Here are five proven techniques on how to get your audience to stop, read and engage with your content:

Get a move on with video and animation. With the popularity of live streaming and Instagram Stories, video is a must for any brand. In Wyzowl’s “The State of Video Marketing 2018”, 97% of marketers said video has helped increase user understanding of their offerings and 76% said it has helped increase sales.

The great part is these do not need to be massive undertakings. Film an upcoming webinar speaker during a Skype conversation and share what they’ll be talking about. Easily convert your company PowerPoint overview into an animated video.

Another wonderful option to help organizations stand out are cinemagraphs – a visual where 1-2 elements are moving while the rest of the image remains still. This Kenneth Cole Foundation cinemagraph example is a fun, replicable idea for announcing conference speakers or upcoming podcast guests via social media.

Use a limited vibrant color palette for “pop.” An appealing and striking visual way to make an announcement or quote standout is through the use of bold, vibrant color. Bright and neon colors convey excitement, freshness, something new. Contrasting colors also benefit those with visual difficulties like color blindness. But do not go overboard; keep to a two or three color combination.

Keep backgrounds simple. Keeping backgrounds minimal also makes your copy stand out more. We are scrolling through hundreds of visuals a day – a strong color stands out. Duotone and gradient backgrounds are popular and add a touch of sophistication to just a one-note background.

3D your message. People tend to stop on 3D content, curious about how the text or image was created. This design treatment lends itself well to futuristic themes or to convey the feeling of motion (flying, floating, words coming at you, etc.) in your message. Thanks to the availability of easy-to-use tools, this popular 3D treatment can deliver big impact to your message.

Get original with photography. There are two paradoxical trends right now – futuristic, space-age visuals versus authentic real-life images of people. Including people in designs has always been a strong draw, so lean toward sharing photos of authentic usage of your products or services. Candid photos of staff and products “in use” can strengthen feelings of trust and brand transparency.

Still feel compelled to use a lot of stock photos for your visuals? You can make them feel different with subtle tweaks like color, rotation, cropping and more.

We recommend the following two guidelines when considering what to incorporate into your designs for 2019:

1. Research competitors and similar brands on social media. Imagine if your message showed up in the context of a twitter stream with these other messages, what would make them stand out? Is the group oversaturated with blue? Stand out by using red or orange backgrounding. Are many using futuristic abstract designs? Perhaps your design should focus on people and authentic real-life moments.
2. What is consistent with your brand’s persona and other marketing materials? While a serious brand may be able to pull off a playful and bolder visual look, you should do so only after some careful consideration. Think of it like switching radio station formats. If you’ve been playing smooth jazz, suddenly switching to heavy metal can be more jarring than refreshing.

Credit: The Kenneth Cole Foundation GIF from joyenjoys.com

Pointing out that the media landscape has changed throughout recent years is like saying the sky is blue or that water is wet. With a continually shifting and increasingly fragmented media ecosystem, PR is changing too, whether it wants to or not. Influencers today are more diverse than ever before. From traditional media, to bloggers, to the rise of micro-influencers, opportunities for sharing messages now span a dizzying array of channels. Today’s environment means moving beyond issuing press releases and instead building relationships with reporters. It also means leveraging innovative tools and techniques to reach, connect with, and influence audiences and industry alike. Want to know what’s in store for 2019? Here are five trends shaping PR in 2019.

Brand Authenticity Takes Over – In this era of “fake news” and privacy debacles, the need for authenticity is critical. Audiences don’t want to be marketed to; they want to connect with brands on a personal level and trust what’s being offered. Smart organizations will be genuine, honest, and transparent in their communications, enabling them to capitalize on opportunities to forge bonds and instill loyalty. In the end, greater authenticity will deliver the deep-seated connections customers crave, allowing brands to rise above the noise with messages that resonate.

Say Hello to “Brand Journalism” – The rapid-fire news cycle, combined with pressures to keep the content pipeline full has created a news vacuum…and an opportunity for organizations to step in to fill the gaps. One trend – a practice known as “brand journalism” – opens the door for companies to becoming their own storytellers. Brand journalism marries traditional journalism, marketing and public relations. It leverages digital publishing and social media to weave engaging stories that inform and educate rather than drive action, while highlighting brand value from a fresh point of view. Organizations can tell a good story in journalistic fashion via a company blog, Instagram account, or YouTube channel. Starting small and building up as stories gain traction is an effective means of putting brand journalism to work. The key is to focus on the issues and trends that matter to customers and prospects, wrapped up in a compelling story.

