In This Article
Virtual events are one of the most effective ways to generate leads and build a list of potential ideal customers. But here’s something that will blow your mind. You’d think that the most important part of running a virtual event is the content. But it’s not. The most critical success factor for any virtual event is generating registrations. And that means marketing and promoting your event.
So, if you’re ready to level up your game and make your virtual events stand out, lean in and buckle up as we dive into the ins and outs of promoting virtual events and reveal the essential components, tactics, and tips to help you engage, excite, and delight your audience.
Short Summary
- Promote virtual events with pre-event tactics like building an event website, leveraging email campaigns and collaborating with influencers.
- Identify target audience to tailor promotional strategies for maximum engagement.
- Utilize social media updates, UGC & contests/giveaways during the event plus post-event promotion & lead nurturing to maximize success!
Understanding Virtual Event Promotion
Let’s get one thing straight. Virtual events are a lot of work. Granted, not as much work as in person events, but still a lot of work. And if you don’t get a lot of registrations, you’ve invested a lot of time and money for nothing.
You don’t want that. And that means covering all your bases for promoting your event.
Virtual event promotion is all about leveraging the power of marketing to create buzz and boost attendance for your online events. With the right virtual event
But how do you navigate the ever-changing landscape of virtual events and ensure your promotional efforts hit the mark? Let’s start by defining virtual event promotion and exploring the various types of virtual events.
By understanding the intricacies of event promotion and the unique characteristics of different event formats, you’ll be better equipped to tailor your marketing efforts and achieve the desired results.
Defining Virtual Event Promotion
Virtual event promotion is all about driving registrations for your event. For that to happen, you must have the right mix of tactics and strategies, you can effectively boost visibility, engage your target audience, and make your virtual event a resounding success.
These include:
- Identifying your target audience: find a specific segment who is looking for a single desired outcome.
- Selecting appropriate marketing channels: choose the channels and groups where your audience hangs out. It’s always helpful to already be a member of these communities.
- Measuring success metrics: what does success look like for you? Is it registrations, is it show-ups, is it conversions. It might be all of these, but I recommend that you focus on ONE.
- Building an engaging event website: make it easy for your audience to register and attend.
- Leveraging email campaigns: craft personalized emails for specific segments and send emails that focus on the unique desired outcome that each unique audience wants.
- Collaborating with influencers, event sponsors, partners, and implementing lead nurturing strategies: This is the most fun part. Reach out to experts and influencers in your industy and enroll them to either participate or to promote the event (in exchange for exposure to your audience).
With so many ways to promote your event before it happens, it’s essential to have a plan in place.
Here are just a few things that you’ll want to include:
- A single goal. I recommend choosing registrations as your first goal and engagement as your next goal.
- An engaging event landing page or website: To get registrations your landing page, copy and registration process has to be persuasive, connect on an emotional level and drive conversations. Remember, it’s not cast in stone, make small tweaks to see if it improves your results.
- Sending out email invitations: After people register, your next goal is to create incentives for them to attend the event and participate. You can even enroll people to promote your event for discounts and prizes.
- Partnering with influencers and other industry leaders: Make a list of experts and influencers who will excite your audience.
Types of Virtual Events
The world of virtual events is diverse, ranging from marketing conferences and trade shows to product launches and celebrations.
Hybrid events: which combine both physical and virtual elements
Pros
- These types of events offer the best of both worlds; people who want to come live can get the face-to-face benefits. Those who can’t, can participate virtually.
- You can make event MORE money by pricing the live event higher and creating packages for virtual event attendees.
Cons
- Hybrid events have tons of moving parts. They are difficult to plan and have more opportunities for things to go wrong.
Recommendations
Hybrid events are for expert event organizers. They require a team to implement and can cost a lot to host, launch, and promote. There is a lot of risk involved with this one.
Pre-recorded event: All the sessions are recorded ahead of time and launched on the day of the event.
Pros
- No stress because all the work happens prior to the event launch.
- Promotion starts when you start planning the event: Typically, you’ll be interviewing experts and influencers weeks before the event. If you are ready with promotional materials, they can begin promoting early.
- More options for attendees to attend. Your content can be released “live” or consumed on demand.
Cons
- Engagement is low. Because the event isn’t live, you’ll see lower engagement. Even though some technologies allow for engaging as if it were live, it simply cannot replace the energy and spontaneaty of a live event.
- It’s difficult to “test” or improve content because you don’t have the engagement.
Recommendations
If you’ve NOT done a virtual event before, I recommend the pre-recorded event. It will give you a lot of time to prepare and promote. If your only goal is to build your list, this is your best bet.
Live Virtual Event: All content is delivered live
Pros
- You’ll get the most engagement.
- Great for product launches and selling an insanely irresistible offer
- All the stress is on one day.
