Video is a powerful tool. For brands, it offers the chance to expand reach, attracting more decision-makers. And when it comes to event marketing, it works just as well. Video opens events up to a larger audience, giving more people the opportunity to access live or pre-recorded content, and offering event marketers a chance to generate additional revenue using pay-per-view video solutions.
But should you use video for event marketing?
Article Outline
Why Video and Event Marketing Were Made for Each Other
There’s a good chance that you spend a fair amount of time watching industry-related content. Be it on YouTube, Facebook or Twitter, video about a topic that matters to you and your industry is important. It doesn’t just act as news, it helps inform decisions about the directions brands choose.
In fact, video has become such an influential source that a Forbes study shows 75% of professionals watch work-related videos each week, of which 52% turn to YouTube for their work-related video content.
Social Media Plays a Part
But there’s a little more to why video is the perfect marketing tool for events. Take social media.
Video has become a prioritized content form. Facebook offers a Watch feature where you can view videos that are live or recorded and follow a consistent theme or storyline.
Instagram has Stories and Instagram TV, and while LinkedIn doesn’t have a dedicated feature or place where you can watch all videos just yet, there isn’t a day when your feed won’t include a video.
Add to this the efficiency of each platform’s algorithm and how content spreads through networks, it’s easy to see how videos can generate astronomical views and results.
The results of making video a top content format on social media have been impressive. In Q1 of 2018, Twitter streamed more than 1,300 live events, that’s an almost 3X increase over Q1 2017. And did you know that Facebook and Twitter generate a combined total of 10 billion video views per day?
The Chance to Generate Additional Revenue
Events offer delegates the chance to experience more than they are exposed to daily. From new trends taking place in their industries to new ideas about challenges, solutions and how to get and stay ahead of the curve.
This kind of information isn’t easy to come by. It’s exclusive. Beyond the cost of a seat at an event, it can be packaged and sold. The idea of selling video online isn’t new either. It happens daily and analysts forecast online video streaming to generate over $12 billion on sales.
For smart event marketers, the opportunity is within reach. Today, you can provide paid access to exclusive video content from your event, and make money from live streaming or recorded event videos.
How to Use Video to Market Your Event
Marketing events, while unique, isn’t far from how you’d market most other products or services. You need a strategy, channels, and content. And just as with other solutions, you need to know how your video content works to generate leads and ultimately sales.
Your event marketing must attract, educate and convert prospects to be successful, making the marketing funnel an integral framework. Here’s a look at the types of videos you can create for each stage of your event marketing funnel.
Top-of-Funnel
The top of your funnel is dedicated to helping delegates identify the problems or better define them. When it comes to event marketing, you’re still identifying the challenges your audience experiences.
Identify With Your Audience
In Traffic and Conversion Summit’s recap video, they identify a feeling that most marketers experience on the job. It highlights isolation.
Their video then proceeds to speak about what marketing is all about and use industry leaders like Steve Jobs and Tony Robbins who share poignant insights on what real marketing is about.
As a marketer, you can’t help but feel that Traffic and Conversion Summit is where you need to be to feel like a part of something bigger and learn more about taking your marketing to the next level.
Use a Trailer
Like short promotional videos for products and services, you can also produce trailers for your events, using footage from your last event.
Grant Cardone’s 10x conference attracts over 30,000 attendees from across the globe. To get people excited about the event, Cardone Industries compiled a trailer filled with powerful messaging designed to inspire attendance.
Middle-of-Funnel
Middle-of-Funnel content is educational. It’s meant to impart valuable insights and answer questions buyers have about your event and why they should choose yours over another.
Introduce Deep Insights
Inbound is an annual conference every marketer has heard of. HubSpot does an amazing job of spreading their content across the web each year, and most of it is Middle-of-Funnel video that shares educational content marketers want.
In his video, Brian Halligan speaks about a new species of disruptor and how your brand can evolve to become an experience disrupter. This kind of content feeds marketers from around the world because it comes directly from the brand that championed the idea of inbound marketing. It also shows the depth of information prospects can expect from attending the next event.
Share Expert Interviews
There’s nothing more inspiring than access to industry leaders. They offer perspectives that aren’t easy to come by and ideas that change the world. Inbound fills out the middle of their funnel with an expert interview segment it calls “In Conversation”. In these interviews, experts share stories, experiences, research and more.
Bottom-of-Funnel
Bottom-of-funnel content is designed to inspire action. Your goal is to sell seats and to do so, you need to dispel any lingering concerns. Use testimonials and trailer-like footage to build intensity and motivation.
Here are three types of videos you can create:
Event reminder with FAQ
Event reminders do a great job of exciting stragglers to take action. Growth Marketing Conference put together a short, yet inspiring video. It doesn’t just remind people when and where the event takes place, it’s also filled with highlights and professionals sharing what growth marketing means to them.
URL: https://www.facebook.com/growthtactics/videos/2582535128640596/
Pre-Event Announcement & Ticket Launches
One of the smartest ways to keep your brand and event top-of-mind is with the use of announcements. In this one, Russell Brunson covers three important announcements every funnel hacker should know, with one being about the next event and that tickets are now available for sale at a $200 discount.
https://www.facebook.com/clickfunnels/videos/808303569524803/
Tips for Capitalizing on Video for Event Marketing
Marketing funnel aside, rolling out video marketing successfully requires a few other important pieces. Here are three tips that can position you to experience the best possible results.
1. Plan Long-term
If you plan to use video to market your event, plan ahead. Create multiple videos that can be used in your funnel. Structure your content around a calendar and be consistent. As your audience becomes aware of your event, they may not purchase seats immediately, so produce content that keeps the event top-of-mind and footage that sells seats.
2. Get Strategic
Use tactics like re-marketing to give your event the best chance at selling out. Pixel people who visit event sites and pages with videos with messaging designed to help them take the next step in their journey.
3. Get Your Distribution Channels Ready
If you plan on selling your event videos, find a solution that allows you to manage the sales cycle swiftly, and deliver your content without compromising quality. Here are a few features to look for:
- The ability to host your video
- A robust content delivery network for easy viewing no matter where your audience is
- Live streaming capabilities
- Payment gateway integration and the option to create a video paywall to bill attendees with ease
- Marketing solutions to help you engage customers and promote your event videos
Conclusion
Video is a quintessential component of modern marketing. It has the power to help events expand their reach further than ever before and stay top-of-mind with their audiences, enough to generate demand for the next event. But you must be strategic. Incorporate video into your funnel, use creative approaches to engage your audience and explore online streaming avenues to generate more revenue for your event.
| Author: Amir Shahzeidi is a digital marketing manager at Uscreen. Uscreen is an all-in-one video monetization and OTT platform provider that empowers video entrepreneurs and creators to monetize their content and build thriving businesses around their videos. |