Press Releases are Evolving – As previously mentioned, the traditional media landscape is transforming into something new. In today’s 24×7 world, the news cycle is fast-paced, and attention spans are shorter. Therefore, the way we communicate must also be transformed. Information is being consumed in different ways, and how reporters find stories is changing. With digital and social media, reporters no longer have time to wade through a lengthy press release to get to the meat of a story. The bottom line? Press releases must evolve to become a valuable content source for media.

Meaningful Measurement – In volatile economic times, the value of PR is vitally important. But, how do you demonstrate that worth? Developing the right metrics to show ROI is essential. Identifying business outcomes that matter most and mapping them to PR strategies is the first and most crucial step to effective measurement. Clearly defining and sharing metrics ensures everyone is on the same page. Without a clear understanding of how tactics are tied to metrics, proving PR’s value is challenging at best. Tracking both short- and long-term results is fundamental – showing sustained growth over time illustrates the muscle of the overall PR strategy, while understanding the impact of a specific campaign enables real-time course corrections.

Embrace the Right Data – The key to using data to its best advantage is to first understand your goals. The number of collectable data points roughly equals the number of grains of sand on the beach. Without clear comprehension of the goals you’re tracking against, it quickly becomes data for data’s sake. Once you’ve identified metrics based on business outcomes, you can rapidly hone in on just the data that’s meaningful for your business. There are also a myriad of tools available that enable you to act decisively on key data points while remaining focused on your big-picture goals. Use them so you’re working smarter, not harder.

As strategies and tactics continue to evolve, being mindful of these key trends will help companies influence audiences and enhance their brand through more effective PR.

PS: “AI” is on the tip of everyone’s tongues these days. What does it mean for PR? Does it have a role to play or is it just the flavor of the month? Stay tuned, because we’ll share what we’ve learned in an upcoming post.

With #BrandJournalism, #FakeNews, and 24/7 #SocialMedia, it’s a whole new #PR ballgame. Here are key #trends to watch in 2019:
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It was also the year I started Interprose (21 years ago on January 23rd), during the dot-com era. Our clients back then were technology companies launching new innovations that helped create the Internet and e-commerce sites we now use every day.

Those emerging technologies enabled us to be an early pioneer of remote working, connecting geographically dispersed staff and clients across the United States. With “the Internet as our headquarters,” we proved it was possible to manage the business and deliver award-winning PR campaigns remotely, even though our physical HQ was in Reston, Virginia, our first employees in Silicon Valley, California, and our launch customer (Packet Engines) 2,400 miles away in Spokane, Washington.

Since then, we’ve helped our clients grow their businesses, and we’ve celebrated their exceptional achievements along the way, including taking five companies through public offerings and 13 companies through acquisitions.

We continue to specialize in promoting and differentiating business-to-business (B2B) technology companies and industry associations. Today’s tech landscape is fast paced to say the least, and the strategies and campaigns we’re developing now for technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), augmented/virtual/mixed reality, autonomous systems, blockchain and the latest developments in supercomputing (to name a few), are all encompassing.

Being flexible and nimble, and always staying current with the latest digital marketing, social media and PR best practices and techniques has enabled us to successfully navigate the accelerated growth of the dot.com boom, the frighteningly rapid decline of that bust and all of the economic upturns and downturns that have followed.

Our clients have always relied on us to help tell their story. We transform their often-complex technical messages into a compelling narrative that resonates with their target audiences to drive action or generate visibility and name recognition. Content creation, whether written, audio or visual, is critical and we continue to elevate our clients’ brands with engaging content including podcasts, videos, infographics, blogs, opinion pieces and social media campaigns.

Our long-lasting relationships with clients and industry influencers have been the key to our success, and we’re grateful for them. Simply put, we care about our clients, and it’s in our DNA to go above and beyond to help them succeed. We understand the pressures they’re under to grow and maintain their competitive edge. From developing a go-to-market strategy to building brand awareness, generating leads and launching products domestically or globally, we work together to achieve the common goal.

