Make the most of the NPGA Expo: Social media tips to boost your presence

The National Propane Gas Association’s (NPGA) Southeastern & International Propane Expo is the industry’s largest annual event, but it is not just for attending education sessions and networking on the show floor. It is also an opportunity to be seen online and to connect with attendees and exhibitors for months and years to come.

Here are some practical tips on how to brand yourself and your company online during show season to help solidify relationships and grow your business’s contact list.

▶ Leading up to the Expo

Preparation is key to successful event coverage. If your budget allows, consider bringing along your company’s marketing specialist. Although it is helpful, a marketing specialist is not necessary to capture decent online coverage.

Whether you or someone else on your team will be handling your social media posts, it is important to go into the event with an idea of when and what you want to post.

You can find a template online for a content calendar, but it doesn’t need to be that in-depth. Putting together a Word document or even just using the notes app on your phone as a reference will also work.

Take note of what days and times you aim to post, the text you might want to include for each one and if you think you would like to add a photo.

Another tip is to make sure you are logged into your personal and company social media accounts before you travel. A lot of the time, these passwords are held at the office, and you don’t want to hit a roadblock that might discourage you from posting. It is essential to make this process as easy as possible so you can focus on enjoying the show.

▶ Inside the Expo

Before you walk into the venue, take a moment to snap a picture of the outside with the banners. It can be of yourself, or you can include your team if they are with you. Posting this immediately upon arrival lets everyone else attending know that you made it.

During the next few days, make sure to grab photos with friends, inside exhibitor booths, while attending education sessions and while grabbing a drink at night. Posting all of your photos in the moment may seem overwhelming, so another option is posting a roundup when you get home.

Even if you don’t post all of your photos, it is nice to document your experience and reflect on the time you spent with new or familiar people.

While you are posting during the week, make sure to tag companies, people and the NPGA itself in your posts, as well as follow them on your respective platforms. One of the main goals of using social media is not just to communicate with others, but to grow your following and reach to meet new people and make new connections.

Most events also have dedicated hashtags to use on your posts so that other people attending can find you and you can find them. NPGA is using #Expo2026 and #NashvilleExpo for the Propane Expo this year, so make sure to include them as you post.

▶ After the Expo

Once you are back home, it is important not to let all of your work documenting your time at the show go to waste. Here is a checklist for after the show:

• Make sure to follow the companies and people you talked to.
• Go through the event hashtags to discover new ones.
• Scroll through your photos and decide which ones you want to post.
• Consider posting a recap of your time.

It may be uncomfortable putting yourself and your company out there online, but you must think of the possibilities that can come from just one social media post.

Whether it is discovering a new company, finding a new product or service, making a new friend or catching up with one, doing it online makes it quick and easy. You just need to put yourself out there first.

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