Finding creative ways to use video for marketing your conference is unquestionably a good idea.

People remember things better when they are presented visually, they are more engaged and they are more inclined to share videos than other kinds of content.

Today’s delegates all have either a smartphone, a tablet or a laptop and since video is accessible on all of these platforms, more people will see your stories and promotions. Also, incorporating video on your website will improve your search engine rankings and bring you more free website visitors. 

With experts predicting that by 2021, more than 80% of all online content will be in this format, it makes sense to look at new and interesting ways to use it to market your next conference.

Here are our top five surprising ways to use video to up your conference marketing game:

Extend Your Reach

Record or use live streaming technology to broadcast keynote or other presentations to virtual delegates who may not be able to attend in person. 

Record educational sessions from the conference to be used as on-demand content later.

Keep Things Simple

Live broadcasting is often the most engaging content because it is the least polished and the most relatable. It’s also the easiest to create. Assign a team member or volunteer to capture conference feedback and comments from delegates during the event. No props, scripts or fancy equipment required; just a smartphone and you’re ready to shoot. Have a few thought-provoking questions prepared to keep the conversation moving and produce really useful content.  

Recorded sessions from the conference can be re-purposed as on-demand content after the event.

Gather Social Proof

If you’re using post-event surveys to gather feedback from delegates, and we hope you are, then you’ve got an untapped supply of awesome content at your fingertips. All you need is a simple template created using a branded graphic with a text overlay of the words from the testimonials and you’re in business. Put several together to create a social proof broadcast.

Leverage Your Efforts

Producing great content is only half the story. You want to be able to creatively repurpose all that great visual content in as many ways as possible. 

A good distribution strategy is the key to making it all work and getting the best return on your investment of time and resources.

Try these ideas to get you started:

  1. Split longer recordings into a series of 15-second clips for sharing on Instagram stories.
  2. Share 60-second clips on your Instagram feed. 
  3. Show highlights from last year’s conference on this year’s conference website to increase registration numbers.
  4. Use real-life testimonials in a pre-event email sequence to build trust and increase registrations.
  5. Create a conference-specific YouTube channel where you can share all the content that ‘s been created.
  6. Ask sponsors, vendors and partners to share your content on their social channels for exposure to new audiences.
  7. Repurpose session recordings from the conference as website/blog content throughout the next year.

There’s no question that creatively using video for marketing is not simply a fad. No matter which platform you’re using, from Facebook to YouTube, video gives you more reach, engagement and interaction with your audience than any other form of communication.  

Using video for marketing your conference will increase anticipation for delegates who’ve already registered and pique the interest of those who haven’t. 

The costs involved in video production are shrinking all the time so it’s never been easier to increase awareness, build anticipation and grow attendee numbers than it is right now.

Live broadcasting is often the most engaging content because it is the least polished and the most relatable.

Want to get creative with your next conference?

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