Conferences: A Smart Way to Get a Year's Worth of Video Content

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Conferences and meetings are great venues for learning, networking, and exchanging valuable information. There are usually hundreds, perhaps thousands, of thought leaders and subject matter experts in one place. Don’t miss the opportunity to capture a year’s worth of video content for your organization. Let’s explore how conferences and meetings can serve your audience all year long.

A year’s worth of content…really? If planned correctly, yes. That’s the key: recognizing the opportunities and planning how best to use the content you capture throughout the year.

Capture Now, Release Later

Think about the cost of a video crew capturing these the experts and thought leaders individually, on separate days, in cities across the country (or even the world). It’s going to add up fast. Now think about the cost savings of capturing, for example, a dozen interviews in one day at your meeting. That’s potentially one video per month until your next meeting.

The idea here is to get it all while you can and then release that content on a schedule. Think about big picture ideas experts can discuss. What about on-going topics? How about an upcoming product release? Just because they talk about something now doesn’t mean it needs to post now. Post the video when it’s relevant so it gains traction.

Releasing new content on a consistent, repeatable basis drives engagement. Just using the word “video” in email marketing subject lines boost open rates by 19% and clickthrough rates by 65%. (source)

Think Marketing

Most likely your organization’s conferences and annual meeting are huge revenue generators. You want as many people to go as possible, so use video to market to your potential audience throughout the year. A conference is a “must attend” event. You’re asking your audience to give up valuable time and spend money. Don’t just tell them it’s worth it, show them!

Think about capturing the experience of attendee interaction, keynote speakers (especially high-profile speakers or celebrities), educational sessions, and the expo floor. You want potential attendees to see all the things they’ll miss by not going to your meeting. Make them feel excited!

62% of B2B marketers rated video as an effective content marketing tactic in 2016 (source), so as you start to promote the next conference, you’ll have a wealth of visuals that you can use in your videos throughout the year. 

What Kinds of Content Can I Get?

There are lots of possibilities. Every organization has different needs, so I’ll go over a few common types of videos that can be leveraged from a meeting or conference:

  • INTERVIEWS: Create short 30-60 second bites relevant to your mission, goals, product launches, etc. It’s up to you, but having testimonials is invaluable.
     
  • SPEAKER KEYNOTES: Take bits and pieces from key speeches and consider using illustrations and motion graphics to bring that content to life for an online audience.
     
  • DEEP DIVES: Try a multi-camera panel discussion where experts discuss relevant topics. It might be the only time they are in the same place together!
     
  • LIVESTREAMING: Even if some people couldn't attend your meeting, there's still opportunity to reach them. Think about streaming an interview or session to social media.
     
  • SOCIAL MEDIA SNIPPETS: Create 10-15 second clips that you can post to social media during and after the conference. Testimonials and infographics work well.
     
  • HIGHLIGHTS: Consider creating a highlights video to show at the final keynote and then post online later. These videos are great for social media as well. It does wonders for reminding people why they attended your event and drives those who did not attend to sign up for the next one. 

Make the Conference Work for You

Just as conferences and meetings elevate your brand and educate your audience, let the content you capture do that year-round. Getting as much as you can in one place saves a ton on production costs. Thinking ahead and planning your content before your conference will benefit your organization long after your attendees have returned home.