Cons
- Generating live attendees — this is tough. There is no guarantee. If you want 500 people to show up, you’ll need a list of about 50,000.
- Stress around tech: This is real. We all know that technology is wonky and when you’re live you can’t afford anything to go wrong.
Recommendations
Pulling off a live event requires you to have a large and engaged audience. Average registration rates are about 5%. So if you have a list of 2500, you can expect about 25% to open your email. That’s 625 that will see the email. Then you can expect about 2% to register. That’s about 12 people.
Choosing the type of event you’re going to do will only impact the message that you use to promote it. Review these options and make your choice. Don’t dwell on this too much. If it’s your first event, and you just want to build your list, choose the pre-recorded event and move on.
Essential Components of a Successful Virtual Event Promotion Strategy
Pre-event promotion tactics are crucial for generating buzz and excitement around your virtual event. These tactics include building an engaging event website, utilizing email campaigns, collaborating with influencers and partners, and leveraging social media platforms to create a strong online presence. By understanding the essential components of a successful virtual event promotion strategy, you can effectively reach your target audience, generate interest, and ultimately, drive more registrations and engagement.
Let’s delve deeper into each of these components, exploring how to identify your target audience, choose the right marketing channels, and measure the success of your promotional efforts. By mastering these key elements, you’ll be well on your way to crafting a virtual event promotion strategy that delivers results.
Target Audience Identification
Knowing your target audience is a critical aspect of any event promotion strategy. By understanding who you’re trying to reach and how to reach them, you can tailor your marketing efforts to resonate with your target market and achieve better results. This involves creating an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) that outlines the key characteristics, preferences, and behaviors of your target audience.
Once you’ve identified your target audience, you can segment them based on various criteria, such as demographics, interests, and behaviors. This will enable you to create personalized marketing campaigns that cater to the specific needs and preferences of each segment, ultimately leading to more effective event promotion.
Choosing the Right Marketing Channels
Selecting the most effective marketing channels for your virtual event promotion is essential for reaching your target audience and driving engagement. This includes leveraging email marketing, social media platforms, influencer marketing, and advertising to spread the word about your event and generate interest. The choice of marketing channels will largely depend on your target audience, their preferences, and the type of virtual event you’re promoting.
For instance, if your target audience is active on LinkedIn, you might consider focusing your marketing efforts on this platform. Alternatively, if your event is geared towards a younger demographic, platforms like Instagram and Snapchat may be more relevant.
By choosing the right marketing channels for your virtual event promotion, you’ll be better positioned to reach your target audience and achieve your marketing objectives.
Measuring Success Metrics
Tracking the success of your virtual event promotion efforts is crucial for understanding the effectiveness of your
In addition to tracking quantitative metrics, it’s also important to gather qualitative insights from your attendees. This can be done through post-event surveys, social media engagement, and analyzing feedback from attendees. By combining both quantitative and qualitative data, you’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of the success of your virtual event promotion and be better equipped to refine your
Pre-Event Promotion Tactics
Social media platforms play a crucial role in virtual event promotion, as they offer numerous opportunities to engage your target audience and build anticipation for your upcoming event. By leveraging platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, you can create a strong online presence and generate buzz around your event.
In this section, we’ll explore various pre-event promotion tactics that involve social media, including creating engaging event pages, crafting captivating content, and collaborating with influencers and partners. By mastering these tactics, you can effectively promote your virtual event and drive registrations.
Building an Engaging Event Website
An engaging event website is a cornerstone of any successful virtual event promotion strategy. It serves as the primary destination for potential attendees to learn about your event, register, and access relevant information. To create an engaging, event registration website, focus on providing clear and compelling event details, designing an attractive and user-friendly layout, and optimizing your website for search engines.
In addition to providing essential event information, consider incorporating interactive elements like pop-ups, banners, and calls to action (CTAs) to encourage visitors to register and share your event with their networks. By investing in a well-designed and engaging event website, you’ll be better positioned to capture the interest of your target audience and drive registrations.
Running Email Campaigns
Email marketing is a powerful tool for promoting virtual events, as it allows you to reach your target audience directly and provide them with personalized and relevant content. Crafting successful email campaigns for virtual event promotion involves several key steps, including segmenting your audience, planning a series of pre-event emails, offering exclusive deals, and creating eye-catching subject lines.
Additionally, it’s crucial to track the performance of your email campaigns and adjust your strategy accordingly. By monitoring metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates, you can identify areas for improvement and optimize your email marketing efforts for better results.
Collaborating with Influencers and Partners
Influencers and partners can play a significant role in promoting your virtual event, as they can help you reach a wider audience and lend credibility to your event. To effectively collaborate with influencers and partners, it’s essential to identify those who align with your event’s objectives and target audience, and develop a plan for how you’ll work together.
