Events are an important resource for B2B companies. According to a study from Content Marketing Institute, 76 percent of marketers rate in-person events as the most effective marketing tactic out there. There's good reason for this: Events are a great way to increase thought leadership and interact with prospects face to face. Even in a digital world, getting face time with prospects means something. However, that doesn't mean integrating digital strategies into events and event marketing isn't effective. In fact, using video throughout events can enhance the experience and bring greater engagement. Here's a step-by-step guide to incorporating video into your live events:
Pre-event marketing
Events are only as successful as the marketing campaigns that promote them. Raising awareness for your event is always a tough proposition, but video can be a great help. The best approach here is to send out some videos in your email marketing strategy. Just using the word "video" in the subject line boosts open rates from 7 to 13 percent, according to data from Experian cited by MediaPost.
There are several types of video to consider at this point to drum up excitement for your event:
Previews
Put together an event preview video that gets prospective visitors excited about going. Check out this video for Moz's MozCon 2015. The video incorporates a number of interviews from previous attendees talking about the benefits of going and what types of insight attendees brought back with them. The Council for Resource Development used movie trailers as inspiration for its 2015 conference preview.
Email is a great way to share these videos, but you may also want to consider using them on a landing page for the event.
Introductions
Once you've gotten the word out about the event, it's a good idea to start building your brand. Vidyard suggested using video to introduce yourself to attendees. To add extra value for viewers, you can also provide useful tips, for instance, highlighting some of the best sessions, networking tips, or even ideas for where to get drinks and dinner once in town. This approach gives attendees a chance to get to know you prior to stopping by.
Events are a great way to generate qualified leads.During the event
Videos are definitely an effective way to raise awareness about an event and get people signed up, but video's effectiveness doesn't end there. During the conference, brands can use video to engage with attendees.
Use in presentations
Video is a great way to spice up presentations, especially when you want to share a lot of data or technical material. Using visualizations can help attendees process the information more effectively.
Booths
Why not incorporate videos into your brand's headquarters at the conference? You can bring in a screen to share explainer videos or even print QR codes on the walls and allow visitors to access videos on their mobile devices. This is a great place to repurpose older product videos you might have to engage with visitors.
Live stream
There's always a lot going on at a conference. Even the most diligent attendees won't be able to make every event. Incorporating a live stream can help you reach more people, even those who had to stay at home. Share the live stream on your social media channels to make sure people know about it.
In addition to creating a live stream of speakers, you can also set up a camera to show what's going on behind the scenes and interview attendees and prominent speakers on any trends you notice at the event.
"Video is an effective tool through the event cycle."
After the event
Once the event is over with, video is still an effective resource for demonstrating the value of the conference as well as reaching those who weren't able to attend.
Capture sessions
Throughout the conference, it's a good idea to capture video of the sessions and presentations so you can share it with those who weren't able to attend. This can be a great lead generation tactic. Allow viewers to download the video in exchange for their email address so you can get leads in your funnel. These videos provide a lot of great insight you can share with prospects during the lead nurturing process.
Recaps and surveys
Once the event it over, you can send out additional content to attendees and non-attendees. Consider surveying attendees about relevant concerns to your industry and sharing the results after the event is over. You can also use all of the footage you captured at the conference to put together a recap video to share. These resources help demonstrate the value of your events and can help you convert more attendees next time.
Event marketing is crucial for B2B marketers, so why not add value by incorporating video throughout the event cycle? The attention-grabbing power of video can help give your event a boost, whether you use it in the marketing stages, during the conference itself or as a follow up.
