Digital occasion advertising is the technique of selling your on-line occasions to guarantee that as many folks attend as potential. Take into account this your final information to digital occasion advertising.
Digital occasions are available many kinds — from trade conferences and webinars to digital completely satisfied hours and even on-line guide excursions.
The perfect half? They’re often simpler to arrange than in-person occasions, which require logistics like discovering a venue and coordinating lodging.
The worldwide digital occasions market was estimated at more than $78 billion in 2023 and is predicted to develop considerably within the coming years.
This development exhibits that companies all over the world are seeing the lasting worth and advantages of digital occasions, equivalent to comfort, broader attain, and price financial savings.
So, if you happen to’re planning a digital occasion, nailing your digital occasion advertising is essential to make sure these RSVPs roll in.
Beneath, we’ll share the highest digital occasion advertising ideas that we’ve discovered.
You wish to clearly set up what your convention has to supply for the people who find themselves attending or the companies which can be taking part. (Picture: Unsplash)
What’s digital occasion advertising?
Digital occasion advertising is the technique of selling your on-line occasions to draw attendees and drive engagement by means of numerous digital channels.
It’s all about letting your viewers learn about an upcoming digital occasion. Usually, it’s a group of selling campaigns and occasion promotion ways designed to draw extra consideration to your subsequent digital occasion and drive registrations.
Nevertheless it’s not nearly placing up an advert or posting about an upcoming occasion. It encompasses all the things from:
- Pre-event preparations, equivalent to understanding what sort of occasion your target market wants
- Creating participating content material and promotional supplies
- Leveraging numerous digital channels equivalent to social media, electronic mail advertising, and PPC adverts to unfold the phrase
- Managing occasion logistics and know-how, equivalent to cameras and mics, and guaranteeing everybody internet hosting has a steady web connection.
- Sending post-event follow-up emails to encourage attendees to remain linked and collect suggestions
14 digital occasion advertising ways to incorporate in your technique
Search engine marketing (search engine optimization) is likely one of the greatest advertising ways for lead technology. It may additionally improve visitors and appeal to potential attendees for future occasions.
Sadly, search engine optimization takes time, which isn’t ultimate for digital occasion advertising. Since advertising for digital occasions is time-bound, you want methods that don’t want a big period of time to get outcomes.
You’ll be able to as a substitute embrace the next ways in your advertising plan:
1. Construct an internet site and/or occasion touchdown web page to your occasion
Your occasion web site is your viewers’s go-to useful resource for all the knowledge they want, equivalent to:
- Occasion identify
- Occasion pricing
- Schedule
- Speaker bios
- Sponsor info
- Agenda
However extra importantly, your web site will home your occasion registration web page, which might be a key part of your digital occasion advertising plan.
On the subject of designing the occasion web site or touchdown web page, you will be as flashy as you need because you need the web page to seize your viewers’s consideration, pique their curiosity, and make it memorable.
However be certain that it stays on-brand, simple to learn, and never distracting so it may possibly fulfill its objective.
Don’t overlook about search engine optimization when creating this web page. HawkSEM’s SEM Supervisor Gina Ryan says, “[Your] devoted occasion web page on the organizer’s web site can obtain visitors from all different advertising efforts and must also be optimized for search engine optimization.”
Lastly, guarantee that all the things out of your headline to the call-to-action is optimized and centered on one conversion purpose.
Professional tip: You may make the registration course of extra seamless if you choose a digital occasion platform with built-in occasion registration software program for the occasion touchdown web page. Some platforms could even help you design a branded registration web page that helps you accumulate the mandatory information extra simply.
2. Leverage paid search advertising
Whereas word-of-mouth advertising stays a good way to draw attendees to digital occasions, utilizing paid adverts can elevate your digital advertising technique to the subsequent degree. “I undoubtedly advocate digital promoting for digital occasions,” says Ryan.
Be happy to experiment with totally different promoting platforms, equivalent to Google Advertisements and LinkedIn adverts. A/B take a look at your adverts by mixing and matching totally different graphics, creatives, and replica to search out what works greatest to your viewers.
3. Use electronic mail advertising to draw attendees and hold them engaged
The typical registrant-to-attendee show-up charge is about 40%, says ConvertKit. Which means from the second they register as much as the time of your occasion, you find yourself shedding about 60% of your attendees.
A great way to reduce the attendee drop-off charge is to implement a lead nurturing technique utilizing electronic mail drip campaigns as your go-to tactic.
An electronic mail drip marketing campaign creates further digital touchpoints that hold your attendees engaged through the pre-event part in order that they don’t lose curiosity or overlook concerning the occasion.
With out flooding their inbox, ship common emails about unique gives, reminders, details about audio system, or different related info. Be strategic about your method whereas ensuring to supply a tailor-made expertise.
