14 Virtual Event Marketing Tips to Drive RSVPs and Engagement

Digital occasion advertising and marketing is the technique of selling your on-line occasions to ensure that as many individuals attend as attainable. Take into account this your final information to digital occasion advertising and marketing.

Digital occasions are available many types — from business conferences and webinars to digital blissful hours and even on-line guide excursions.

The perfect half? They’re often simpler to arrange than in-person occasions, which require logistics like discovering a venue and coordinating lodging.

The worldwide digital occasions market was estimated at more than $78 billion in 2023 and is anticipated to develop considerably within the coming years.

This pattern exhibits that companies around the globe are seeing the lasting worth and advantages of digital occasions, equivalent to comfort, broader attain, and value financial savings.

So, in the event you’re planning a digital occasion, nailing your digital occasion advertising and marketing is essential to make sure these RSVPs roll in.

Under, we’ll share the highest digital occasion advertising and marketing ideas that we’ve discovered.

What’s digital occasion advertising and marketing?

Digital occasion advertising and marketing is the technique of selling your on-line occasions to draw attendees and drive engagement by way of numerous digital channels.

It’s all about letting your viewers learn about an upcoming digital occasion. Typically, it’s a set of selling campaigns and occasion promotion ways designed to draw extra consideration to your subsequent digital occasion and drive registrations.

Nevertheless it’s not nearly placing up an advert or posting about an upcoming occasion. It encompasses the whole lot from:

• Pre-event preparations, equivalent to understanding what kind of occasion your audience wants
• Creating partaking content material and promotional supplies
• Leveraging numerous digital channels equivalent to social media, electronic mail advertising and marketing, and PPC adverts to unfold the phrase
• Managing occasion logistics and know-how, equivalent to cameras and mics, and guaranteeing everybody internet hosting has a steady web connection.
• Sending post-event follow-up emails to encourage attendees to remain related and collect suggestions

14 digital occasion advertising and marketing ways to incorporate in your technique

Search engine marketing (search engine optimisation) is without doubt one of the finest advertising and marketing ways for lead technology. It could additionally enhance site visitors and entice potential attendees for future occasions.

Sadly, search engine optimisation takes time, which isn’t best for digital occasion advertising and marketing. Since advertising and marketing for digital occasions is time-bound, you want methods that don’t want a major period of time to get outcomes.

You’ll be able to as an alternative embrace the next ways in your advertising and marketing plan:

1. Construct a web site and/or occasion touchdown web page to your occasion

Your occasion web site is your viewers’s go-to useful resource for all the data they want, equivalent to:

• Occasion title
• Occasion pricing
• Schedule
• Speaker bios
• Sponsor info
• Agenda

However extra importantly, your web site will home your occasion registration web page, which shall be a key part of your digital occasion advertising and marketing plan.

In the case of designing the occasion web site or touchdown web page, you will be as flashy as you need because you need the web page to seize your viewers’s consideration, pique their curiosity, and make it memorable.

However be certain that it stays on-brand, simple to learn, and never distracting so it will possibly fulfill its function.

Don’t neglect about search engine optimisation when creating this web page. HawkSEM’s SEM Supervisor Gina Ryan says, “[Your] devoted occasion web page on the organizer’s web site can obtain site visitors from all different advertising and marketing efforts and also needs to be optimized for search engine optimisation.”

Lastly, ensure that the whole lot out of your headline to the call-to-action is optimized and centered on one conversion purpose.

Professional tip: You may make the registration course of extra seamless if you choose a digital occasion platform with built-in occasion registration software program for the occasion touchdown web page. Some platforms might even mean you can design a branded registration web page that helps you gather the mandatory knowledge extra simply.

2. Leverage paid search advertising and marketing

Whereas word-of-mouth advertising and marketing stays a good way to draw attendees to digital occasions, utilizing paid adverts can elevate your digital advertising and marketing technique to the subsequent stage. “I undoubtedly suggest digital promoting for digital occasions,” says Ryan.

Be at liberty to experiment with completely different promoting platforms, equivalent to Google Advertisements and LinkedIn adverts. A/B check your adverts by mixing and matching completely different graphics, creatives, and duplicate to seek out what works finest to your viewers.

3. Use electronic mail advertising and marketing to draw attendees and preserve them engaged

The typical registrant-to-attendee show-up fee is about 40%, says ConvertKit. Because of this from the second they register as much as the time of your occasion, you find yourself dropping about 60% of your attendees.

A great way to attenuate the attendee drop-off fee is to implement a lead nurturing technique utilizing electronic mail drip campaigns as your go-to tactic.

An electronic mail drip marketing campaign creates extra digital touchpoints that preserve your attendees engaged through the pre-event section so that they don’t lose curiosity or neglect concerning the occasion.