Business leaders have choices in their marketing partners, and they need people they can trust to deliver strong results. Marketing spend is under more scrutiny, and audience engagement requires investment in multiple areas, so we are always finding smarter ways to reach and influence target audiences.

We’d like to say a huge “thank you” to all our clients and our press and analyst colleagues who have been a part of this journey so far. From our highly committed Interprose team, many of whom are celebrating major milestones with the company, we wish you a bright 2019, and look forward to achieving great things together in the years to come!

Branding Interprose

When I started my career in marketing in the early ‘80s, the best-known agencies were named after their founders. I wanted Interprose to be all about the clients we served, the brands we created, the technologies we promoted and the people we hired. It was never just about me, so we needed a name that conveyed what and who Interprose was.

Interprose is a play on words that combined the technology themes we specialized in at the time – Internet and Internetworking (Inter), with our storytelling prowess (prose) and the professionals (pros) who would become the beating heart of the company.

Coming up with the name was far from laborious. In fact, the creative process involved at least two bottles of wine (Guy Saget 1996 Muscadet)!

You’re probably wondering, isn’t that just content marketing by a different name? Not quite.

Content marketing is campaign-based, ad-driven, and aimed at moving people in a specific direction – namely to buy. Whereas brand journalism is more of a journey, requiring a bit of a shift in thinking in how companies approach both brand awareness and brand building. Unlike traditional brand marketing, brand journalism keeps the audience – not the company – front and center. It marries traditional journalism, marketing, and public relations, and leverages digital publishing and social media to weave engaging stories and content that informs and educates rather than drives action. Brand journalism tells a good story instead of providing useful content alone, inspiring readers, and highlighting brand value from a different point of view. It helps businesses to build thought leadership by enabling organizations to deliver highly narrative content directly to consumers, forging the personal connection that they crave.

It’s no secret that news organizations are changing. Traditional journalism is in a transition period, and newsrooms don’t have the resources – both in ad revenue and reporters – to cover middle-of-the-road stories that aren’t focused on some looming crisis or innovative breatkthrough. Add to that the fracturing of the news media, leaving some to question its reliability and accuracy. This perfect storm of factors has created a news vacuum…and an opportunity for brands to step in and fill the void. Brands are beginning to realize that banner ads and marketing copy aren’t effective at conveying their story. Remaining relevant means producing quality content that’s interesting to their customers. The more engaging content a brand can produce and publish, the more effective their lead-generation efforts will be, ultimately driving more sales. 

Big brands that have embraced brand journalism create standalone sites that look and act like a news site. There they showcase the great things about the organization – its people, its expertise, its philanthropic pursuits – and topics relevant to its business in authentic and highly credible ways. Here are a few of my favorite brands that have mastered this trick:

The Network – Cisco’s technology news site aims “to lead the conversation, to spark engagement, to identify trends relevant to our business and the industry.”

CMO – Adobe’s CMO is a springboard for building thought leadership in marketing and demonstrating its “commitment to helping CMOs lead their companies in a digital world.”

Reports – GE launched Reports to “tell stories about its people and its innovations.”

Getting started doesn’t require an all or nothing commitment; brands can start small and build up as they gain traction. One great place to start is with your company blog. Tell a good story in journalistic fashion that showcases your expertise. Are there questions customers or prospects routinely ask? Write a blog post answering those questions. Never forget, it’s all about the audience. Focus on the issues and trends that matter to your customers and prospects, spend time uncovering new angles on an existing subject, and be timely, relevant, and authentic. Offer insight, entertainment, and awareness. But most of all? Tell a compelling story.

What is #BrandJournalism? It’s how #brands can add value by becoming the star of their own story:
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I love getting questions from the audience, whether during a webinar or at the end of a speaking session at a conference. Why? Because it means I’ve managed to make a connection with those listening in. I’ve ignited curiosity, spurred a desire to learn more. And I’m hoping that’s what this master class series has done for you. So, let’s get to it, shall we?

Question 1: the Tortoise or the Hare?

Our first question is about drip campaigns: Are drip campaigns quick or small, or are they slow?

We should probably start by defining what a drip campaign is. Truthfully, it’s just like it sounds – it’s the process of giving your audience just enough information to tantalize, drawing them in and getting them to want to learn more. To answer the question posed by our webinar audience member, I say: it depends. I know, way to be specific, right?

