work on it and submit it to the University.

• SOCIAL MEDIA

If you tag the University in your posts, they’re more likely to notice them and potentially retweet/like/share. The University’s social media channels have plenty of followers, so this can be really effective!

• ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS

If you’re in an academic society, you might find using channels within your department an effective way of advertising. Build strong links with your department’s secretary, and see if you can be added to weekly emails and include posters on noticeboards.

HOW CAN YOU REACH THE WIDER DURHAM COMMUNITY?

• PRESS RELEASE

The local press often publish feel-good stories about volunteering in the community, exciting events etc. The marketing team at Durham SU has lots of experience in this area and have an up-to-date list of press contacts we can send your press release to. Please get in touch (contact below) if you are considering this option, and we will support you to make it as successful as possible.

• POSTERS IN SHOPS

Some shops in Durham will be happy to put up posters of your events. Just make sure to respect their response if they say no. Aim for shops which already have posters in!

To speak to our Marketing and Communications Coordinator, Emily, please email emily.mcmillan@durham.ac.uk.

For any issues relating to accessing the links above, please get in touch here.