With out flooding their inbox, ship common emails about unique gives, reminders, details about audio system, or different related info. Be strategic about your strategy whereas ensuring to supply a tailor-made expertise.

“Sending an e-blast to your mailing checklist, particularly in the event that they’ve attended previous occasions,” says Ryan.

“I like to recommend making a schedule for timing out your e-blasts. (e.g x variety of days out – announce the occasion, 1 month out – remind customers to register, 1 week out – remind registrants to attend, and so forth).”

4. Benefit from the ability of social media

Social media advertising and marketing is a strong device that you should use for occasion storytelling and viewers engagement and is helpful for all phases of your occasion.

For example, you possibly can create a brief video or natural social media campaigns centered round consciousness and engagement through the pre-event section to draw extra attendees on channels like Fb and Linkedin. “Make sure to tag any occasion sponsors or audio system!” explains Ryan.

If you happen to’re planning to carry the occasion yearly, it can be an excellent platform for post-event interplay and staying related together with your viewers.

5. Write a press launch

Press releases aren’t only for real-time occasions. They can be an efficient method to talk together with your audience about your upcoming occasion.

Your press launch ought to embrace key info, such because the occasion schedule, particular company, matters to be mentioned, and extra.

Then, to maximise visibility, ship it to media retailers, information desks, and press launch websites.

6. Focus the messaging round your occasion’s worth

In the case of your digital occasion, having the ability to clearly present its worth is essential. Certain, individuals received’t need to journey or guide resort rooms to attend. However you continue to wish to spotlight all the explanations it’s value their time.

Showcasing the worth is essential for a digital occasion advertising and marketing technique. It could additionally assist entice different manufacturers and companies to collaborate with you if that’s what you’re searching for.

Rigorously contemplate questions like:

• What’s your occasion’s theme, and how are you going to specific this in your advertising and marketing?
• What ought to individuals anticipate to remove from audio system or periods?
• Does everybody making the occasion occur clearly know their function and obligations?
• What issues or matters will you be addressing throughout your digital occasion?
• What questions will you be answering, or what issues will you goal to resolve?

It might look like you received’t need to do as a lot heavy lifting to collect RSVPs for a digital occasion. However the actuality is that the probability of an RSVPed attendee not exhibiting up is way larger for a digital occasion than an in-person one. In any case, deleting a calendar invite is way simpler than making an attempt to get a flight refunded. That’s why you wish to be certain that the worth is obvious.

Professional tip: Wish to get the utmost quantity of reside attendees as attainable? Take into account providing an incentive to those that present up. This might be one thing like a reside Q&A with a visitor speaker or solely providing a few of the session recordings after the occasion is over.

7. Spotlight the benefits of a digital convention

Certain, there are some facets of an in-person occasion that may’t be matched just about. Not like commerce exhibits or in-person conferences, it’s not as simple to kind partnerships and even simply make a brand new connection by placing up a dialog throughout a networking blissful hour.

However that doesn’t imply you possibly can’t assume exterior the field and create digital experiences that mirror IRL occasions. Begin a novel hashtag to make conversations simple to seek out, for instance.

You’ll be able to encourage attendees to share key takeaways and speaker quotes and spark dialogues on their social media pages (whereas somebody out of your firm does the identical).

Different advantages of a digital convention embrace:

• Making it simple to file, rewatch, and share particular periods
• Permitting attendees to take a look at materials at their comfort (which additionally signifies that they received’t have to decide on between periods)
• Decreasing prices for each organizers and attendees
• Permitting for extra (or higher) audio system than a bodily occasion
• Having the ability to attend from the consolation of their very own properties or workplaces

8. Be sure to’re arrange for achievement

A few of your attendees might have by no means been to a digital occasion earlier than, and others might not know the way it works. Make an excellent first impression by guaranteeing the whole lot runs as easily as attainable throughout occasion planning.

Take the time to make sure all audio system have correct mics, movies, and lighting arrange and that every one displays have been walked by way of and edited.

Conducting a number of dry runs of the whole occasion can deliver you peace of thoughts. Plus, it means that you can work out any kinks or hiccups beforehand.

Moreover, be sure to have a plan for conserving your viewers engaged. This may be difficult because it’s simpler to maintain individuals engaged at a reside occasion than at a digital occasion the place there are extra distractions.

Nonetheless, viewers engagement is without doubt one of the elements that separate a profitable digital occasion from a failure and can probably influence your future occasions. So, it’s higher to have a plan for conserving your viewers engaged than to have an occasion that’s labeled “loss of life by PowerPoint.”

From a advertising and marketing standpoint, you possibly can contemplate organising an FAQ part in your occasion web site or addressing frequent questions in an electronic mail as soon as potential attendees join.

The extra info you share, the higher thought your attendees could have of what to anticipate when the convention day arrives.