One of these guys is about to have a bad hare day.

But that’s the truth. It depends on you and your audience, how much time you have in your schedule, and how many resources you have available to call upon. And it depends on you knowing your audience. If you have a major event coming up and a long lead time, your campaign can extend for weeks or on the extreme end of the scale, months. If you’re hosting a smaller event or you’re short on time, a whirlwind drip campaign can be as short as a week.

For example, say you’re a member-driven organization and you’re promoting your upcoming annual meeting. Your drip campaign can run anywhere from two weeks to two months or more. You can set the stage by publishing your event via Facebook’s event widget, then “drip” out details of your keynote speakers, social events, important meetings, or profiles of your sponsors and exhibitors. It’s all about giving the audience just enough information to pique their interest, then getting them to seek out additional information.

At the heart of the matter though, is the need to know thy audience (and how many times have you heard me say that one?) before you launch your campaign. Which platform does your audience use the most, and what days and times are they using it? How do they use the platform? Are they consuming video content? Looking for breaking news? Following a few select thought leaders? Knowing what your audience is up to is essential.

But, how do you find out this information? Luckily, the primary social media platforms know that this info is in high demand, and they make it readily available to you. You can figure all of this out by falling back on your social media metrics. Dig into your Facebook insights. Pore over your Twitter Analytics. Explore your LinkedIn page analytics data. These treasure troves of information will give you valuable clues as to how, when, and where your audience is engaging on social media. Armed with these critical insights, you can then establish parameters for your drip campaign.

Question 2: Age Matters

Question #2 addresses an issue that I think weighs on event and social media marketers alike: What if my audience contains a broad mix of ages but includes more attendees leaning toward the 50-year old plus demographic? Will social media for event marketing be effective?

Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it don’t matter, right?

Forget that “age is just a number” and “you’re only as old as you feel” stuff you hear all the time; age does matter when it comes to social media use. Why? Well, we know that Facebook’s demographics skew it beyond the 18 – 24 year-old demographic that you’re going to find on Instagram and Snapchat. We also know that LinkedIn tends to attract a lot of the C-Suite crowd, and that Millennials tend to hang out on Twitter. So, if your audience demographics are skewing older, you’ll want to gravitate to Facebook and LinkedIn over Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat.

And do remember that Facebook is the 900 lb. gorilla in terms of audience size, with an audience pool of nearly 1.5 billion daily active users. That’s a lot of eyeballs that have the opportunity to land on your content. Even with with an older crowd, live social sharing remains an effective means of promoting your event.

Question 3: Too Much of a Good Thing?

Our third question has to do with the right amount of livestreaming: What’s the right amount to livestream from my event so that my in-person attendees don’t feel like they’re being cheated?

Who are we kidding? No such thing as too much dog. Ever.

Repeat after me, “Less is more.” If you stream your entire conference or event for free, there’s not a lot of value in being onsite, is there? Your attendees are paying to access your event, and they need to be reassured there’s value in actually being there live. Pick a few key sessions or activities that have a broad appeal, and leverage just those for livestreaming. Remember, the idea is to give your audience a taste of what they’re missing out on by not being there in person.

Before I give you a bad case of the willies, let me reassure you – even with all of the rapid advancements we’re seeing in livestreaming combined with new and easier ways of accessing this rich content, there’s very little substitute for the ultra-valuable connections you can forge during in-person events. While I caution you to not try and stream absolutely every moment of your conference or event, doing so isn’t quite as dire as it sounds.

Question 4: Instagram – Whose Playground Is It?

Our final question asks, “Do you find that B2B companies are using Instagram or are they mostly using just LinkedIn and Twitter?”

Totally unfair that playgrounds are for kids only. Just sayin’.

My answer to this is: you’d probably be surprised at the number of B2B companies that have found a home on Instagram. Sure, it’s traditionally known as a B2C platform. Consumer brands take to Instagram the way a duck takes to water. You see them there all the time, pushing their new skateboard, launching a line of lipsticks, or flogging the latest cruise line destination.