“Sending an e-blast to your mailing listing, particularly in the event that they’ve attended previous occasions,” says Ryan.
“I like to recommend making a schedule for timing out your e-blasts. (e.g x variety of days out – announce the occasion, 1 month out – remind customers to register, 1 week out – remind registrants to attend, and so on).”
4. Make the most of the facility of social media
Social media advertising is a strong device that you need to use for occasion storytelling and viewers engagement and is helpful for all phases of your occasion.
As an example, you’ll be able to create a brief video or natural social media campaigns centered round consciousness and engagement through the pre-event part to draw extra attendees on channels like Fb and Linkedin. “Remember to tag any occasion sponsors or audio system!” explains Ryan.
If you happen to’re planning to carry the occasion yearly, it will also be an important platform for post-event interplay and staying linked along with your viewers.
5. Write a press launch
Press releases aren’t only for real-time occasions. They will also be an efficient method to talk along with your target market about your upcoming occasion.
Your press launch ought to embrace key info, such because the occasion schedule, particular friends, matters to be mentioned, and extra.
Then, to maximise visibility, ship it to media retailers, information desks, and press launch websites.
6. Focus the messaging round your occasion’s worth
On the subject of your digital occasion, having the ability to clearly present its worth is essential. Positive, folks gained’t need to journey or guide lodge rooms to attend. However you continue to wish to spotlight all the explanations it’s value their time.
Showcasing the worth is essential for a digital occasion advertising technique. It may additionally assist entice different manufacturers and companies to collaborate with you if that’s what you’re in search of.
Fastidiously think about questions like:
- What’s your occasion’s theme, and how are you going to specific this in your advertising?
- What ought to folks count on to remove from audio system or classes?
- Does everybody making the occasion occur clearly know their position and duties?
- What issues or matters will you be addressing throughout your digital occasion?
- What questions will you be answering, or what issues will you intention to unravel?
It might seem to be you gained’t need to do as a lot heavy lifting to collect RSVPs for a digital occasion. However the actuality is that the probability of an RSVPed attendee not exhibiting up is way higher for a digital occasion than an in-person one. In any case, deleting a calendar invite is way simpler than attempting to get a flight refunded. That’s why you wish to be certain that the worth is evident.
Professional tip: Wish to get the utmost quantity of reside attendees as potential? Take into account providing an incentive to those that present up. This could possibly be one thing like a reside Q&A with a visitor speaker or solely providing a few of the session recordings after the occasion is over.
7. Spotlight the benefits of a digital convention
Positive, there are some points of an in-person occasion that may’t be matched just about. Not like commerce exhibits or in-person conferences, it’s not as simple to type partnerships and even simply make a brand new connection by hanging up a dialog throughout a networking completely satisfied hour.
However that doesn’t imply you’ll be able to’t suppose exterior the field and create digital experiences that mirror IRL occasions. Begin a novel hashtag to make conversations simple to search out, for instance.
You’ll be able to encourage attendees to share key takeaways and speaker quotes and spark dialogues on their social media pages (whereas somebody out of your firm does the identical).
Different advantages of a digital convention embrace:
- Making it simple to document, rewatch, and share particular classes
- Permitting attendees to take a look at materials at their comfort (which additionally implies that they gained’t have to decide on between classes)
- Lowering prices for each organizers and attendees
- Permitting for extra (or higher) audio system than a bodily occasion
- With the ability to attend from the consolation of their very own properties or places of work
8. Be sure you’re arrange for fulfillment
A few of your attendees could have by no means been to a digital occasion earlier than, and others could not know the way it works. Make an important first impression by guaranteeing all the things runs as easily as potential throughout occasion planning.
Take the time to make sure all audio system have correct mics, movies, and lighting arrange and that every one shows have been walked by means of and edited.
Conducting a number of dry runs of the whole occasion can carry you peace of thoughts. Plus, it permits you to work out any kinks or hiccups beforehand.
Moreover, be sure to have a plan for maintaining your viewers engaged. This may be difficult because it’s simpler to maintain folks engaged at a reside occasion than at a digital occasion the place there are extra distractions.
However, viewers engagement is likely one of the components that separate a profitable digital occasion from a failure and can possible influence your future occasions. So, it’s higher to have a plan for maintaining your viewers engaged than to have an occasion that’s labeled “dying by PowerPoint.”
From a advertising standpoint, you’ll be able to think about organising an FAQ part in your occasion web site or addressing frequent questions in an electronic mail as soon as potential attendees enroll.
The extra info you share, the higher thought your attendees could have of what to anticipate when the convention day arrives.
