As noted in previous blogs, virtual events offer an enormous opportunity to break down geographic barriers while fostering connections, building your brand, and increasing inclusivity for everyone. Marketing your virtual event effectively is vital to increase your brand and reach the global community. Here, we discuss the steps you can take to properly market your virtual event through ads, e-mails, social media, and much more to meet your virtual event marketing goals.   

Several key elements contribute to a successful virtual event marketing campaign, including identifying and reaching a wider audience, using your website to communicate your virtual event's value, choosing the correct time to begin event promotions, maintaining your marketing strategy throughout the process (i.e., before, during, and after the virtual event), involving multiple sponsors and speakers, and offering incentives for attending your virtual event.   

Below, we take you through Chati's top four virtual event marketing strategies: 

One method to promote your virtual event is through Google Ads, the largest provider of online search advertising. There are currently more than 2 million Google Ad accounts, which collectively reach over 2 million websites. With Google being the most visited search domain in the world at more than 106 billion hits, Google Ads is the primary method to market your virtual event.     

To ensure your virtual event gets the proper recognition, make sure to optimize Google Ads, including keywords that users can search to find your virtual event, leveraging assets (previously called ad extensions) that enable your marketing campaign to go beyond the basics and reach the right target audience, and taking advantage of specialized platforms, to name a few.   

With e-mail being the primary form of online communication, utilizing e-mail marketing efficiently and effectively is increasingly important. E-mail marketing allows you to stay connected with your target audience, engage with them in real time, and increase brand awareness, to name a few. 

Some of the best strategies for creating engaging event-related e-mail campaigns include personalized messages, mobile-friendly e-mails, automated e-mails, creative subject lines, and timeliness, to name a few. Be sure to speak to your audience authentically; almost 50% of e-mails are categorized as spam, and you want to avoid ending up in the junk folder.  

Additional e-mail marketing strategies include highlighting speakers, easy signup processes, event invite reminders, adding e-mail testimonials from past virtual events you hosted, last-minute invites and reminders, and much more. You can reach the right target audience through these strategies with timely promotion leading to the virtual event.   

Social media has become a critical aspect of our daily lives, with several platforms to choose from where you can engage with your global audience. As of April 2023, an estimated 4.8 billion people use social media in some capacity, and because of this global reach, social media marketing has become one of the primary methods of promoting an event.   

There are two advertising methods to consider when designing a social media marketing campaign: organic and paid advertising, both with their benefits and drawbacks. For example, while an organic social media campaign utilizes your social media pages to market your campaign, saving you money on paid advertising, these posts are limited to your followers. In contrast, paid social media advertising is when you pay social media companies (i.e., Facebook, Instagram, etc.) to share your content on their respective pages, which can reach beyond your personal or business pages. We recommend combining both strategies, as you can promote quality content to a broader audience while remaining true to your core audience who follow your accounts.   

Search engine optimization (SEO) has become a cornerstone for marketing strategies because search engines like Google aren't perfect. Therefore, optimizing your search criteria is a great way to ensure your virtual event marketing can achieve its maximum potential. Through SEO, you can identify your target audience, focusing on keywords you think your attendees will use when searching for your virtual event. If you need extra help identifying these keywords, keyword research tools like SEM Rush can help narrow your options.  

SEO can improve your event website's visibility through lead generation and increased organic traffic. By optimizing your on-page SEO, your brand can stand out from the crowded digital landscape and help you acquire consistent, qualified, and organic traffic. This will ensure you target the right audience for your virtual event while maximizing your promotion potential.   

Virtual events aim to build your brand and foster lasting connections. With the right tools and strategies, such as Google Ads, e-mail marketing, social media marketing, and SEO, you can maximize your virtual event marketing potential and ensure your target audience returns for future virtual events.  

Sources: Chati, Cvent, Digital Third Coast, HawkSEM, Site-Seeker, SuperOffice, GlueUp, Smart Insights, Hootsuite, vFairs, Salesmate