by Cathy Breden, CAE, CMP
CEIR Executive Director

The results are in, and it is clear that capturing the content to engage audiences is highly valued by B2B and B2C producers, as well as corporate event marketers (CPMs). In fact, according to the recently-released CEIR Digital Playbook study, 19.5 percent of B2B and B2C organizers, and 21 percent of CPMs value webcasts and webinars. Eleven percent of B2B and B2C organizers, and 11 percent of CPMs value sharing content online via YouTube, Slideshare and iTunesU. While these numbers may appear to be low, it is anticipated that the use of content to engage audiences will continue to rise.

CNTV’s Lead Anchor Ed Heiland provided the Top Reasons to Engage with Video at the recent IAEE Southeastern Classic annual meeting. CNTV is the producer of CEIR-TV. Those reasons include:

1. Use video to enhance the event’s website and promote your event and why an attendee should attend and an exhibitor to exhibit. Promo codes might be used to reward viewers.
2. For exhibitors, video is very useful in demonstrating a product and for organizers it is a great way to visually view the trades show floor.
3. Educational content can be archived and shown later, or streamed live to those who were unable to attend, or produce a video newscast updating viewers on the latest headlines for your event.
4. Use video to drive traffic to your event’s website by using proper video search engine optimization.
5. For organizers, video can generate revenue for your organization by selling sponsorships for video newscasts or selling advertising on video pages.
6. Video is a great tool for giving a face to your business. Use video to welcome visitors to your website with profile videos that introduces your executives and employees, or customer testimonials that communicates your company’s value.
7. Engaging customers with your company’s brand is a great interactive medium to get attendees engaged. Create a video contest or ask viewers to upload videos of themselves at your event or exhibit booth.
8. Use videos to encourage regular visitors to visit your website by producing daily or weekly podcasts with timely information. Be sure to use RSS feed to update visitors about new videos.
9. Finally, videos can be used to stand out from your competitors. If your competitors do not yet use video, you will be able to set your event, your company, your brand apart. Add video to your business listing in online directories. Also, spread your videos virally by allowing views to share and embed them.

The above-listed tips confirm what the Digital Playbook has revealed: organizers and brand marketers alike use content sharing, a digital marketing tactic to generate revenue, engage customers and for cost containment.

CNTV is capturing the content at the upcoming CEIR Predict Conference, 12 September 2013 at the Waldorf-Astoria, New York City. SonicFoundry, a sponsor of Predict, will provide the online platform for streaming content live, allowing those who are unable to attend to view several of the sessions. To register and participate, visit the registration site at: http://www.ceir.org/predict/application