It’s no secret that social media has revolutionized the way top motivational speakers connect to and interact with their audiences. The expectation around communication from public figures is greater than it used to be - fans really relish instant responses and engagement from speakers. After all, it’s not just about speaking at the event that matters, it’s also about connecting with audiences before and after the presentation has closed.

Here are 5 WWSG speakers with stellar social pedigrees and how you can leverage them for your next association event:

1.   Russell Simmons

As a WWSG exclusive motivational speaker, Russell understands the importance of having an online platform. He has worked hard to build his following - with 3.62 million Twitter followers, 2.56 Facebook followers and 693,000 Instagram followers, it’s not hard to see why he was recently named one of "Hollywood's Most Influential Celebrities." by Forbes Magazine and one of the "Top 25 Most Influential People of the Past 25 Years." by USA Today.

2.   Newt Gingrich

Another WWSG exclusive, Newt Gingrich has amassed 1.5 million Twitter followers and over 425,000 Facebook followers. He’s active and in tune with the workings of social media, often engaging in industry hashtags and even sharing fun content and photos on Instagram. He’s a good example of how you can use social media to share one’s unquenchable thirst for knowledge, making it easy to see why he’s been deemed as one of the foremost economic, social, environmental and political thinkers in America today.

3.   Dr. Sanjay Gupta

Known for his lucid analysis and astute insight on major developments in medicine, personal health and healthcare, millions of Americans keep up with Dr. Sanjay Gupta online. His social reach is just over 2 million Twitter followers and more than 43,000 Facebook followers and rightfully so - he’s constantly sharing about current events and tailors the message for each platform, so you’re not getting the exact same thing across different outlets.

4.   Allen West

A distinguished Conservative thought-leader and highly decorated military veteran, Allen has gained a solid social following with 1.96 million Facebook fans and 458,000 Twitter followers. He regularly posts and shares content on political happenings and often gets many shares and comments.

5.   Steve Wozniak

It’s no surprise that Steve Wozniak knows how to keep up a following online - as one of America’s leading innovators and the co-founder of Apple, he inspires and connects with his fans on Twitter and Facebook. With 491,000 and 295,278 followers respectively, you can follow him on his latest business tour through his tweets and keep up with human rights issues, current events and of course, tech industry news on his Facebook page.

 Getting your speaker to tweet about their participation and chime in on your event hashtag, or writing an event blog post for them to share on their Facebook page are just two examples of how you can leverage their social status for your event. You can also share these updates on your own social profiles to encourage further engagement and awareness surrounding your event.

Gain insight and feedback by following what the followers are saying - be sure to share any comments or experiences attendees post online, this will increase the likelihood to return to the next event and help build a community surrounding the event. Top motivational speakers can be a big deal online and leveraging this online power of influence can help you attract other industry influencers to your event. Like often attracts like.