The 9 virtual event marketing strategies you need to succeed
Online events are a great way to connect with potential attendees from all over the world and promote your brand or organization. In this blog post, we will explore some of the best ways to use virtual event marketing strategies to boost your efforts.
So, whether you are planning a large conference or a small workshop, read on for some tips that will help you create a successful virtual event!
Rise of Virtual Events amidst the Covid-19 pandemic
With the coronavirus pandemic continuing to surge in many parts of the world, it's no surprise that more and more events are being cancelled or postponed. However, this doesn't mean that businesses should give up on marketing altogether. In fact, there's an opportunity to reach a wider audience than ever before by creating a virtual event marketing strategy.
There are a few key elements to consider when planning a virtual event.
First, you'll need to choose the right platform. There are many options available, so it's important to select one that will best suit the needs of your event.
You'll also need to promote your event effectively so that potential attendees are aware of it and can easily find it online.
Finally, you'll need to make sure your event runs smoothly by testing all the technology in advance and having a backup plan in case of any technical issues.
What is Virtual Event Marketing?
A virtual event is any kind of event that uses digital tools to connect people from around the world and bring them together to learn and share ideas.
This could include live broadcasts on social media or other platforms, recorded webinars or podcasts, online classes and tutorials, or even something as simple as an online chat room where attendees interact with each other through text messages or email.
Benefits of Virtual Events
While virtual events have many advantages over traditional in-person events - they are more cost-effective, convenient, and eco-friendly - they also come with their own set of challenges.
For example, it can be difficult to generate excitement for an event that is taking place entirely online.
Additionally, it can be difficult to create a sense of community and connection when participants are not physically present in the same space.
However, with careful planning and execution, virtual event marketing can be a powerful tool for promoting your brand and engaging with your audience.
Why is Virtual Event Marketing Important?
Virtual event marketing is an important tool for companies and organizations of all sizes. By hosting or attending a virtual event, businesses can connect with potential customers, partners, and employees worldwide at a fraction of the cost of traditional events.
In addition, virtual events are more environmentally friendly than in-person events, as they eliminate the need for travel. And with the rise of social media, businesses can reach an even larger audience by live-streaming their event or sharing highlights online.
Virtual events are becoming increasingly important for a number of reasons.
First, virtual events allow you to reach your target audience without limiting yourself to a specific location or time.
Second, they allow you to keep your costs down by not having to rent out an event space or hire staff.
Third, they give you more control over the content and how it is delivered because you can customize everything from the way people sign up for the event to what they will see during the event itself.
These events also help you stay connected with your customers personally because virtual events can be customized in ways that make them feel personal and unique. For example, if you wanted to host a virtual event for all of your customers who live in California, then you could ask each person who signs up whether or not they would like an ocean view room when they check into their hotel room.
Another example would be if someone has visited one of your stores before then they might get an email reminding them about their past experience there which could encourage them to visit again sometime soon!
Whether you're looking to launch a new product, build brand awareness, or simply connect with your target market, virtual event marketing is an effective and affordable option.
How to create a virtual event marketing strategy
It's a common misconception that virtual events are somehow less valuable than in-person ones.
But in reality, the opposite is true! Virtual events can be just as effective, if not more so, than physical ones. If you're wondering, "How do I create a virtual event marketing strategy?", look no further—we've got you covered!
1. Understand Your Stakeholders
Before creating your virtual event marketing strategy, it is important to first understand your stakeholders. Think about the following aspects to begin with:
1.1. Who are the people that you need to engage with?
1.2. What are their needs and wants?
1.3. How will they benefit from attending your virtual event?
1.4. What topics do they want to be covered in the event?
1.5. How can you help them achieve their goals by attending your event?
Once you have identified the key stakeholders, you will be able to create content that meets their needs and interests. This in turn will help increase the engagement levels amongst these individuals and ultimately drive more sales for your business
1. Create an attention-grabbing landing page
The next step in your virtual event marketing strategy is to create an attention-grabbing landing page. This is where people will go to learn about your event and sign up for it.
It should be clear, concise and easy to navigate, with a simple call-to-action that encourages people to sign up for your event. The more compelling and convincing this landing page is, the more likely it is that people will sign up for your event!
Your landing page should include all of the following:
-The date and time of your virtual event
-What attendees will learn at the event
-How much it costs to attend (if applicable)
-Your speaker lineup and bios
-Social media links where they can follow you or tweet about your event
-Call to action buttons that encourage them to register or buy tickets
2. Add keywords to your landing page to boost your search potential
Keywords are words and phrases that people type into search engines when they want information on a topic. When you add these keywords to your landing page, it helps boost your search potential and get more traffic to your site.
When choosing keywords, focus on things that are specific to what your company does and how it does it. For example, if you're an insurance company selling auto insurance, try using phrases like "auto insurance" and "car insurance." If you sell car insurance policies directly to consumers instead of through agents or brokers, use variations like "online car insurance" or "direct car insurance."
Once you've brainstormed some good keywords, it's time to put them into action! Add them into your title and description. You can even include them as part of the URL if you want (but don't overdo it).
When it comes to SEO, it's important not only to have a strong keyword strategy but also to have a landing page that provides value for visitors. When someone lands on your page, they should immediately know:
-What the event is about (including time, location and price)
-Why they should attend (what will they get out of it?)
-How they can register (and how much it costs).
3. Channel your inner copywriter
If you're creating a virtual event, the best way to ensure that it's a success is by writing engaging content. Your audience will be online and in front of their screens, so it's important that you make sure they're engaged with what they're reading.
3 Tips to write engaging content:
This can be hard to do—especially if English isn't your first language or if you aren't used to writing this type of content. But there are some simple tips we can offer:
Write in the first person—Don't use passive voice or say "we" when referring to your company or brand; instead, speak directly to the reader as though you were talking face-to-face.