Professional tip: Identical to in-person occasions, digital occasions ought to be as inclusive and accessible as attainable, Hootsuite factors out. They suggest ensuring to make use of clear language, massive fonts, and excessive coloration distinction in deliverables and displays. 

9. Forged a wider internet for attendees

Beforehand, you may need centered your advertising and marketing efforts on a selected geographic space or previous attendees. It is sensible, as these are the individuals most probably to place within the journey to attend your occasion.

You may also have centered on people at a selected revenue stage or those that maintain sure positions of their firm.

Going digital means that you can attain a wider vary of people that could possibly attend your convention. Since journey is eradicated, attendees don’t need to request break day work or handle the bigger bills related to a resort room and airfare.

Forged your internet a little bit wider as you identify who you wish to invite to your occasion, together with the place you wish to promote it and the way you goal your adverts. This may create larger lead potential.

10. Supply teasers as a part of your advertising and marketing content material

Folks attend conferences that supply them an thrilling expertise, an opportunity to take a look at one thing new, or a chance to be taught one thing about their business.

Creating teasers — whether or not they’re video clips, session themes, or items of content material — can function a sort of occasion preview and a method to entice attendees.

Let your viewers know that one thing massive is coming, they usually have to be a part of it. With fewer assets wanted to be spent on venue and coordination particulars, you possibly can make investments extra in ensuring the occasion’s content material is high-caliber.

You’ll be able to even trickle these teasers into occasion reminders through electronic mail because the date will get nearer.

Professional tip: With the cash you save on issues like meals and venue charges, you could possibly afford to ship swag baggage to your attendees. It’s a good way to make them really feel particular, and it’ll function a reminder of your distinctive digital occasion.

11. Get distributors and audio system concerned within the advertising and marketing

Your distributors and audio system wish to see as many individuals as attainable attending your convention or occasion so that they get most publicity and might really feel prefer it was value their time.

(In any case, they’ve nonetheless obtained to arrange for keynotes, dress, and make a presentation!) Don’t be afraid to get them concerned within the advertising and marketing course of.

Your distributors and audio system probably have social media pages, web sites, and on-line followers. Invite them that can assist you unfold the phrase.

“Share advertising and marketing supplies, occasion branding, and different messaging with sponsors, audio system, and companions for them to share on their very own networks (electronic mail checklist, social media posts, and so forth),” suggests Ryan.

You’ll be able to maintain a joint giveaway or create graphics and captions they’ll simply share throughout their channels.

Chances are you’ll even discover partnerships with influencers and business leaders. By working along with all stakeholders, you possibly can considerably enhance your general advertising and marketing attain.

If you happen to plan to nonetheless host distributors, you might also wish to invite them to arrange their on-line shops forward of the occasion. That means, you possibly can promote them and permit individuals to buy or look into their choices earlier than the precise occasion.

12. Harness the ability of digital occasion know-how

Leverage the most recent and best in digital occasion know-how to offer your attendees the perfect expertise. This isn’t nearly utilizing a primary video platform; it’s about creating an immersive, interactive expertise that rivals in-person occasions.

For instance, Tomorrowland’s digital festival combines cutting-edge 3D design, Hollywood-level filming techniques, and modern game engines to deliver a spectacular online event.

So, whereas a few of these applied sciences is likely to be a bit out of funds to your occasion, that doesn’t imply you possibly can’t get artistic and use extra inexpensive know-how to create an immersive on-line expertise.

Listed below are just a few tricks to harness know-how to your occasion:

• Use superior platforms: Select platforms that supply extra than simply video streaming, like Eventbrite, GoTo, and Cvent. Search for options like digital lobbies, interactive Q&A, breakout rooms, and real-time networking capabilities.
• Optimize for all gadgets: Guarantee your occasion platform is responsive and works seamlessly throughout PCs, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
• Use high-quality manufacturing methods: Put money into good lighting, sound, and digicam tools to make sure your occasion appears to be like skilled. Take into account inexperienced display know-how to create digital levels and backgrounds. This sort of tools doesn’t want to interrupt the financial institution, and if you’ll be internet hosting a number of occasions, it’s properly well worth the funding.
• Interactive options: Add options like reside polls, chat rooms, and gamification to maintain attendees engaged all through the occasion.

13. Digital Swag Luggage

Who doesn’t love swag? Simply because your occasion is on-line doesn’t imply you possibly can’t deal with your attendees to some goodies.

Digital swag baggage are a incredible method to have interaction your viewers and make your occasion memorable. Listed below are some concepts for digital goodies you could give away.

• Digital Downloads: Supply unique eBooks, whitepapers, low cost codes, or entry to premium content material that attendees can obtain and use.
• Digital present playing cards: Embody present playing cards for common on-line shops, espresso outlets, and even donations to a charity of the attendee’s selection.
• Unique entry: Present early entry to future occasions, webinars, or personal on-line communities.
• Interactive content material: Incorporate interactive content material equivalent to on-line quizzes, digital scavenger hunts, or personalised video messages.