Professional tip: Identical to in-person occasions, digital occasions must be as inclusive and accessible as potential, Hootsuite factors out. They advocate ensuring to make use of clear language, giant fonts, and excessive coloration distinction in deliverables and shows.
Solid your internet a little bit wider as you establish who you wish to invite to your occasion, the place you wish to promote it, and the way you wish to goal your adverts. (Picture: Rawpixel)
9. Solid a wider internet for attendees
Beforehand, you might need centered your advertising efforts on a selected geographic space or previous attendees. It is sensible, as these are the folks more than likely to place within the journey to attend your occasion.
You may additionally have centered on people at a selected earnings degree or those that maintain sure positions of their firm.
Going digital permits you to attain a wider vary of people that might be able to attend your convention. Since journey is eradicated, attendees don’t need to request time without work work or handle the bigger bills related to a lodge room and airfare.
Solid your internet a little bit wider as you establish who you wish to invite to your occasion, together with the place you wish to promote it and the way you goal your adverts. This could create higher lead potential.
10. Provide teasers as a part of your advertising content material
Folks attend conferences that supply them an thrilling expertise, an opportunity to take a look at one thing new, or a possibility to be taught one thing about their trade.
Creating teasers — whether or not they’re video clips, session themes, or items of content material — can function a type of occasion preview and a method to appeal to attendees.
Let your viewers know that one thing large is coming, they usually have to be a part of it. With fewer assets wanted to be spent on venue and coordination particulars, you’ll be able to make investments extra in ensuring the occasion’s content material is high-caliber.
You’ll be able to even trickle these teasers into occasion reminders through electronic mail because the date will get nearer.
Professional tip: With the cash you save on issues like meals and venue charges, you might be able to afford to ship swag baggage to your attendees. It’s a good way to make them really feel particular, and it’ll function a reminder of your distinctive digital occasion.
Keep in mind: Transferring your convention on-line doesn’t imply there’s much less worth in what you’re providing. (Picture: Rawpixel)
11. Get distributors and audio system concerned within the advertising
Your distributors and audio system wish to see as many individuals as potential attending your convention or occasion in order that they get most publicity and might really feel prefer it was value their time.
(In any case, they’ve nonetheless received to arrange for keynotes, dress, and make a presentation!) Don’t be afraid to get them concerned within the advertising course of.
Your distributors and audio system possible have social media pages, web sites, and on-line followers. Invite them that can assist you unfold the phrase.
“Share advertising supplies, occasion branding, and different messaging with sponsors, audio system, and companions for them to share on their very own networks (electronic mail listing, social media posts, and so on),” suggests Ryan.
You’ll be able to maintain a joint giveaway or create graphics and captions they’ll simply share throughout their channels.
You could even discover partnerships with influencers and trade leaders. By working along with all stakeholders, you’ll be able to considerably improve your general advertising attain.
If you happen to plan to nonetheless host distributors, you might also wish to invite them to arrange their on-line shops forward of the occasion. That method, you’ll be able to promote them and permit folks to buy or look into their choices earlier than the precise occasion.
12. Harness the facility of digital occasion know-how
Leverage the newest and best in digital occasion know-how to offer your attendees one of the best expertise. This isn’t nearly utilizing a primary video platform; it’s about creating an immersive, interactive expertise that rivals in-person occasions.
So, whereas a few of these applied sciences may be a bit out of finances to your occasion, that doesn’t imply you’ll be able to’t get inventive and use extra inexpensive know-how to create an immersive on-line expertise.
Listed here are a couple of tricks to harness know-how to your occasion:
- Use superior platforms: Select platforms that supply extra than simply video streaming, like Eventbrite, GoTo, and Cvent. Search for options like digital lobbies, interactive Q&A, breakout rooms, and real-time networking capabilities.
- Optimize for all gadgets: Guarantee your occasion platform is responsive and works seamlessly throughout PCs, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
- Use high-quality manufacturing strategies: Put money into good lighting, sound, and digicam gear to make sure your occasion appears skilled. Take into account inexperienced display know-how to create digital phases and backgrounds. This type of gear doesn’t want to interrupt the financial institution, and if you’ll be internet hosting a number of occasions, it’s effectively definitely worth the funding.
- Interactive options: Add options like reside polls, chat rooms, and gamification to maintain attendees engaged all through the occasion.
13. Digital Swag Baggage
Who doesn’t love swag? Simply because your occasion is on-line doesn’t imply you’ll be able to’t deal with your attendees to some goodies.
Digital swag baggage are a unbelievable method to have interaction your viewers and make your occasion memorable. Listed here are some concepts for digital goodies you can give away.
- Digital Downloads: Provide unique eBooks, whitepapers, low cost codes, or entry to premium content material that attendees can obtain and use.
- Digital reward playing cards: Embody reward playing cards for in style on-line shops, espresso retailers, and even donations to a charity of the attendee’s selection.