Use short sentences and paragraphs—Keep sentences short and use short paragraphs for easy reading, but don't let them get too short (you want people to read all the way through).
Use active verbs—Active verbs help convey emotion and create an image in readers' minds so they feel like they're being told a story rather than just reading text on a page.
4 Tips to ensure your strategy is executed effectively through your copywriting
How do you make sure your virtual event marketing strategy is as effective as possible? Here are some tips from our team of copywriters:
Write engaging content!
Make sure it's consistent with what you're already doing (brand voice, tone, etc.)
Use keywords that potential attendees would search for when looking for information about your event (think: what are they searching for?)
Make sure you have plenty of time set aside for promotion—it takes time for people who aren't familiar with what you do to find out about your virtual event and decide if they want to attend or not!
5. Leverage social media across platforms
Virtual events are a great way to reach your target audience and drive brand awareness through live streaming and engaging content. The key to success is creating a marketing strategy that aligns with the goals of your company.
Your audience is on all kinds of networks, so be sure to reach them where they are. Don't just focus on Facebook and Twitter; make use of Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Snapchat, and more.
To get started, you should consider which platforms best suit your virtual event. Many companies use Facebook Live to stream their events because it allows them to engage with audiences on their own terms and in real-time.
You can also use YouTube or Instagram stories if you want more visual content, but keep in mind that these platforms are not live-streaming options so they may not be suitable for certain types of events.
In addition to choosing the right platform(s), you'll also want to consider how many people will be watching your event and how long it will last. If there's only one person in attendance, then simply broadcasting on Facebook or Instagram stories may work best because you don't need to worry about any audio or video quality standards being met during the broadcast itself (assuming no one else can hear what's going on).
However, if there are multiple people at this event then it might make sense for you to stream over Facebook Live instead since this option allows viewers from around the world access at any time without having any technical setups.
3 Key Tips for using social media for virtual event promotion:
Here are some tips for using social media for your virtual event:
Use hashtags. Hashtags help you connect with other people who are talking about the same thing as you, but they also make it easier for people looking for information about your virtual event to find you! Make sure you include #[event name] in all of your posts about the event so that people can find you easily when searching for your event or related topics.
Post content that is relevant to the topic of your event, but also relevant in general so that people can see how cool it is that you're hosting an online conference! For example, if you're hosting a conference on women empowerment, post pictures of women doing amazing things around the world or articles/videos/posts from other sites (like ours!) with similar content related to women empowerment so that others can learn more about what they can do in their lives as well!
Use images and video ! Visuals are very important on social media because they help draw attention to what the main message is that you want to get across.
6. Make the most of email marketing
Email marketing is a relatively simple way to get your message across. It can be sent out to anyone who has subscribed for it, meaning that you can reach a large audience without having to pay for expensive advertising.
If you want your virtual event marketing strategy to be successful, then you need to ensure that your emails are engaging and informative. Emails should contain information about upcoming events and important deadlines, as well as exciting news about what's going on at your company or organization.
It's also important that you include links in your emails that take users directly back to where they need to go on your website so they don't have trouble finding things later on down the line.
Email marketing allows you to:
- Build relationships with new audiences and current customers
- Send reminders about upcoming events or deadlines that are coming up
- Promote ticket sales or sponsor packages
5 Steps for Email Marketing:
Here are the steps you need to take:
1. Decide on a strategy
2. Create a list of contacts
3. Design an email template
4. Choose an email service provider
5. Create a plan for follow-up emails
6. Offer people a sneak peek at what’s to come
A virtual event is all about making the most of the experience, and that includes the lead-up. A pre-event teaser is one of the best ways to do this. It will help you get people excited about your event by giving them a taste of what they can expect and creating a buzz around it.
One way to do this is through the use of teasers, which are short messages that give people a sneak peek at what is going to happen at your event.
For example, if you are hosting an e-commerce convention, then you might send out a teaser that says: "Join us on May 20th at 10 am EST for our annual E-Commerce Convention!"
This will help build excitement among those who may be interested in attending the convention and help them plan their schedules accordingly.
Another way to build excitement around your virtual event is by using social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram. You can post photos and videos from past events so people know what they can expect when they attend yours!
Also, make sure all of these posts are hashtagged with relevant keywords so they are easy to find on social media search engines like Google or Bing (which will also help boost traffic).
7. Send out a press release
Press releases are a great way to get your company's name out into the world. They're also a great way to let people know about an upcoming event, especially if you have something relatively unimportant on the calendar and want to take advantage of it by teasing something bigger.
When sending out a press release, make sure you include:
-A brief description of what the event is about
-The date and time of the event (if it hasn't happened yet)
-Where it will take place (if there's a location)
8. Be consistent with your promotions
You want to make sure that your promotions are consistent and relevant, so you can reach the right audience at the right time. If you want people to attend your virtual events, you need to find ways for them to learn about them when they're looking for information about what you're offering. That means being consistent in how often you promote your event, who you promote it too, and how often.
Conclusion
Are you looking for a way to reach more potential customers without breaking the bank? A virtual event could be the perfect solution for you.
Virtual events are growing in popularity, and there’s a good reason why. They offer all of the benefits of an in-person event without any of the hassle or expense. Plus, they allow you to reach a larger audience than you would ever be able to with a physical event.
If you’re ready to start reaping the rewards of virtual events, keep reading for our top tips on how to get started. Ready to give it a try?
Oreed can help you organise your next virtual event. Our team has the experience and expertise to take your event from concept to execution. We’ll work with you every step of the way, from planning and marketing to registration and on-site support.
Contact us today, and we’ll help get your virtual event off the ground!