One of my favorite examples of effective B2B use of Instagram is Cisco. Cisco is a master at social media marketing and communications, and it uses Instagram to the fullest. It hosts frequent takeovers of its Instagram account, shares behind-the-scenes looks at what it’s like to be a Cisco intern, showcases funny cats, and employees regularly post to its stories. It’s a riot of exciting, rich, user-generated content.

Now, this doesn’t necessarily translate into actual product sales. It’s not likely you’re going to run out and buy a new router because you saw a clever “day in the life of” thread on Cisco’s Instagram story. What it does do, however, is keep Cisco’s brand top-of-mind. Cisco effectively uses Instagram’s many features to build its reputation as a fresh thinker, a technology innovator, and an awesome place to work. I’d say that’s a pretty good case study on how B2B brands can put the power of Instagram to work, wouldn’t you?

Well, we’re at the end of our live social sharing journey. I hope you’ve enjoyed every step of our travels together, because I know I have. More importantly, I hope I’ve been able to convince you that live social sharing and livestreaming is worth the effort, and you’ve learned a few tips and tricks along the way. And if I’ve left you with any questions, my inbox is always open. Good luck in your livestreaming endeavors, and I hope to see you at our next Master Class webinar on Wikipedia on October 25, 2018. Keep an eye on this blog and our website for more details and a link to our registration page.

Got questions about live #socialmedia sharing? We’ve got answers!
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“Talking tools and gear” is often a sly euphemism for “let’s spend a ton of money!” but don’t get a bad case of the heebie-jeebies just yet. Yes, having the right tools for the job is absolutely essential. However, this doesn’t mean you need to run out and buy a Panavision camera, fuzzy boom mic, and an Avid board. I mean, I guess you could if you really want to look like one of those rugged, globetrotting film journalist types. But with digital cameras continuing to grow in sophistication while dropping in price, why would you?

The continued advance of digital camera technology is part of the reason behind the explosive growth in video and livestreaming. Pretty soon (and by that, I mean in approximately two months’ time), you’ll be able to record 4K video at 90fps and 1080p video at 240 fps on a smartphone, for heaven’s sake. So no, buying livestreaming gear doesn’t mean your bottom line has to go into the red…unless you really want to spring for that Panavision camera and Avid board setup.

Still, your choice of equipment will have a significant impact on the quality of your video and livestreams, therefore, it’s in your best interest to get the best setup that your budget allows. The good news is, you’ve got options. Let’s take a look at a few of them that will allow you to produce decent-quality video for streaming.

Good, better, best – which way will you go?

The Tiered Approach: Good

The easiest way to tackle the various choices in streaming gear is a tiered approach. Based on technical complexity, the end user experience, and DIY versus leaving it to someone else, we’re going with three tiers: good, better, and best. The first two tiers are DIY, the third is not.

The base tier is simple smartphone-based rig. Smartphone makers are in an arms race to see who can pack the most cameras, highest megapixel count, and best frame rates into a single device that still fits in the palm of your hand. Say hello to living out your secret Spielberg, Lucas, and Tarantino fantasies!

This growing sophistication in smartphones is good news for you. As long as you can position yourself physically close to your subject, the venue has adequate lighting, and you can maintain a solid network connection, a modern smartphone will allow you to do a surprisingly good job of capturing and livestreaming watch-worthy video from your event.

This could be you.

You’ll still need a few accessories to give your videos a bit more polish. I recommend adding an external microphone for crisper audio, a clip-on telephoto lens, and a high-quality tripod for image stabilization. And if you’re going to record for an extended length of time, you’ll want to consider adding in a high-capacity external battery. There’s nothing worse than running out of juice right in the middle of your stream.

How much will this type of rig set you back? About $250, easily within budget range for most organizations. Before you start doing your smartphone livestreaming happy dance, be aware there are some limitations and challenges you’ll need to deal with. You do need close physical proximity to your subject and good lighting. And if you’re using your personal device, don’t forget that it won’t be available for other purposes like making calls or engaging with social media audiences while you’re filming. One other extremely important detail: Facebook livestreams can’t be embedded on websites if a mobile phone is used for capturing the video.

A Step Up: Better

So, how do you overcome the limitations of smartphone livestreaming and still stay relatively cost-effective? One way is to step it up a bit to our next option – a camcorder. Yes, they still make them. They’re also still holding their own in the era of the video-enabled smartphone and digital camera. If you’ve got one or your budget will allow you to buy one, it’s definitely an option you should consider when livestreaming.