Some strategies for leveraging influencer and partner collaboration include providing them with promotional materials to share on their social media platforms, offering exclusive discounts or giveaways for their followers, and involving them in the event itself through speaking engagements, panel discussions, or Q&A sessions.
By fostering strong relationships with influencers and partners, you can amplify your virtual event promotion efforts and drive greater attendance.
Social Media Strategies for Virtual Event Promotion
During the event, it’s crucial to maintain momentum and keep attendees engaged and informed. This can be achieved through a variety of during-event promotion techniques, including live social media updates, user-generated content, and contests and giveaways. By employing these tactics, you can boost engagement, foster a sense of community among attendees, and ensure a memorable event experience.
In this section, we’ll explore each of these during-event promotion techniques in more detail, offering practical tips and strategies to help you make the most of your virtual event promotion efforts.
Facebook Event Promotion
Facebook events offer a powerful platform for promoting your virtual event, as they enable you to reach a wide audience and provide an engaging space for attendees to interact and share their experiences. To effectively promote your event on Facebook, it’s important to create an attractive event page, complete with compelling event details, eye-catching visuals, and a clear call to action.
Additionally, consider leveraging Facebook’s algorithm to ensure your event is seen by the right people. By engaging with attendees through likes, comments, and shares, you can increase the visibility of your event and attract more interest. By utilizing these strategies, you can make the most of Facebook event promotion and drive greater attendance to your virtual event.
Instagram Engagement
Instagram is a visually-driven platform, making it an ideal channel for promoting your virtual event through engaging visuals and interactive content. To maximize engagement on Instagram, consider using Instagram Stories to create a countdown to your event, sharing captivating images and videos from the event, and utilizing hashtags to increase visibility.
Additionally, you can leverage user-generated content by encouraging attendees to share their experiences on Instagram and tag your event account. This not only boosts engagement but also provides valuable social proof for your event, attracting more interest and registrations.
Twitter Hashtags and Conversations
Twitter is an excellent platform for virtual event promotion, as it allows you to engage in real-time conversations with your audience and track the buzz surrounding your event through hashtags. To effectively promote your virtual event on Twitter, create a unique and memorable event hashtag, and encourage attendees to use it when posting about the event.
During the event, monitor the hashtag to stay informed about attendee experiences, respond to questions or concerns, and share relevant updates event announcements and information. By fostering a lively and engaging conversation around your event on Twitter, you can boost visibility and drive more interest in your virtual event.
LinkedIn Networking
LinkedIn is a powerful platform for professional networking and B2B event promotion, you’ll find a ton of opportunities to engage with your target audience and establish your event as a must-attend industry gathering.
To effectively promote your virtual event on LinkedIn, create an event page, share regular updates about upcoming events, and engage in relevant LinkedIn groups to spread the word about your event.
Additionally, consider leveraging LinkedIn’s advanced targeting options to reach your desired audience through sponsored content and direct messaging. By strategically utilizing LinkedIn for virtual event promotion, you can attract a professional audience and drive registrations.
During-Event Promotion Techniques
Post-event promotion and follow-up are essential for capitalizing on the momentum generated by your virtual event and nurturing leads towards conversion. This includes sharing event highlights and recordings, gathering feedback and testimonials, and implementing lead nurturing strategies to maintain engagement and drive sales.
In this section, we’ll explore each of these post-event promotion techniques in more detail, offering practical tips and strategies to help you maximize the value of your next virtual event and generate lasting results.
Live Social Media Updates
Live social media updates are an excellent way to keep attendees informed and engaged during your virtual event. By sharing real-time updates on platforms like Twitter and Instagram, you can create a sense of excitement and anticipation, while also providing valuable information and updates to your audience.
To craft engaging live social media updates, consider posting behind-the-scenes content, sharing key highlights and takeaways, and engaging with attendees through polls, Q&A sessions, and real-time conversations. By keeping your audience informed and engaged throughout the event, you can enhance their experience and drive greater overall satisfaction.
Encouraging User-Generated Content
User-generated content (UGC) is a powerful way to foster engagement and create a sense of community among your virtual event attendees. By encouraging users to share their experiences, photos, videos, and insights from the event, you can amplify your event promotion efforts and generate valuable social proof.
To encourage UGC, consider providing attendees with accessible tools and incentives to share their experiences, such as event hashtags, social media integrations, and contests or giveaways. By fostering a culture of sharing and engagement during your virtual event, you can create a memorable experience for attendees and drive greater overall success.
Hosting Contests and Giveaways
Contests and giveaways can be an effective way to boost engagement and excitement during your virtual event. By offering attendees the chance to win prizes, discounts, or exclusive access, you can encourage participation and foster a sense of fun and competition.
