Content ideas for your next event

Do you create enough content from your events? Wish you had the content muscle of TED?

TED’s content factory has a straightforward formula that any company can recreate, as long as the content is valuable, serves a purpose and the message is delivered effectively. Due to the workload involved in event management, marketing opportunities are often overlooked. By knowing what content to create before, during and after the event, you can ensure your event staff and content producer maximise every opportunity.

With the right resources, content can elevate your event to another level, here’s some of the ways it can benefit your business:

• A promotional tool
• Showcase your work
• Document and archive
• PR and brand awareness
• Increase audience reach
• Value-add customer service
• A training tool

If you need buy-in from above, here’s an explanation of the 7 benefits to content creation above that will add value to your event.

If you’re not sure how to start, here’s some ideas for how to create content:

Pre-event

Don’t wait for the big day, start creating content well before the event to help generate awareness, excitement and participation:

• Interview keynote speakers/event participants
  Short grabs from the people that will be involved in the event will give the audience a valuable insight into what they can expect on the day and why they will benefit from attending.
• Show footage highlights from previous events
  Repurpose footage and interviews from content created at previous events to promote the upcoming event.
  
• Provide a teaser or sneak preview
  Incite excitement and anticipation by revealing footage or stills from the event build-up. This could be a time-lapse of the event set-up, a sneak peak of the special guest or some behind-the-scene blooper footage from rehearsals.
• Tips and advice about how those attending the event can maximize their experience
  This could be a short video or write-up about recommended things to see and do or a handy map to navigate around a conference. For a sporting event it might be tips on how to taper before the big day.

During the event

• Live social media marketing
  Stay active on social media, tweet as the action is happening, share images and quotes from speakers or post short videos of event activity.
• Produce a quick turnaround highlights video
  Get your content producer to film your event, interview participants and edit a short video that summarises the highlights of the day. This can be played to the audience on the big screen at the end of the day.
• Capture still images
  While filming the event get your photographer or content producer to capture still images to complement the footage. Audience reaction, networking shots and action highlights will spice up your web copy. They can also be posted on social media throughout the day, adding excitement to your social media posts.

Post-event

• Create a highlights video
  A post-event video gives your event longevity. Include short clips from presentations, vox pops from the audience and interviews with keynote speakers. Mix this with attractive footage from the day and package into a 2-3 minute video.
• Re-purpose still images
  Host a photo album of your best images on the website and share via social media. Tag companies that feature so that they might share with their own audiences. Create PR opportunities by including images with your written press release.
• Written summary
  Write a piece for your website, maybe for your blog or news tab. Summarise the events activity and Include still images and an embedded highlights video.
• Social media clips
  Edit short 15-30 second video cut-downs from the footage taken at the event to post on social media. This could include material not seen by event participants like behind the scenes activity, bloopers and time-lapse.
  
• Email marketing
  Share the event success with your audience by sending an email containing the content produced from the event. Include a call to action detailing future events and how to get involved with the business.

It is common for those involved in planning and marketing an event to feel over-stretched and under resourced. For this reason, content is often an after-thought or a great idea in hindsight. Stay ahead of the game, allocate content-specific roles for your team or hire a content producer who can take care of all things content-related, and let you concentrate on the main event.