Be honest, which one would you prefer?

Even with the advent of multi-camera, high-megapixel smartphones, the camcorder is still a go-to for capturing better-quality video. Even under the best conditions, the camcorder will outshine the smartphone in terms of picture and audio quality. Camcorders offer more robust zoom and greater storage options. Higher end models will often provide multi-channel surround sound, along with field of view, shutter speed, and white balance controls. It’s kind of like going from using a set of nail clippers to a Swiss Army multi-tool.

What are the drawbacks of going with a camcorder instead of a smartphone? First, they’re generally not designed for live network streaming, so you’ll need an external encoder with a network connection. If you go this route, you’ll want to think about getting a dedicated Internet connection – preferably one that’s wired (no fighting over bandwidth!), and at least 3Mbps of upstream bandwidth.

Ahhhh, but what about cost? It’s true that a camcorder rig is going to set you back a bit more than a smartphone rig will. Entry-level camcorder prices are all over the map, depending on quality, features, controls, and accessories (trust me, you’ll want to make sure you have an external shotgun microphone to boost sound quality). There are a number of entry-level options out there for under $200, but ask yourself: is this really the best thing for me to skimp on? An acceptable camcorder setup will likely run you $800 to $1,000; but as always, the better the quality, the higher the price.

King of the Hill: Best

The first two tiers are great options for those of you who are willing to go hands-on with your video livestreaming. If you’re less than confident about the DIY approach or you’ve got budget to spare, why not consider hiring a professional videographer?

See this guy? He know what he’s doing.

There are a host of firms out there making a good living doing professional AV at events, for example PSAV and Freeman AV. These guys are pros – they intuitively understand how to capture visually appealing, highly engaging video content. They know how to work with lighting and sound, and can easily switch between broadcast-quality cameras. More likely than not, they’ll be able to tap into a direct feed from the onstage microphones and presentations, opening the door to more polished, compelling content for you to share with your audience.

There are some considerations to think about when deciding to go with a professional AV team. First, while you’ll be relieved of any burdens relating to onsite video production, you still have to make sure your Facebook page, YouTube channel, or other platform is optimized and ready to support the livestream from your AV crew. You’ll also need to make sure you’ve secured a dedicated, high-speed ‘net connection to forestall any interruptions to your feed.

And then there’s the question of cost. Professional AV doesn’t come cheap. After all, you’re paying for that wealth of technical and artistic expertise. Capturing four 1-hour keynote sessions is probably going to run you about $20,000 when using a professional AV team. If your wallet is now squealing, repeat after me: you get what you pay for.

Before You Go…

So there you have it, three options for capturing and streaming your video content. There are a lot of factors to take into account when figuring out what gear and equipment you’ll need to get your video rolling. But, it really comes down to how hands-on you want to be and what your budget looks like. Each of these three paths comes with its own benefits and challenges; it’s a matter of finding the one that’s best suited to your individual situation.

Before I close out this installment, I want to drop one last recommendation. Until now, we’ve come at this Master Class series from the perspective of the event or content producer but I do urge you to think about things from the other side of the fence, too. If you’re attending a conference, you’ll have ample opportunities to boost your social media profile through live tweeting, livestreaming, and other real-time sharing.

You too can be a conference supahstah!

There’s a lot to see and do at conferences and events, which means the question becomes one of, “How do I best optimize my time?” Lucky for you, my colleague Laurie Davis has already drawn up a plan to help you become a conference superstar. You’ll find her sage advice here; I recommend you read her suggestions, then use them to make the most of your next professional conference or event.

In our final entry in this series, we’ll address some excellent questions that came in from the audience during our Boosting Conference Engagement with Live Social Media webinar. See you then!

Gearing up for #livestreaming doesn’t have to bust your budget. Tips for choosing the right rig:
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If a picture is worth a thousand words, what is one second of video worth?

According to Forrester’s Dr. James McQuivey, it’s 30,000 words. My math skills aren’t the best but here’s how the arithmetic breaks down: if a picture equals 1,000 words and video clocks in at 30 frames per second, then one second of video is worth 30,000 words. Multiply those 30,000 words by your typical 60-second video, and you get 1.8 million. If you figure that the 1.8 million number is per viewer, that’s a lot of yackety-yak that you can cut out by simply leveraging video instead of copy.