Some strategies for hosting contests and giveaways during your event include trivia quizzes, photo competitions, and leaderboard challenges. By incorporating these elements into your event, you can create a dynamic and engaging experience for attendees, driving greater satisfaction and success.
Post-Event Promotion and Follow-up
Once your virtual event has concluded, it’s essential to continue promoting and engaging with attendees to maintain momentum, gather valuable insights, and nurture leads towards conversion. This involves sharing event highlights and recordings, collecting feedback and testimonials, and implementing lead nurturing strategies to maintain relationships with potential customers.
In this section, we’ll delve into each of these post-event promotion techniques, offering practical tips and strategies to help you maximize the long-term value of your virtual event and drive lasting success.
Sharing Event Highlights and Recordings
Sharing event highlights and recordings is an effective way to extend the reach of your virtual event and maintain engagement with attendees after the event has concluded. By providing access to key presentations, panels, and other event content, you can continue to educate and inform your audience, while also generating interest for future events.
When sharing event highlights and recordings, consider uploading them to your event website, social media platforms, and other relevant channels, ensuring they are easily accessible and shareable. By effectively leveraging these assets, you can continue to drive value from your virtual event long after it has concluded.
Gathering Feedback and Testimonials
Collecting feedback and testimonials from attendees is crucial for understanding the success of your virtual event and identifying areas for improvement. By gathering insights from your audience, you can refine your event promotion strategy and enhance the overall experience for future events.
Some methods for collecting feedback include sending out post-event surveys, conducting follow-up interviews, monitoring social media engagement, and analyzing attendee comments. By leveraging these insights, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of the success of your virtual event promotion and continually optimize your strategy for better results.
Implementing Lead Nurturing Strategies
Lead nurturing is the process of building relationships with potential customers and guiding them towards conversion. By implementing lead nurturing strategies after your virtual event, you can maintain engagement with attendees, provide relevant content and offers, and ultimately drive sales.
Some effective lead nurturing strategies include using technology to track and nurture leads, creating a post-event resource hub, sending out post-event emails, engaging on social media, and sending targeted offers with real-time engagement insights.
By incorporating these strategies into your post-event promotion efforts, you can continue to engage with potential customers and maximize the long-term value of your virtual event.
Summary
Whew! That was a lot! AND, you can see why promoting virtual events requires a comprehensive strategy that encompasses pre-event, during-event, and post-event promotion techniques.
By understanding your target audience, choosing the right marketing channels, and implementing effective tactics like social media engagement, email campaigns, and influencer collaboration, you can ensure the success of your virtual event and drive lasting results. As the world of events continues to evolve, staying ahead of the curve and mastering the art of virtual event promotion will be essential for event organizers seeking to engage, excite, and delight their audiences.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to plan and promote a virtual event?
If it’s your very first event, give yourself at least 90 days from concept to completion. And if you’re nervous, give yourself 6 months. But hear this. Choose a format, choose a date, choose a theme immediately. Don’t analyze this step to death. Make a choice, and implement accordingly. This might be your first event, but it won’t be your last.
Where can I find speakers for my virtual event?
A quick and easy way to find speakers for your virtual event is to go to Amazon and search authors who have written books on the subject. Look for relatively recent books with more than 100 reviews. This tells you that they are heavy promoters.
Where can I promote my virtual event?
Promoting your virtual event can be done through a variety of social media channels, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram and even Snapchat. Each platform has its own unique strengths and capabilities to help maximize your reach and success.
Additionally, LinkedIn is an ideal platform for targeting professionals who would be interested in attending your event. Give it a try!
How do you attract participants to a virtual event?
To attract participants to a virtual event, try creating an enticing event landing page and leveraging social media remarketing on Facebook and LinkedIn. Utilize email marketing and include sponsors, guest speakers, and influencers in your marketing efforts.
Additionally, consider using Google and social media paid ads, to promote the event and provide other considerations for an overall successful event.
How do you promote a virtual conference?
To further promote events or a virtual conference, it’s essential to identify your target audience and create compelling registration landing pages for them. Utilize email campaigns, social media posts, contests, an event website and reminder emails for maximum engagement.
Additionally, leveraging sponsorships and partnerships with other brands can be beneficial in spreading the word about the virtual conference.
How do I promote an online event on social media?
Promoting an online event on social media requires creating excitement and engagement. Reach out to influencers, use organic and paid promotions, hashtag strategies, Facebook & LinkedIn Groups, and personalized messaging to spread the word.
Schedule posts in advance for maximum impact, and build up the hype with fun teaser videos or polls.
How to promote event on social media?
Are you ready to spread the word about your upcoming event? Here’s how: use a countdown, make your page shareable, create polls, post teasers, create an event hashtag, create a LinkedIn/Facebook event and host a giveaway or contest.
Let’s get the word out!