How do you promote a virtual event?
5 Ways to promote your virtual event.
- 1. Create a memorable brand around your virtual event.
- 2. Have a strong and strategic marketing plan.
- 3. Announce your agenda and event programme.
- 4. Leverage your industry influencers to promote your event.
- 5. Keep promoting your virtual event - even on the day
Promoting a virtual event is just like promoting any other event. It requires a great campaign with great creativity. In today’s world with Covid-19, events are quickly changing and adapting to a new online, virtual environment. Trading in the travel and hotel stays for an afternoon online, connecting. For a lot of businesses and organisations this is a huge shift, so how do you promote and market this?
1. Create a memorable brand around your virtual event.
Just like any event, branding is essential. Your potential delegates need to know what your event is, and who it is run by.
Your virtual event branding is the first thing a potential delegate will see, so creating a memorable brand is essential. Consider what messaging you will use, what the voice of your event will be, and what the overall experience will look like. Use logo elements, complimentary colours and fonts that reflect your brand and who you are as an organisation. If your virtual event is something new and you want it to have a brand of its own, then make sure that it still fits in with your audience, industry and overall business branding.
Remember you want your virtual event branding to be memorable and recognisable before and after the event.
2. Have a strong and strategic marketing plan.
Marketing a virtual event is similar to marketing any other event, business launch, product and everything else in between. It’s important that your marketing is multi-faced with a website page, social media campaign, email marketing plan and so on. As it’s a virtual, online event, you want to make sure that online presence is strong.
Think about adding calls to action on your website to promote your virtual event. Create a dedicated page, or even a whole website to your event where potential delegates can get information and book. Write a blog around your event, create social media posts and campaigns and send out frequent emails to your marketing list.
Each of these methods contribute to creating noise around your event. Be sure to advertise every aspect of your event, encouraging potential delegates to book on and secure their place!
3. Announce your agenda and event programme.
The most effective way to encourage potential delegates to attend your virtual event is to inform them about what they can expect. Let them know of speakers who will be delivering keynotes. Tell them about the virtual event programme, so they know what they can receive from signing up.
Reality is, if the delegate doesn’t know what they’re going to see at a virtual event, why will they spend their time and money on it? The earlier you inform your potential delegates, even in phases, about what they can expect, the earlier you will begin to see registrations.
Be strategic about when you announce keynotes. Find a time where your virtual event registrations are quiet, or just before you’re about to put your prices higher and announce one of your bigger speakers. This gives potential delegates an incentive to book now. Share these announcements on all of your platforms to maximise its potential, through email, website and social media marketing and more.
4. Leverage your industry influencers to promote your event.
It’s no surprise that influencer marketing is effective and growing. This is the same for every industry. Find your key industry leaders and ask them to promote your event. This will expand your reach and engage with a new audience.
Prepare graphics for them to post, shower them with information that they can choose from. Give them a promotional code that their followers can use, the options are endless.
5. Keep promoting your virtual event - even on the day.
Even on the day of your virtual event, continue to market it. Get ahead of the game and create the FOMO (fear of missing out) factor, in preparation for your next virtual event. Continue to post on social media channels throughout the day, including notable speaker quotes, screenshots of sessions and encourage your attendees to do the same. Having a creative #hashtag that they can post with, will also help strengthen your marketing.
Continue the conversation
Just because your event has come to a close, it doesn’t mean the conversations have to. Part of promoting your virtual event should include a post-event marketing plan. Have follow up emails ready to go to your delegates after the event, with any promotions that were given during the virtual event. Consider plans to continue posting on social platforms, engaging in conversation and keeping the buzz ready for your next event.
Want to know more about virtual events and how they can help grow your business?
Check out our virtual events page and book a free demo!
