How to Promote Your Virtual Event for Maximum Impact [New Strategies]

Event Planning

Published: September 26, 2023
6:53 am

The difference between a forgettable online gathering and a must-attend virtual experience often comes down to one critical element: promotional execution.

Virtual events exploded in popularity during the pandemic, with over 1 million created on Zoom alone in 2021.

But with in-person events making a comeback, simply hosting an online event is no longer enough to stand out.

To drive registrations and thrive in a hybrid landscape, you need a strategic promotional plan.

This comprehensive guide shares insider tips and proven tactics to amplify your virtual event’s reach and impact, based on research and real-world results.

You’ll discover how to craft engaging social media campaigns utilizing platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, partner with influencers in your niche for credibility, leverage email marketing and mailing lists to engage previous attendees, run paid ads on Google and social networks, earn media coverage through compelling press releases and story pitches, and more.

With the right multi-channel approach, you can create an unforgettable buzz and promotional engine that leaves attendees eager to participate.

Generate Excitement with a Strategic Promotional Timeline

A thoughtful promotional timeline is key to building anticipation and momentum for your virtual event.

Ideally, start promoting six to nine months in advance on social media and email.

Share save the dates, announce special guests, and reveal exciting details to generate hype.

Here are some timeline targets to hit for optimal event promotion:

6-9 months out: Set major marketing objectives and begin initial promotion. Create landing pages and email signup forms to collect leads. Post on social media to raise awareness.
4-5 months out: Send email blasts with heads up for the event and calls to action to register early. Launch social campaigns with event images and videos.
2-3 months out: Share detailed agenda, speaker spotlights, attendee testimonials and more. Send reminder emails to register before rates increase. Promote through paid channels like online ads.
1 month out: Email teasers of special event content to spark last minute buzz. Leverage influencers, affiliates and partners to expand reach.
1-2 weeks out: Hype the event on all channels. Offer sneak peeks, share logistics emails, and prompt social sharing.
During event: Post real-time updates and encourage engagement. Convert free users to paying attendees for next time.
Post event: Get feedback, share recordings, and reconnect with attendees. Start the cycle again by teasing your next event!

Building an Engaged Community Before the Event

Creating momentum and excitement before virtual events makes all the difference between passive viewers and active participants.

Here’s exactly how to build that energy:

1. Create a Dedicated Online Space

Setting up the right virtual meeting spot helps attendees connect naturally before the big day.

Consider these options:

Private Social Media Groups: Facebook and LinkedIn groups work great for bringing together people with shared interests who plan to attend the event.
Community Forums: Slack and Discord channels enable quick conversations and relationship building.

These digital spaces let attendees start meaningful conversations early, leading to better connections during the event itself.

2. Host Pre-Event Live Sessions

Running interactive preview sessions generates interest while giving real value:

Webinars or Live Q&A: Feature upcoming speakers or industry experts sharing their knowledge and taking questions from registered attendees.
Panel Discussions: Put together groups of thought leaders to explore trending topics and encourage audience participation.

These preview activities demonstrate the event’s value while building anticipation for the main program.

3. Distribute Interactive Content

Getting attendees involved before the event creates investment in its success:

Surveys and Polls: Ask for input on session topics and formats, making attendees feel like active contributors.
Quizzes: Create engaging topic-based quizzes that educate while entertaining.

This approach transforms passive registrants into active participants invested in the event’s outcomes.

4. Implement Countdown Campaigns

Maintain excitement as event day approaches:

Daily or Weekly Updates: Share exclusive behind-the-scenes content and speaker spotlights.
Visual Countdowns: Use compelling graphics and short videos to mark progress toward the event.

Regular reminders keep the event fresh in attendees’ minds while building anticipation.

5. Offer Early Registration Benefits

Motivate quick sign-ups through smart incentives:

Premium Content Access: Give early registrants first access to special materials and sessions.
Special Pricing: Provide attractive rates for those who commit early.

These incentives reward prompt action while building early momentum.

6. Enable Pre-Event Networking

Help attendees build valuable connections before the first session begins:

Smart Matching Tools: Utilize platforms that connect attendees based on shared interests and backgrounds.
Topic-Based Forums: Set up dedicated spaces for specific discussion themes, sparking natural conversations.

Starting relationships early creates a stronger sense of community that carries through the entire event.

These strategies work together to create an energized group of attendees ready to participate fully once the event begins.

Collaborate with Industry Influencers and Brands

Influencers and brands with aligned audiences offer mutually beneficial partnership opportunities.

By collaborating, you gain credibility and expand your virtual event promotions exponentially.

First, identify relevant micro-influencers in your space with engaged, targeted followers.

Reach out and invite them to help promote and participate in your virtual event.

In exchange, you raise their profile and compensate them accordingly.

Brands in your industry also present co-marketing possibilities.

Approach non-competitive brands offering complementary products to cross-promote through guest posts, social shares, email blasts and more.

