When it comes to events, content is the spine. In fact, without event content, there is no event at all. When you engage in event marketing, you need to generate a content strategy, i.e the goods that will make your event as great as it can possibly be. But content comes in numerous forms. It’s not just to fill gaps in the event itself, but for event promotion and post-promo too. But all of the different content that you create goes towards the overall presentation of the event.
So, you should stay abreast of all of this before, during and after your event, regardless of whether it is a conference, roadshow or exhibition. This article will guide you through all of the different content types. Moreover, it will show you the methods of gathering your research to create scintillating content to present to the masses. By the end of this quick read, you will have some sparkling ideas to work on.
An Event Crafted By Content
First of all, when we talk about generating content for events both in-person and virtual, it doesn’t mean that we should scamper around trying to fill our event time with content. The content comes first. As opposed to creating content as a conduit for an event, you have to create an event as a conduit for content. That’s a mouthful, yes. But the bottom line is this: an event begins with good content. You should plan reams of it – and then comes the need for an event in which to showcase it.
One thing that you will discover as you read on is that a lot of the content that is embellished across all niches and industries is there to answer questions that customers and entrepreneurs of that specific niche are already asking. Therefore, you need a unique perspective to push your endeavors that extra mile and make your event shine like a unique diamond. What’s more, a nuanced perspective injected with your energy, personality and vision will take your presentations from a researched, statistical stance to something personal and innovative.
Defining Content
Now, let’s define content more thoroughly and delineate the process of content marketing for events. Content is what you present to your audience and attendees, and it comes in many shapes and sizes, from writing to illustration to animatics, depending on your goals, desires and overall vision for your event content marketing. There are a number of different types, and here they are:
1: Pre Event Content
This type of content is used for promoting the event and usually will be prepared months in advance to secure enough sold tickets and to boost attendance. It comes in many forms and is subject to the organizer, but it can include landing and registration pages, blog posts, email chains, PR copy and general marketing strategy materials for social media and web page platforms.
2: Informational Content
Informational content is the material that you use during the event. This includes presentational slides that you use to supplement the inspiring words of industry professionals, or pamphlets/brochures that you hand out to all attendees to browse at their leisure. As for brochures, consider using a brochure maker to create a unique and eye-catchy design. It is worth noting that physical handouts such as these do incur costs that have to be factored into your budget, but they carry the additional benefit of acting as post-even content. Attendees will often take these home with them as souvenirs.
3: Entertaining Content
Entertaining content can be used by organizers to provide light entertainment for the audience. Moreover, it can be used to drive a point and provide engagement too. That way, products that you are demonstrating and services that you are promoting will rub off on the audience and make them memorable. Examples of this form of event content could be infographics.
4: Interactive Content
Participation is the key to many entrepreneurs’ events. It encourages activity as well as an attentive ear and can make an event super impressionable to the audience. Interactive content is well-served in a virtual environment, and if that is your tipple, check out Everytale’s broadcasting services, which cater hugely to this. Finding a platform for your interactive elements is half the battle for those seeking a more engaging atmosphere.
5: Post-Event Content
Finally, the content that attendees will read/see after the event is behind them. This form of content marketing is invaluable because it serves to reinforce your brand and solidify their subscriptions to it. It includes newsletters and blog posts (about the event, such as reviews and reflections) as well as social media posts that unveil pictures and videos of the day. This leads to attendees signing up and becoming engaged for your next event. Or perhaps the result is just that they now know who you are. Cheer, in that case.
Now, onto the methods.
Step One: The Target Audience
The starting point is always your target audience. Who are they? What is their niche? Their industry? You may wish to create a profile of your typical target audience member. Doing so will give you a much clearer idea of your aims, and to refine the goals of your content. It will also help you to create more concise content, because you can then counterbalance your research against what your target audience wants.
Step Two: The Research
Once you have a solid idea of your target audience, conduct your research into their interests. This can be done in a variety of ways. One such well-practiced method is The Skyscraper Technique, which is when you find content that is tried, tested, and still of substantial interest to the audience. But don’t simply repeat what has already been said. As stated earlier on, inject your own touches into the material and make it new.
Another step you can take is to research what the hot keywords are in your niche. There are a number of online tools such as WordStream which can be used to search the volume of specific keywords in your industry. Depending on your area of expertise, you will need to find the best one for the job, as some cater to certain industries better than others.
In further regards to this, there are a few benefits when it comes to finding and conducting research on hashtaggable topics in your niche. For one, it helps with the social sharing aspect, especially if your content is available online. If you work the algorithm right, this can drive additional traffic to your event.
Striking The Balance
One more point on this: it is important to provide answers to the questions that your audience is already asking. These are the hot button issues in your industry. But it is even more important that you strike a balance between hitting those key areas and seasoning them with your own experience and research.
So, find the gaps and fill them. Fill as many as you can. And put your own interesting stamp on it as often as is feasible. When you have speakers, encourage them to do the same throughout their research process. Doing so will manufacture the best event content possible.
Also, when looking at old questions, consider that there may be new answers and information available. You can use forums like Quora and Reddit to get a genuine idea of what people want to know, and then use your own first-hand experience to offer new advice, industry updates, and innovation.
The Verdict
Developing a content strategy for events is a must. Treat it as the start point, perform rigorous research into the key points of your industry and you will soon see the outline of your event emerging. Then, once you have the spine of where you want to go, figure out which content goes where. Which of the 5 categories described above does it fit into? From there, it’s a question of form. Is a specific piece of research better to be included as an infographic feature on the big screen to your audience, or is it better served as written copy in a brochure, or even to be included as content marketing for events in the future, sent via email to your signed up attendees?
Once you are a ways into that process, you will eventually have a greater idea of whether your event will be better suited in person, live, or as a hybrid event. This will lead to other logistical questions such as what venue to host it at, or which streaming platform is the best option for your purpose. In the case of the latter question, Everytale is a good choice for broadcasting seamlessly, and internationally. It is a user-friendly service that caters to all niches. Check it out and see if it fits your vision.
All in all, there is a lot of problem-solving to come. If you have a penchant for it then this aspect of the process will be invigorating. Nothing is more rewarding than seeing your hard work and research come to life. What’s more, through it you will learn new facts and become more involved in your industry. And if your event launches successfully you will have painted yourself as a thought leader in your neck of the woods.