Can’t attend an upcoming trade show because it’s too far away, you don’t have the money or can’t find a babysitter? With the right social media accounts, you don’t have to miss a thing. Savvy trade show marketers are using social media to get the word out about their trade show display presence. If you’re not able to attend this year’s events, you can still enjoy them without having to buy a ticket or wait in lines. Here’s how to use social media to get (almost) everything out of a trade show without stepping foot in the door.

1. Follow the Event Page on Facebook

Image via Flickr by stoneystiner

Most trade shows set up their events page well ahead of the scheduled event. By liking and following their page, you will get regular updates about the show in your Facebook news feed. They’ll often post articles and pictures about the upcoming show, and this is a great way to find the speakers, vendors and others involved with the show who you’d like to follow.

2. Follow Notable Speakers on Twitter

Image via Flickr by shawncampbell

Once you’ve found the show on Facebook, you can start following the businesses and people involved in the show for regular tweets, articles, photos and more. If you’re unsure of the exact Twitter name of the event, search for the venue where it’s held and find it there. Likely, there is enough information on the venue’s upcoming events page to find the name of the show, and perhaps notable speakers and other people or businesses involved.

3. Connect With the Event and Notable Attendees on LinkedIn

Image by mariosundar

LinkedIn is a wonderful platform for professional networking. There is probably already a group (perhaps more than one) set up to follow the trade show, notable persons involved in the show and groups of people planning to attend. Search for businesses and people you know are working with the show or who plan to attend and then you’ll have more resources for tracking the events.

4. Read Blogs About the Trade Show

Image via Flickr by Mike Licht NotionsCapital.com

While searching for the name of the trade show, you’ll also likely find industry bloggers, and then you can follow their blogs for even more information. Bloggers often host live broadcasts of the event, making you feel like you were really there. Look for podcasts and webinars the bloggers are planning to host or broadcast from the trade show. Follow as many blogs as you can relative to the event, so you have a better chance of seeing the speakers and demonstrations you’re most interested in.

5. Watch YouTube Videos of the Trade Show

Image via Flickr by codenamecueball

During and after the show, the event organizers, speakers and businesses who participated in the show will likely all be posting YouTube videos of the highlights. Whatever you weren’t able to keep up with through the bloggers and other social media, you can usually find on YouTube after the fact.

When searching Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social media sites, be sure to take a look at their recommendations for other people, pages and businesses you might be interested in. Often, these suggestions lead you to other resources about the trade show.