Sponsors are another route for fruitful collaborations.

Provide incentives like exclusive attendee access, speaking roles, or product integration in exchange for promotion before, during and after your virtual event.

Partnerships allow both parties to tap into new audiences and align around shared goals.

Instead of going at it alone, explore strategic alliances to take your virtual event reach to the next level.

Optimize Landing Pages for High Conversions

Your main event landing page is central for driving registrations, so perfecting it is a must.

Include clear information above the fold along with well-placed calls to action.

Craft compelling copy focused on audience pain points and event solutions.

Here are tips for highly converting landing pages:

Lead With Bold Benefits: Summarize the tangible outcomes attendees will receive in big, bold headers near the top. Get specific to pique interest fast.
Prominently Display Logistics: Share the critical who, what, when, where details upfront so visitors immediately see the key event info.
Feature Speakers and Agenda: Spotlight notable speakers and session names and descriptions to showcase value.
Add Social Proof Elements: Placing attendee testimonials, company logos, media features and reviews builds credibility.
Minimize Steps to Register: Eliminate unnecessary hurdles in the registration process. Don’t hide the signup CTA.
Use Targeted Form Fields: Only ask for essential info needed upfront for the event. You can request more data post-registration.
Include Clear Calls to Action: Buttons above and below the fold drive visitors to register or learn more. Use contrasting colors that stand out.
Optimize Technical Elements: Ensure fast load times, mobile responsiveness, and SEO metadata for discovery.

The right mix of copy, visuals and conversion-focused design makes an impact. Test variations to improve conversions over time.

Promote Across Paid Digital Channels

While organic social media and email work well, allocating budget for paid digital ads takes your event promotion to the next level.

Sponsored ads help you target and retarget event-interested folks across channels and devices.

Paid Search Ads

Bid on relevant keywords around virtual events, webinars, and your topic area to appear at the top of Google.
Write compelling ad copy and send clicks to your event landing page.
Remarket to previous website visitors who left without registering.

Create ads linking to event pages on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Tailor messaging to different audiences and objectives.

Retarget website visitors or lookalike audiences.

Display and Video Ads

Use Google, YouTube and more to run ads on websites, YouTube, and across the web.

Feature promotional banners, videos, and other event collateral.

Track views, clicks, and conversions.

Retargeting Ads

Load pixels and tags to enable ads to follow visitors across sites.

Remind those who’ve shown interest but haven’t registered yet.

Increase relevancy with dynamic content.

Leveraging Affiliate Marketing

Recruit niche affiliates and influencers to promote your event.

Only pay partners when they drive real registrations using tracking links.

Offer high commissions to incentivize big results.

Smart paid ad investments amplify your reach and visibility, driving greater event signups. Manage budgets wisely and track performance to optimize efforts.

When past attendees and influencers organically rave about your event on social media, it holds much more weight than branded promotion alone.

Find ways to inspire authentic sharing and buzz within your community.

Hashtag Campaigns

Launch an official event hashtag early and encourage its use. Prompt social sharing for contest entries. Display it prominently on your website and other collateral.

User-Generated Content

Ask satisfied attendees from past events to share photos, testimonials, and reviews. Reshare this content.

Influencer Endorsements

Secure influencer promotions. Ask them to spread chatter across their personal social channels too.

Incentivize registrants to refer friends through contests for prizes. This sparks viral word of mouth.

Onsite Content Capturing

During the event, share compelling quotes, photos, videos, and key takeaways in real-time.

Add quick links for attendees to share feedback and learnings from the event after it ends.

Wielding the power of influencers and community excited to share makes a big difference in driving promotion and registrations.

Craft Targeted Email Campaigns to Engage Subscribers

Email is still one of the best channels to directly reach people interested in your event.

Develop seamless automations and carefully designed campaigns to inform and excite subscribers.

Early Announcement Emails

Give subscribers the scoop first with a “Save the Date” type email. Pique interest by announcing headliners.

Special Guest Spotlights

Build buzz around influential speakers or experts with dedicated emails highlighting their participation.

Content Teaser Emails

Share preview snippets of presentations or panels coming to the event so people know what to expect.

Registration Reminder Emails

Remind those who haven’t completed signup to register before time runs out. Push urgency with countdowns or expiring promos.

Last Chance Emails

Send final call to actions to subscribe before the event kicks off or rates increase.

Event Follow Up Emails

Thank new registrants and provide info on how to prepare and participate. upsell post event access.

Post-Event Emails

Follow up with access to recordings, surveys, recaps and more high-value content.

Next Event Teaser Emails

Close the loop by inviting past attendees first to your next upcoming virtual event.

Personalized, well-timed emails at each stage nurture subscribers and new prospects into attendees. Optimize deliverability and test subject lines for engagement.

Onboard Sponsors to Amplify Reach

Sponsors help fund the event production while you provide visibility to their brand.

