In today’s virtual world of meetings and events, you want to stand out in the crowd. You want to gain more event participants and with a virtual format, you have endless opportunities to capture a global audience. Whether your event is in-person, virtual or a hybrid of both, you will need to incorporate appealing and informative event content to set your event apart from all the others. Here we will review 10 strategies to consider when designing your event’s content.
- Know Your Audience
Fomo, the fear of missing out. You want your audience to feel this when considering whether to attend your event. Promoting your event on social media or showcasing the different speakers through email marketing and engrossing video content, you want to allure your audience. What is going to motivate your attendees to sign up for your electrifying event?
Related: 10 Ways To Differentiate Your Hybrid Event & Keep Virtual Event Engagement
- Build Your Strategy Well Ahead of Your Event
You might want to start your strategy session with a simple poll. What kind of content are your attendees looking for? Ask and you shall receive. From there you can start to build out what your event will look like, from speakers, to Q&A sessions. Do your research, ask colleagues, friends, and industry professionals their opinions on what content is oversaturated at the moment and what could you do to stand out? Find out what is there a need for and appease your audience.
- Figure Out What Your Audience is Asking
Based on your polling results and recent events where you might have had a survey, figure out what your audience is looking for. What content can your event provide that they might be captivating for them? What questions did they ask at your last event and what subject seemed to be the most popular? Was there a particular speaker who was well admired and can return to continue their thought-provoking conversation? This will help you design your event based on your audience needs.
Related: 7 Mind-Blowing Virtual & Hybrid Events and Why They’re Successful
- Decide On Your Main Content Channels
You could have multiple subjects you will be focusing on, through breakouts or speakers, but you will want to highlight the main message. This should be the focal point in all your advertising, promotional materials and have the other subjects complement the one major point you are trying to get across.
- Rework Existing Content
You could have had some amazing speakers and sessions before the pandemic that would be great to re-visit post-pandemic. You just might need to tweak things here and there. Again, refer to your survey results, and look at what your polling figures show. Not all your content needs to be revolutionary and cutting edge, it could be a mundane idea looked at through a different lens that will make your audience stop and think. Let them absorb this critical information and ponder on the ideas put forth.
Learn how Van Wagner can transform your next event into an occasion that people will never forget.
- Create Videos to Drum Up Excitement About Your Event
Video creation is key in today’s modern world of endless TikTok videos and parody’s, you will want to produce some content to get your attendees enthusiastic about your upcoming event. Whether it’s a slideshow of your speakers, or a personalized video from a celebrity or well-known public figure, adding some video content will help when it comes to designing your entire event. Have someone produce a preview of what is to come. Adding a little technology can make a huge difference in what your audience will encounter. A few minutes of footage will help with the audience’s anticipation.
- Involve Speakers and Event Sponsors in Your Content Strategy
You will want all hands-on deck to help promote and create a flawless event. Ask your sponsors what they want to see, involve your speakers in what message they are going to relay. It’s a partnership between all three and all must be in sync for your event to be a success.
Related: How To Plan Your Virtual Expo With Sponsorships
- Create Enticing Call to Actions
The more interactive your event is the better, through live tweeting using a specific hashtag, or live polling displaying the results for all to see. Entice your attendees with a competition, whoever has the most posts on social media using your event hashtag, gets rewarded and recognized at the event. Get creative with your promotions and make it fun for your audience. Send out a scavenger hunt list weeks leading up to the event and have attendees post their photos on social media to hint at the big reveal that will be unveiled at your event.
- Build Up Hype with Awesome Blog Posts
Create informative blogs on your event subject. Make them engaging and thorough that leaves the reader wanting more. Then have a link to your event registration page at the bottom. The blogs will also help rate you higher in googles search engine and will also drive more traffic to your website and hopefully increase your event attendance.
10. Build Your Audience with E-mail Marketing
Blogs, videos, and social media are all great ways to not only expand your research for your event and the content but to promote your event once you have planned everything out. Don’t forget to notify your potential attendees via email. Emails can be very effective, whether you are polling attendees, sending out a survey, or creating a monthly newsletter with links to your blogs and fresh content. Make sure you have a “sign up for our newsletter” page on your website and on social media. You can even promote your event through traditional mail. Make the mail they receive creative and thoughtful, something that they might want to post on social media, along with your event hashtag. Don’t send another boring flyer, think outside the box and make the mail they obtain work for you.
No matter what kind of content you design for your event, don’t be afraid to push the limits and get imaginative. To try new and ingenious ideas. Your audience will thank you for the imaginative and latest contemporary content.
If you are looking for a partner to make your hybrid events become successful, reach out and learn how we can help.
