The word “content marketing” although coined in 1996 by Jhon.F.Oppedahl, the subject of the concept has been around since the early 1900s. The basic principles of content consumption by the common man have remained the same while the quality of execution and strategies have evolved drastically. From billboards to radio ads to digital ads content marketing has always succeeded in putting out the word and making sure the content reaches the right ears and the right minds.
The last 20 years of content marketing have been defined by the union of multi-channel marketing, social media, and search engine optimization.
Brands have become nimble and creative in their approach to content marketing in the hopes and efforts to differentiate themselves from their fellow competitors.
In this article, we’ll see how the right kind of content marketing can optimize event planning and execution. There are a lot of bricks that go into executing a highly successful event. The right kind of venue, the right date, the right people, the right activities, and a hundred other things. You can do all of it right but the success of an event is determined by the proportional turnout and more importantly turn out from the right kind of crowd. Here is where content marketing is your biggest ally. Content marketing for events allows you to customize the message and enthusiasm for your event and help you get the message out from the inside out.Now comes the questions-
What exactly do you mean by content marketing?
How exactly does one make an event marketing strategy?
What does one need to keep in mind while making content marketing for an event?
What do I do so that my audience is equally hyped and raved about the event as I am?
And now that I have my strategy, how do I begin to execute it?
This article will be a one-stop answer to all of these questions. Let’s deduce the answers one by one. Let’s begin!
Note: Already have these questions answered? Step it up to the next level, learn more about content syndication here.
What do you mean by content marketing for events?
There are a variety of mediums through which you can propagate the information to include in your event marketing strategy now in the 21st century. We have everything right from mini content structures like GIFs, and memes, to long formats like podcasts to youtube videos to written content like blogs and articles.
One can use these mediums in their event marketing strategies to communicate, educate and build relevant emotions and hype in the audience.
Hence we can state that content marketing for events is the art of communicating, educating, and evoking the importance of an event online to the relevant audience at the relevant time through the medium of content marketing.
Event planning is no easy feat, taking an idea from strategy to execution is a journey. And content marketing applications for events precede well before the D-day of the event and continue well after the event takes place.
There is no better feeling than stepping into your event and witnessing a packed happening gathering take place. And with the right event marketing strategy, this is possible and you can do it too!
Now let us look at some important points to understand how content marketing application can be your savior to a successful event.
Why use content marketing to promote your event?
1. It enables the one to provide the audience with just the precise amount of content and gives full control over the execution. Content marketing for an event as discussed is multi-dimensional,l ranging from pre-event promotion to post-event promotion. This way you can control the amount of information disclosed at each stage and still maintain the flow of the strategy.
2. Events, whether it’s online or offline are by themselves a huge content pillar that can be sub-sourced into micro-content, and with all the core memories happening during an event, it almost seems like a waste to let it all go.
3. It creates a community. With all that hype and attention you create about the event you’re going to attract similar-minded people by default. This automatically creates a community that bonds and interacts with each other making beneficial connections. This also opens up a medium for them to chat with each other and also communicate with you where you can educate them with information. You thereby create connections that further lead to registration.
4. Content building is specifically built in the favour of tested and proven SEO strategies. Content going as social media posts or blogs or articles in any written manner will help your online event rank higher on the search list. If your event website ranks on the second and the third page then your event discovery is slim. SEO optimization helps in the chances of your event being found online.
5. Content marketing is specifically designed to fit the digital age. Although content marketing has been around for a long time, the evolution of content marketing has grown up to fit the digital age and trends perfectly.
6. Social media allows your attendees to have a two-way conversation before, during, and after the event. The best way of spreading information is the word of mouth which comes from the pure joy of sharing. Your pre-promotion, event promotion, and post-promotion will open the door for resharing which is a good way to crowdsource your guest list. This can also act as a feedback loop where the audience shares their opinions through direct contact and expression, which helps you recognize the mistakes and more importantly helps you to understand your market and your audience better.
How to promote your event using content marketing?
1. Create content for your event promotion
Have a solid pre, post, and during-event content strategy ready. Start with this and improvise over time based on your audience’s reaction. Before the event happens, have teasers, and informative posts regarding the details of the session to give them just enough information to grab their attention.
During the event put up live updates of how well the event is going on so the audience who made it can celebrate and the ones who couldn’t make it understand what they missed out on and keep it in their mind the next time you host an event.
Post-event promotion goes out to throwbacks and reviews and many more forms of your content which helps you spread the word.
2. Use Social Media
Usage of social media to promote your event is almost inevitable. It is where most of us spend our time n this day and age. The key is to have your content marketing for your event present on select social media platforms where your target audience lies. Chances are the age demographic or your niche audience usually spends time on one of these social media platforms and directing your attention to these specific platforms would be the smart move.
3. Go where your target audience lies
Although it’s a standard process to drive traffic to your social media sites and event websites, one should really meet the potential visitors where they usually flock. Participate in relevant online discussions and put the word out about your event.
A proven example of the same is to look up previous events that have a near comparable theme as yours on Facebook and announce your event on that page. Make sure to ask the permission of the organizers before you do so, even better directly contact the admins of the page and ask them to post on your behalf. The relevant audience would have already been there and there is a higher chance of them responding positively to your marketing.
4. Engage in content marketing
Pre-marketing will prove to be fruitful when you talk about it on content marketing platforms. Use CTAs at the end of your YouTube videos, make posts about your event on social media, write an article, and get social media influencers to give a shout-out on their podcasts and other channels.
This will start a conversation and gives the audience a chance to seek out more information about your event. Reply to their queries actively, and enthusiastically reply to their comments to show them that you want them there. Showing them that you care goes a long way.
5. SEO is the north star
Many of your potential audience use google to locate happening events around their area during a specific time. Just picturing your event popping up on the top of their search results must be a thrilling idea for you. Whether you’re writing a well-worded description about your event online or making a blog post, SEO optimization can really help.
Content marketing applications for an event doesn’t need you to have infinite knowledge about the subject, it’s just genuine care and effort executed in a smart and efficient way. With the roadmap of your event in front of you, the only thing left to do is execute. All the very best.
See also: What is B2B content syndication and why is it important?
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