Event Videos for Marketing: A Quick Guide in 2023
In today’s video-first world, event videos are much more than a recap or a highlight of an event. It can exist as an addition to the marketing toolbox to boost brand awareness, build reputation, or even close more deals and drive more sales.
That said, not all event videos are marketing material– only those that are well-crafted and well-planned. We’ll break down some actionable practices on using event videos as a powerful marketing tool so that you can get the most out of your events.
Event Videos as a Marketing Tool: Why?
An event video captures the footage of a specific event, such as a concert, conference, wedding, or other special occasion. It typically comprises footage from the event, accompanied by interviews featuring attendees or organizers. So, what makes it a great marketing tool?
Capturing the event experience
Event videos allow you to capture your event’s atmosphere, energy, and overall experience. They can convey the emotions, excitement, and engagement that attendees experience, giving potential participants a taste of what to expect.
This also gives your potential customers an insight into your company’s culture and personality.
Broadening reach and accessibility
You don’t need complex marketing skills if you have a video in your hand. Videos, in general, are such a shareable format. It only takes a few clicks to spread the message through the internet.
Event videos can add great content to your social media profiles or website. Either way, this allows you to reach out to more potential customers.
Showcasing expertise and credibility
Event videos provide an opportunity to showcase your expertise, industry knowledge, and event quality.
By capturing presentations, panel discussions, or workshops, you can demonstrate the value and depth of the content you offer. This helps build trust and credibility among your target audience, positioning you as a thought leader and an authority in your industry.
Evergreen content and repurposing opportunities
Event videos have a lasting impact even after the event is over. Recap videos, interviews, or session recordings can exist as evergreen content that continues to engage and educate your audience long after the event finish.
Therefore, you can maximize the value of your event investment and create ongoing marketing opportunities.
How to Use Event Videos as a Marketing Tool
Getting the most out of event videos takes a lot more than just uploading them on your digital platforms and hoping for the best. Here are some actionable tips to ensure that you’re using event videos for marketing purposes to their fullest potential.
Pre-event promotion
No matter how brilliant your event is, it won’t take you anywhere if no one shows up. This is where event videos come in handy. You can use this video as a teaser that offers a glimpse of the upcoming event, highlighting critical aspects like guest speakers, performances, activities, or exclusive content.
These videos should be visually captivating and leave viewers wanting more. It will generate buzz for your event and drive more recognition for your business or brand. Showcase previous event highlights through videos to provide potential attendees with a sense of the event’s atmosphere, the caliber of speakers or performers, and the overall experience they can expect.
Lead generation
You can also use event videos as a high-performing lead generation tool, as they capture potential leads’ interest and convert them into valuable prospects. Once you have the video, consider leveraging landing pages or dedicated event websites.
Embed your event videos on these pages and pair them with lead capture forms. This way, viewers interested in your event can provide their contact information in exchange for access to the video or additional event-related content.
You can also use event videos in email marketing campaigns to nurture leads. Send personalized content in your emails to individuals who have shown interest in your event, including a link to watch the video or a customized video thumbnail.
In the email, highlight the key benefits of attending the event and provide a clear CTA directing them to take the next step, such as registering or contacting your sales team.
Attendee testimonials
On the event video, you can also include attendee testimonials. These testimonials provide social proof, which is a powerful psychological influence.
When potential attendees see positive feedback from real people who have attended your event, it builds trust and credibility in your business and brand. Social proof helps alleviate doubts and concerns, increasing the likelihood of others choosing to participate.
Not to mention that attendee testimonials can also act as word-of-mouth recommendations. When attendees share their positive experiences, they often do so with their personal networks, both online and offline.
Reputation building
When utilized strategically, these videos can elevate the perception of a brand and strengthen its reputation among the target audience.
These videos demonstrate the brand’s authority and thought leadership by capturing presentations, panel discussions, or workshops.
When viewers see industry experts and influencers participating in the event, it creates a positive association with the brand and enhances its reputation as a credible source of information. Summarize key insights, trends, or takeaways from your events. Share these videos as valuable resources within your industry.
On-demand content
Event videos can be repurposed as on-demand content, allowing you to extend the lifespan and reach of your event beyond its actual occurrence. You can extract valuable snippets or highlights from event videos and repurpose them as video pop-ups or short, engaging content.
These could be video clips, quote cards, or micro-videos for sharing on social media platforms, blogs, or email newsletters. By repackaging event content into bite-sized pieces, you can continually provide valuable insights and drive engagement with your audience.
Wrapping Up
Event videos provide a dynamic and immersive way to promote your event, engage with your audience, and establish your brand presence. They allow you to leverage the power of storytelling, visuals, and technology to create an impactful marketing strategy that resonates with your target audience.
Andre Oentoro is the founder of Breadnbeyond, an award-winning explainer video company. He helps businesses increase conversion rates, close more sales, and get positive ROI from explainer videos (in that order).
About the Author / Ana Almeida
