In the past we have already discussed here the benefits of video marketing , and how to make your livestream . Today we’re going to try to turn the trial into making sure your live events meet their audience and get the success they deserve.
It’s not all about choosing the right platform, the right hardware and the right speakers. The audience must be there and its number must be worthy of the efforts you have made to produce your event.
We will therefore list in this article some tips to guarantee you a maximum return on investment.
Before starting your online event
1. Define the concept and its objectives
Whether big or small, online or offline, every event should have a clearly identified concept and objectives. The earlier you can start planning, the better.
Before hosting a virtual event, answer the following questions:
- What kind of experience do you hope to provide?
- Will the event be live, on-demand, or both?
- Where do you want the content to be seen?
- Will access be paid or free?
- What KPIs and data do you plan to track?
2. Set date and time
The date and time of your event, especially if it is live, should not be chosen at random.
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Does the planned date not compete with another event likely to capture part of your audience?
- Doesn’t the planned date fall on any party likely to deprive you of part of your audience?
- What time zone is the majority of your audience in, and can you make sure to keep as many people happy as possible?
- If you have Personas , ask yourself if these personas are available on the chosen day, in the selected time slot.
3. Segment invites
Even if your event revolves around a single main topic, you should be aware of the disparity in your audience. Each target has a motivation to register (meeting partners, prospecting, training, etc.).
To segment your invitations, analyze the data collected via your acquisition strategy : contact details, demographics, gender, location, age, professional interests, etc.
Whenever possible, tie segments of your audience to major themes discussed during the event. This technique will allow you to write targeted promotional campaigns, with personalized arguments.
After sending out your first campaigns, think about even more personalized contacts, based on your audience’s responses.
The strategy following segmentation consists of grouping recipients by action: those who open the emails, those who do not open them , those who click on the links, those who share them , etc.
Promote the event
4. Teaser the virtual event
Why wait until your event to share valuable information? In the same way that a film trailer encourages spectators to take a cinema ticket, a short overview of the content offered during this meeting encourages Internet users to register.
Arouse participants’ interest by offering them brief interviews with your speakers, excerpts from previous presentations or the schedule of debates and round tables.
Also use namedropping: as soon as speakers make their visit official, communicate on your social networks, on your website, on the event page or by email.
5. Write a blog post and share it on social media
Write a blog post to announce your event and of course, share your post on social media to boost attendance.
Don’t forget to use hashtags – or create your own hashtag in the name of the event, which can be used by attendees to ask questions or post their reactions on social media during your event.
6. Take advantage of available social tools
Social networks offer various relevant features for promoting your virtual event. Particularly :
- Stories : to be used to tease the event, broadcast the agenda, share behind-the-scenes preparations…
- The Instagram countdown : to integrate into your stories to arouse the impatience and curiosity of your subscribers.
- Facebook Events : by creating a Facebook event, you can interact directly with potential participants, unite a community around this meeting and increase the reach of your communication.
- Live streaming : whether it’s pre-event interviews or live event sharing, this format offers a very high reach and excellent engagement rate .
7. Send a newsletter
If you already have an email list, promote your event to your subscribers.
If registration for your event requires registration, you can send them a thank you email for registering, then a reminder email a day or two before the event, and even a final email an hour before it starts. this.
8. Run a co-branded campaign
A co-branded campaign is when you partner with another brand or sponsor to create the event. This strategy helps you attract more qualified participants since each partner communicates with its community.
It’s also a great strategy for optimizing your prospecting base. Indeed, the organizers can share the list of leads won during the virtual event. Everyone will be motivated to promote this meeting.
Plus, a partner adds credibility to your event, which attracts experts and great speakers.
A week before D-Day
9. Vary programming and formats
Your event is virtual. It does not obey the same rules as a show or a fair. You are not obliged to respect the triptych: opening speech – round tables in reduced committee – closing conference.
You can organize sessions in the form of virtual dinners, live training or demonstrations and live-chats with well-known personalities.
The more original your concept and your programming, the more the public will be interested.
10. Test your hardware and technology
Once you’ve chosen your streaming platform and hardware, set up a test. Try all the features you are going to use during your event and save the video.
Analyze your sound, the quality of the video, the decor and any other element that will optimize your event so that it is as successful as possible.
11. Do a “life-size” trial
Before pitch day, schedule a tryout and act like it’s your live.
Make sure everything is working properly, slides are in order and output correctly on different screen sizes. Check that each speaker knows what he is doing, so that there are no surprises on D-Day. The event must run smoothly and without downtime.
This is also a good time to assess noise. Check your space for disturbing noises, mute notifications from apps running on your computer while you host the event.
The day of the online event
Here we are, the big day has arrived. You have prepared everything as it should, yet you can still ruin everything and your event can flop…
12. Start on time
Arriving late to a meeting is never a good thing, even virtually! Your whole team should be ready 10-15 minutes before the broadcast starts.
If your event lasts one hour, block your calendar for 2 hours in order to have all the time you need to prepare.
13. Stay zen
As with all live events, some things are beyond your control. Glitches are inevitable, whether it’s your WiFi, your laptop, or the software you use.
So be prepared to face a possible problem calmly. And don’t forget: The show must go on!
14. Create interaction and engagement
Most online event platforms have interactive tools like a chat box, where attendees can ask questions and share their answers to any questions you ask.
Plan specific moments that invite your audience to participate.
Do a pop quiz , ask them to react via the dedicated Hashtag or in the chat/comments tool of your platform.
Generally speaking, chat with them by scrolling your content.
15. Turn customers into virtual event ambassadors
You already know the importance of user- generated content for your marketing strategy. For the promotion of your virtual events, your loyal customers also have a role to play.
As your company’s ambassadors, they provide assurance to prospects. If they talk about you, it means that you are professional, reliable and that your event will necessarily be of high quality!
16. Engage your employees
In addition to working with other brands and your customers, don’t forget to involve your company’s employees . The more people posting about an event, the greater the word-of-mouth will be.
Beyond links to the registration page, provide them with images, videos, tracking URLs, and event coverage to share. Prepare messages for them to broadcast on their social networks to make it as easy as possible for them to communicate around this meeting.
Conclusion
Video events are an effective way to reach your target. This very popular format with Internet users generates more engagements than a classic video. However, holding such an event requires strategic thinking, adequate planning and marketing efforts.
