A Guide to Event Marketing and Promotion
With the government roadmap to recovery and the increasing awareness that a sense of normality is soon to be upon us, the events industry is gearing up for a battle of immense proportions as they consider a return to the world of face to face event promotion.
Conferences, Exhibitions, Trade Shows and the like are all expected to return this summer and will face a huge task of convincing customers to attend safely, securely and for the benefits of the industry as a whole. Thousands of businesses up and down the land have suffered due to the lack of customer interaction with their products and services at face to face events.
We can only hope that the sector can recover and be a vibrant and successful business promotion strategy once again.
Running your Own Event
With the end in sight, many marketing professionals have started to look at their own business event strategy. The endless webinars, podcasts and video chat sessions have maybe taken their toll, but will of course become a long-term alternative now. However, the need to 'get out' is strong and many are now looking at the event industry to decide on the next plans of action to get their business seen and heard.
Taking part in or running your own event is a big task - but what about the marketing and promotion?
A well-planned promotional strategy is vital for a successful event. Unless you are running events that are 'must attend' and already have a rich history of success, you will need a strong, structured and well-implemented event marketing strategy to follow. Our steps to success are as below:
1. Setup a Website for your Event
While you can just put a basic landing page and contact form on your existing website, setting up a standalone website for your event means you can focus your branding and SEO efforts on the event itself.
2. Use Pop-ups on your Site
Pop-ups may be controversial but there’s no denying that they can boost your conversion rate. Putting a pop-up on your website makes sure that visitors find out about your event and you can direct them to your dedicated site or landing page.
3. Include Guest Speaker Pictures and Bios
Popular speakers can be a huge draw for your event. Make sure you include a speaker page that includes photos of your guest speakers as well as their credentials, experience, and why they’re qualified to speak at your event.
4. Create Videos Showcasing your Event and Speakers
Videos can be a highly effective form of event marketing, particularly when distributed across social networks like YouTube and Facebook.
5. Use Email to Market to your List
Email can be one of the most effective marketing channels if you already have a list of loyal followers.
6. Create a Hashtag for your Event
Before you start promoting your event on social media, choose a hashtag that’s short and easy to remember and use it on every post.
7. Rebrand your Social Media Profiles for your Event
The banner graphics on your Facebook and Twitter pages are great places to show off your event and make sure the dates, hashtag, and website are always prominent.
8. Blog about your Event
Writing blog posts about your upcoming event is an easy way to increase interest and push for registrations. It also helps to improve your SEO and attract a new audience who may be interested in attending.
9. Utilise Influencer Marketing
Inviting influencers in your industry to your event can be a great way to reach a wider audience and boost registration.
10. Create an Affiliate Program
As well as offering free entry and other perks, an affiliate program can be an effective way to encourage influencers to write and post about your event.
11. Write a Press Release
Distributing a press release about your event is the most effective way to get it picked up by media sites and news portals.
12. Use Paid Ads
PPC ads targeting keyword terms on search engines like Google and paid advertisements on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram can also be a good way not only to increase awareness of your event but also attract more registrations.
13. Optimize SEO on your Event Website
Making your event landing page or website friendly to search engines is vital for attracting visitors who may not already know about your event and brand.
14. Submit your Site to Industry Websites and Directories
Many industry websites include a calendar or list of upcoming events that may be of interest to their followers.
At its core, marketing is communication. It is the ability to clearly convey a message at an opportune time. Live events provide the opportunity for one to connect directly with stakeholders and clearly communicate their message. It’s no wonder that event marketing continues to grow as one of the most important marketing strategies for today’s big companies.