Digital swag baggage not solely add worth to your occasion but in addition go away an enduring impression in your attendees, making them really feel appreciated and extra related to your model.

14. Measure the success of your occasion by analyzing key metrics

The actions associated to your advertising and marketing technique shouldn’t finish when your digital occasion wraps up. At this level, your preparation for future occasions ought to start with analyzing the success of your previously-concluded exercise.

Collect suggestions out of your attendees by sending a post-event electronic mail expressing your gratitude with a survey kind hooked up.

This manner permits attendees to supply suggestions on the subject, audio system, and different facets of the occasion. This offers you perception into what you probably did proper and what you possibly can enhance to your subsequent occasion.

Suggestions is invaluable for occasions of any variety. As Cvent explains, “Occasion suggestions is essential for digital occasions when planners don’t have the power to gauge reactions by the expressions or verbal suggestions from attendees onsite.”

Look into occasion suggestions instruments to be sure to’re following up with attendees after the occasion is over.

Nevertheless, for goal details about how properly you probably did with advertising and marketing and different facets of the occasion, check out the occasion analytics.

This performance could also be accessible relying on the occasion know-how in your chosen platform.

You’ll then be capable of view metrics such because the variety of attendees, common period, replay views, and site visitors knowledge. This info will make it easier to consider and enhance your present advertising and marketing plan.

Digital occasion advertising and marketing vs. in-person occasion advertising and marketing

Promotion methods used to market digital occasions could also be much like ways used for in-person gatherings. Nevertheless, digital occasion advertising and marketing can also be completely different from in-person occasion advertising and marketing in some ways, together with the next:

• The platform is completely different: A digital occasion platform like Intrado, ON24, or Kaltura is used as an alternative of a bodily location to host the occasion.
• There are fewer variables to contemplate: Not like reside occasions, digital occasion promoters don’t must plan for attendee lodging, meals, transportation, and different wants.
• All the timeline is shorter: In accordance with Markletic, small digital occasions like webinars, on common, might take between 3 to six weeks to advertise, whereas bigger occasions require an extended timeline to drive the identical quantity of registrations. In distinction, reside occasions may have at the least 3 to six months for advertising and marketing.

What to consider earlier than you launch your digital occasion

Planning a digital occasion isn’t nearly selecting a date and organising a Zoom hyperlink. Earlier than you dive into your on-line occasion advertising and marketing methods, there are just a few steps to take to put the groundwork for achievement.

What’s your occasion’s story?

Understanding your distinctive story is the cornerstone of making a digital occasion that individuals will truly wish to attend.

This implies figuring out who you might be, what you deliver to the desk, and why your occasion issues. Ask your self:

• What’s my funds?
• What’s my best variety of attendees?
• How can I have interaction attendees earlier than, throughout, and after the occasion?
• What worth will this occasion present to attendees?
• What’s the final purpose of this occasion?

Answering these questions will reveal your occasion’s function, which you’ll be able to then use in your promotional supplies.

Who’s your best occasion attendee?

When you’ve nailed down your story, the subsequent step is to pinpoint your best viewers. This implies understanding who will profit probably the most out of your occasion and tailoring your content material to satisfy their wants. Ask your self these questions:

• What life stage are they at (e.g., faculty, profession pivot, retirement)?
• What purpose are they making an attempt to attain?
• Why can’t they obtain this purpose on their very own?
• What misconceptions may they’ve about this matter?
• How will your occasion assist them overcome these challenges?

Figuring out who you wish to attend helps you create focused, related content material that speaks on to them and ensures a extra engaged and enthusiastic viewers.

Planning to have interaction attendees after the occasion

Your efforts don’t finish when the occasion does. Now that you’ve got a listing of names, emails, and every other info, what must you do to reengage them and assist them down the funnel?

Take into account creating an electronic mail marketing campaign that sends them extra details about your merchandise, providers, and different occasions, if relevant.

Simply make it clear that they’ve opted into receiving communications from you after they present their contact data. In any other case, your missives might be (rightfully) reported as spam.

The takeaway

Transferring your in-person gathering on-line doesn’t imply there’s much less worth in what you’re providing.

It does imply that to succeed, you’ve obtained to be a little bit artistic, versatile, and well-prepared to make sure your attendees know and belief that your occasion shall be value their time.

Be sure to spotlight the occasion’s worth, provide teasers for what individuals can anticipate, and be aware and genuine in the way you leverage your digital advertising and marketing.

Want extra digital advertising and marketing assist? That’s what we’re here for.

This text has been up to date and was initially printed in June 2020.