It’s a mutually beneficial partnership when executed well.

Approach targeted brands about creative sponsorship packages to offset costs and expand promotional opportunities.

Provide meaningful incentives based on investment tiers like:

Display ads on virtual platform

Logo inclusion on website/emails

Exhibitor Booths

Verbal mentions

Private VIP events

Content integration

Email promos

Social media promotions

Event registrations

Give sponsors avenues to engage directly with attendees during the event through text or video chats, downloadable resources, contests, and more.

Continue providing brand exposure after the event too through recordings, recaps and follow up emails.

Sponsors naturally want to promote their participation to maximize brand exposure.

Take advantage by ensuring they have the promotional graphics, content and messaging needed well ahead of time for distribution.

Seize Other Creative Marketing Opportunities

Think outside the box for unexpected ways to generate added buzz and registrations for your virtual event. One option could be to host a pre-event social media contest, such as a virtual scavenger hunt or a creative challenge related to the event theme. Another idea is to collaborate with industry influencers or experts to host a webinar or panel discussion on a relevant topic, and then promote the event through their networks. Additionally, providing attendees with clear guidelines on virtual event etiquette can help set expectations and ensure a smooth and professional experience for all participants.

Here are a few ideas:

Film a short teaser video and boost it on social media

Partner with relevant membership sites or communities to promote to their audiences

See if a complementary brand will provide a discount code to share

Use geofencing ads to target users nearby relevant physical locations

Ask loyal followers to change social profile pics to event promo graphics

Print signage or flyers for display at local retailers or organizations

Explore opt-in SMS messaging to share brief updates and offers

Send direct mail postcards to targeted sales leads

Request event coverage or inclusion on popular industry calendars

Pitch podcast, radio, or TV interviews about event topics

Share event teaser clips on streaming sites like Youtube and Twitch

Partner with other events to cross-promote each other

Host a press conference or invite media to exclusive previews

Keep your eyes open for creative marketing tactics to help get the word out in unexpected places.

Sometimes thinking differently pays off!

Drive Registrations with Savvy Website Optimizations

Ensure your event or brand website makes it easy for people to find and sign up for your virtual event.

Include clear navigation, optimized pages, smart forms and more conversion-focused elements.

Site-Wide Promotion

Link to the event homepage and registration from all top-level site navigation and footers. Use announcements, banners and buttons.

Landing page Content

Follow the optimization tips outlined earlier for compelling pages.

Streamlined Registration Forms

Only require needed info upfront. Allow for quick social logins.

Exit Intent and Retargeting

Prompt site visitors to register as they navigate away. Remind them after they leave.

Internal Site Search

Optimize for key terms people may use to find the event pages.

Calendars and Agendas

List your virtual event dates prominently on relevant pages – like an in-person conference calendar.

Text and Schema Markup

Include strategic keywords, links and code to enhance SEO.

Small tweaks improving website navigation, search and discovery increase organic sign ups and conversions.

Continue Engagement Post-Event

Your event promotion does not end once your virtual event concludes.

The post-event period presents opportunities to delight attendees, gather feedback, and re-engage your audience.

Post-Event Survey

Ask about event satisfaction, key takeaways, suggested improvements, and more. Offer incentives to boost responses.

Send Recordings and Presentations

Share access to session video replays, slide decks, and other materials with all participants.

Recap and Highlights Email

Summarize key moments, announcements, activities, and learnings from the virtual event.

Reshare official event photos, videos, quotes, graphics and memories on social.

Facilitate Ongoing Discussion

Create community forums, groups, or channels for attendees to continue connecting after.

Offer Content Upgrades

Provide “Complete Virtual Event Bundle” upgrades with added resources for purchase.

Host an informal Tweetup or happy hour session for past attendees to reconnect.

Promote Next Event

Let attendees know dates and details for your next virtual event so they can signup early.

Keep the conversation going post-event for happier attendees, improved perception, and sustained engagement until your next big program.

Track and Analyze Event Promotion Metrics

Consistent monitoring and reporting provides insights to inform your ongoing virtual event promotion strategy.

Pay attention to key performance indicators (KPIs) tied to major goals.

Relevant metrics to track include:

Website Traffic. Sessions, visitors, page views, bounce rate, sources, and conversions

Online Registrations. Volume, conversion rates, completion rate, drop offs

Email Performance. Open rate, click rate, conversion rate, unsubscribe rate

Social Media Engagement. Followers, shares, clicks, mentions, reach, impressions

Digital Advertising. Impressions, clicks, CTR, conversions, cost per result

Referral Traffic. Volume from affiliates, partners, influencers

Online Reviews and Mentions. Third-party event listings, features, press mentions

Post-Event Feedback. Survey responses, NPS, satisfaction, testimonials

Analyze this data to determine promotional tactic effectiveness and ROI. Learn what is – and isn’t – working to optimize your next virtual event campaign.