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6 Tips to Enhance Your Pre-Event Content Marketing Strategy

Whenever you’re planning an event, you have to promote it. Maybe it’s the launch of a new product. Maybe it’s the opening of a new store. Maybe it’s a music event and you want to attract thousands of people your way. Whatever the case is, your main goal is to create excitement among your target audience.

Content marketing is an essential part of that promotion, and that’s a problem for many event planners.

The biggest issue is that most event planners are relying on marketing techniques that no longer work. If you want your promotional efforts to yield success, then you have to adjust your methods to the expectations of today’s audience.

 

What Is Content Marketing, Exactly?

The Content Marketing Institute gives this definition: “Content marketing is a strategic approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience – and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.”

That strategic approach involves multiple types of digital content, such as blog posts, case studies, articles, white papers, infographics, interviews, videos, etc. The ultimate problem that event managers face is the creation of content. It’s not easy, and it usually requires the assistance of professional writers and editors.

 

Why Is a Pre-Event Content Marketing Strategy So Important?

What were event planners doing before the era of content marketing?

They relied on posters, flyers, TV commercials, and word-of-mouth techniques. With the rise of blogs and social media, everything was changed. Now, you have plenty of other opportunities to explore. You can promote YouTube videos, Facebook events, infographics, blog posts, and every other content marketing tool you have at your disposal.

If you’ve been using outdated event marketing methods, you probably got the impression that people are no longer interested in events. You’re wrong. According to the MPI Meetings Outlook report, 52% of event planners project greater attendance on virtual and live events, and 56% of event planners predict favorable business conditions.

Yes; the conditions are favorable, but only the right strategy will help you reap the benefits.

We’ll give you some tips that will help you develop a successful content marketing strategy that creates the pre-event hype you’re after.

 

6 Tips for Successful Pre-Event Content Marketing

Here are the 6 tips:

 

1. Create a Teaser Campaign

Teaser campaigns can be incredibly successful. This strategy relies on short snippets of content that are being released over an extended period of time. You’re not telling the audience what exactly you’re promoting, but you’re developing captivating content that grabs and holds their attention for longer. They will have a positive expectation before you even tell them what the event is about.

When Olympus started its teaser campaign for a new camera that was supposed to be as revolutionary as the users, it certainly got some attention. Photography blogs were all over the news, guessing what the features of this camera would be. There were a lot of rumors, so the launch of the product was highly anticipated among the target audience.

That’s the kind of content marketing campaign that builds hype before an event.

 

2. Focus on the Local Audience

If this event is taking place at a particular location, then you want to focus on building awareness among your local audience. Most people prefer local over international news since they offer more relevant information to them.

Local news organizations serve the community, so you definitely want them to promote your content. Launch a great press release that would get the attention of local reporters. Then, arrange interviews to share the news for your event.

 

3. Tell Them What to Expect

Teasers are great, but you eventually have to tell the audience what they can expect from your event. If, for example, you’re promoting an event where air force pilots will perform maneuvers, you’ll certainly get the interest of the audience. However, they will want to form precise expectations. How long will the event last? Will you provide parking spots? Should they buy tickets? Can they bring their cameras? Who will perform? What’s the program?

Providing information is part of the traditional event promotion strategies. In the age of digital marketing, however, you can make this element of the campaign much more effective. Feature the program on the official website of the event, but make sure to share the info via all social media networks. You can create several blog posts around that program, explaining what the audience can expect from each part of the event.

 

4. Use a WordPress Banner

If you already have a loyal audience that constantly visits your website, the event promotion will be much easier. When you add a WordPress banner, each visitor at your website will get the information about this event. The WordPress Banner Rotator Plugin is a great tool to use for that purpose.

Keep in mind: the banner is content, too. You have to create a great ad, which will grab the attention of a visitor as soon as they land on the website. With this plugin, the setup and management of the banner areas easy as it gets.

 

5. Don’t Rely on Click Baits

False hype is so simple. All you have to do is come up with an unbelievable claim that would get the interest of your audience. “Kim Kardashian adores these cookies” will certainly create hype around an event organized by a local pastry shop. If that claim is not true, however, your campaign won’t be perceived with sympathy.

When you’re developing a content marketing strategy, it should definitely create some hype and anticipation. However, all claims must be absolutely true. Make sure that your promotion is honest since you’ll have to deliver what you promise. Otherwise, the audience will be disappointed no matter how cool your event is.

 

6. Offer Enough Content!

The good old rule told you that scarcity worked well in event promotion. In the era of content marketing, however, people expect more. They want to get all information before they decide to attend an event. They are constantly getting updates on all sorts of events, so it’s easy for them to forget about yours. That’s why you’ll need to inform them and remind them. This means you’ll have to develop enough content and promote it on a regular basis.

Aiming for short-term wins is a huge risk. A longer, well-planned content marketing campaign is a safe bet, and that’s exactly what you need when promoting an event.

It’s about time for event planners to start relying on content marketing as their major promotional technique. This is the most effective way to reach and retarget your audience. You can distribute content through multiple channels, so it’s easy to expand your reach. With the tips we provided above, you’ll be on your way to enhancing your pre-event content marketing strategy.