Even though your event may last only a few hours, your business lasts all year. So, why not use your event as a platform to build an enthusiastic and dedicated community for your business? Look at it this way – virtual and hybrid events have made it easier for companies to reach target audiences wherever they are. And with social media and the internet, there are virtually no limits to where you can boost your business presence.
If done right, your virtual event may be the stepping stone for boosting your business's reach. This way, you'd have a loyal community around your business, increasing your credibility in your field. Not sure how to begin? No worries. In this article, we'll look at exciting ideas to engage your event attendees year-round, boosting your business reach.
You may want to ask, "why do I need to engage my attendees year-round?" Here are a few reasons:
An event is only a snapshot of what your business is all about. By engaging your attendees, they can see more of your business and what it is. This helps them to better identify with your company and what it stands for. With improved engagement, they can better connect with your business.
Your business ads and campaigns gain more traction with more followers, allowing your business to earn more revenue. With more revenue, you can invest more in boosting your online presence, creating a positive loop of growth and industry impact.
With an online community that's familiar and loyal to your brand, your ad campaigns become more effective. Rather than starting from scratch when you need to organize a new event, you'd already have a vocal community to help you organically promote your campaign.
Individual community members are better at reaching those who are not online or who somehow skip your publicity radar. This way, your attendee numbers experience a boost with minimal effort.
Social engagement facilitates brand loyalty. According to research by The Social Habit, 53% of Americans who follow brands on social media are more likely to be loyal to those brands. With increased engagement, your event attendees can identify more with your company and its values. This makes them more enthusiastic about your brand, facilitating brand loyalty.
Engaging your attendees year-round may seem quite tasking, but it does pay off. Although the true ROI of audience engagement can be tricky to calculate, many companies point to it as a reason for increased sales.
According to eMarketer, 89.4% of companies in America used social network marketing in 2017, and numbers are not falling anytime soon. With improved social media engagement, your business can market its products to the right people, boosting your business revenue.
Here are a few ideas for engaging your event attendees throughout the year:
If you invested a lot into your event, you're sure that a lot of value was delivered. Take advantage of the top-notch content at your event to create more engagement for your community. You can share snippets of highlights at the event on your social media page or post reels of thought leader soundbites to boost excitement.
Depending on your industry, you can also make full recorded sessions available, either for free or behind a paywall. Ensure to space out your content releases, though – you want to engage, not overwhelm. With strategic content releases, you can boost engagement with past attendees and attract new attendees to your event.
An excellent way of keeping people engaged is by providing content relevant to their careers, business or community. With tailored content, you're able to increase website traction, allowing your business to make more impressions in the market. A great idea is to have a structured content calendar. Following the calendar, you can periodically post content – blog posts, guides, videos – that addresses your audience's needs.
Social media is easily the best place to connect with people, as almost everyone uses at least one form of social media. In 2021, 82% of Americans used one or more forms of social media, with Facebook being the most used.
So, with social media, you're assured of reaching your audience. Social media allows you to interact better with your target audience. With posts, chats, comments, and groups, you're better able to have your audience feel like they're part of a community.
Ensure to choose the right social media platform for your demographic, though. This way, you'll maximize your social media efforts and have a more engaged community.
Tantalize your audience and build excitement for the main event by holding multiple small events throughout the year. At these smaller events, you can invite experts and encourage your community to interact and socialize. With smaller events, you deliver more value to your past attendees, encouraging them to attend your main event.
Show your attendees that you're committed to creating better events by sending out follow-up surveys. Ask for their general impressions about your event and feedback on how you can improve. You can also make your surveys more proactive by asking community members to suggest what they'd like to see at your next event. This helps to build anticipation, encouraging past (and new) attendees to attend your event.
A great way to keep people engaged while generating traction for your event is to organize online contests or giveaways. For example, you can arrange a contest to engage with social media posts or content. The prize may be free tickets to your event or access to premium goodies from your company. With an online contest, you can generate more buzz and excitement for your event.
Keeping your business engaged year-round is an excellent strategy for enhancing your business reach and boosting your event ROI. And most importantly, it pays off for your business.