- Unique entry: Present early entry to future occasions, webinars, or personal on-line communities.
- Interactive content material: Incorporate interactive content material equivalent to on-line quizzes, digital scavenger hunts, or personalised video messages.
Digital swag baggage not solely add worth to your occasion but in addition depart a long-lasting impression in your attendees, making them really feel appreciated and extra linked to your model.
14. Measure the success of your occasion by analyzing key metrics
The actions associated to your advertising technique shouldn’t finish when your digital occasion wraps up. At this level, your preparation for future occasions ought to start with analyzing the success of your previously-concluded exercise.
Collect suggestions out of your attendees by sending a post-event electronic mail expressing your gratitude with a survey type connected.
This kind permits attendees to supply suggestions on the subject, audio system, and different points of the occasion. This gives you perception into what you probably did proper and what you’ll be able to enhance to your subsequent occasion.
Suggestions is invaluable for occasions of any form. As Cvent explains, “Occasion suggestions is essential for digital occasions when planners don’t have the flexibility to gauge reactions by the expressions or verbal suggestions from attendees onsite.”
Look into occasion suggestions instruments to be sure to’re following up with attendees after the occasion is over.
Nevertheless, for goal details about how effectively you probably did with advertising and different points of the occasion, check out the occasion analytics.
This performance could also be accessible relying on the occasion know-how in your chosen platform.
You’ll then have the ability to view metrics such because the variety of attendees, common period, replay views, and visitors information. This info will enable you consider and enhance your present advertising plan.
Digital occasion advertising vs. in-person occasion advertising
Promotion methods used to market digital occasions could also be much like ways used for in-person gatherings. Nevertheless, digital occasion advertising can be totally different from in-person occasion advertising in some ways, together with the next:
- The platform is totally different: A digital occasion platform like Intrado, ON24, or Kaltura is used as a substitute of a bodily location to host the occasion.
- There are fewer variables to contemplate: Not like reside occasions, digital occasion promoters don’t have to plan for attendee lodging, meals, transportation, and different wants.
- The complete timeline is shorter: In accordance with Markletic, small digital occasions like webinars, on common, could take between 3 to six weeks to advertise, whereas bigger occasions require an extended timeline to drive the identical quantity of registrations. In distinction, reside occasions might have not less than 3 to six months for advertising.
What to consider earlier than you launch your digital occasion
Planning a digital occasion isn’t nearly choosing a date and organising a Zoom hyperlink. Earlier than you dive into your on-line occasion advertising methods, there are a couple of steps to take to put the groundwork for fulfillment.
What’s your occasion’s story?
Understanding your distinctive story is the cornerstone of making a digital occasion that folks will really wish to attend.
This implies understanding who you’re, what you carry to the desk, and why your occasion issues. Ask your self:
- What’s my finances?
- What’s my ultimate variety of attendees?
- How can I have interaction attendees earlier than, throughout, and after the occasion?
- What worth will this occasion present to attendees?
- What’s the final purpose of this occasion?
Answering these questions will reveal your occasion’s objective, which you’ll then use in your promotional supplies.
Who’s your ultimate occasion attendee?
When you’ve nailed down your story, the subsequent step is to pinpoint your ultimate viewers. This implies understanding who will profit essentially the most out of your occasion and tailoring your content material to satisfy their wants. Ask your self these questions:
- What life stage are they at (e.g., faculty, profession pivot, retirement)?
- What purpose are they attempting to attain?
- Why can’t they obtain this purpose on their very own?
- What misconceptions would possibly they’ve about this matter?
- How will your occasion assist them overcome these challenges?
Understanding who you wish to attend helps you create focused, related content material that speaks on to them and ensures a extra engaged and enthusiastic viewers.
Planning to have interaction attendees after the occasion
Your efforts don’t finish when the occasion does. Now that you’ve got a listing of names, emails, and another info, what do you have to do to reengage them and assist them down the funnel?
Take into account creating an electronic mail marketing campaign that sends them extra details about your merchandise, providers, and different occasions, if relevant.
Simply make it clear that they’ve opted into receiving communications from you once they present their contact data. In any other case, your missives could possibly be (rightfully) reported as spam.
The takeaway
Transferring your in-person gathering on-line doesn’t imply there’s much less worth in what you’re providing.
It does imply that to succeed, you’ve received to be a little bit inventive, versatile, and well-prepared to make sure your attendees know and belief that your occasion might be value their time.
Be sure you spotlight the occasion’s worth, provide teasers for what folks can count on, and be aware and genuine in the way you leverage your digital advertising.
Want extra digital advertising assist? That’s what we’re here for.
This text has been up to date and was initially printed in June 2020.