Shaky math aside, Dr. McQuivey’s statement is in line with what we know about the power of video. It’s wickedly influential with audiences hungry for rich media that engages the eyes, ears, mind, and heart. And livestreaming crosses the influence threshold even further, with its ability to deliver two-way real-time interactions between content producer and content consumer.

In the last installment of this event marketing Master Class series, I gave you a look at why livestreaming is nuclear-hot. We also started down the path of how you can successfully leverage it in your own event marketing plans. Now, we’re ready to truly dive into the how-to, do’s, and don’ts. So, buckle up, Buttercup, and let’s roll.

The young upstart

Pick a Video Platform, But Not Just Any Platform

The last time around, I explained that livestreaming isn’t all that hard… grab your smartphone, make sure you have a good network connection, and off you go. While that’s true, you shouldn’t just jump in and start streaming away willy-nilly. There are other factors you need to take into consideration first. For example, which platform are you going to stream on? Like Goldilocks, you need to figure out which platform is going to be just right for you and your audience. Let’s look at three options:

Facebook Live

The new kid on the block, Facebook Live is livestreaming’s flavor of the month, for some very good reasons. Social engagement and virality is part of Facebook’s DNA; given its gargantuan population of active users, you can expect to see a lot of grassroots spread for your stream. The platform offers robust interactivity, with call-and-response features that allow real-time audience interactions, as well as solid native promotional tools to take advantage of. Furthermore, your streams are automatically archived once your broadcast is done.

Did someone say “baby goat yoga”?

So, what’s the downside? Facebook Live is available only to logged-in Facebook users. If your target audience isn’t active on the platform, you might want to take your stream elsewhere. And even if they are active users, consider how easy it is to become distracted by other content in your newsfeed (oooh, look…baby goat yoga).

Finally, you might get hit with guilt by association – Facebook controls what your viewers see after they’re done watching your broadcast, based on what its algorithm thinks they’ll be interested in. This means your brand could inadvertently be associated with content that you normally wouldn’t touch with a 10-foot pole.

YouTube

The OG in the livestreaming hood is of course, YouTube. Like Facebook Live, it offers massive upside in terms of audience size. It also has the added bonuses of not requiring viewers to log in; better video quality (especially with support for 4k ultra-high definition video); greater length and reliability; and your broadcasts can be archive on a branded channel.

Much more than just funny cat videos

Where does YouTube fall short? Well, there’s a distinct lack of interactivity and it’s not as social engagement-friendly. That snappy comment you just posted on the last YouTube video you watched? It’s not going to be seen by your personal network the way it would’ve been on Facebook. And once more, you’ve got no control over the post-viewing experience.

What else is lacking? Effective promotional tools. Unless you’ve got a big following on YouTube or your video has enough oomph to go viral, you may not see as much of an impact as you hoped for.

DIY Platforms

Not for the faint of heart

If you want ultimate control over the viewer experience and who gets to see your livestream, there is one more option to consider: host it yourself. You can easily provide exclusive or members-only content to a select audience, and you have the final say over video length, quality, and what happens when your stream is over. Sounds pretty good, right? Not so fast.

Going this route is more complex than leveraging Facebook Live or YouTube – you have to have the underlying infrastructure needed for video streaming, archiving, and sharing. You’ll also be missing out on the vast audience share, power, and promotional tools that come with social media platforms.

Picking the right platform for your stream is critical. Once you’ve got it figured out, then it’s time for the next step – familiarizing yourself with the ins, outs, do’s, and don’ts of livestreaming.

Do That Thing You Do (or Don’t)

Okay, here comes the Great Big List of things to do and things to avoid, beginning with a recap of the last section. Pick your platform carefully. Do some research, check your metrics, and find out your audience’s destination of choice for consuming video.

Next, ask yourself: are you really ready to go live? Livestreaming isn’t hard, but it can be time consuming. You need to make sure you’ve got adequate resources for filming, publishing, and engaging with your viewers. Are you geared properly? Sure, you can git ‘er done with a smartphone and a network connection, however, you might want to consider investing a little bit of your budget an a gear upgrade (something we’ll get into in Part V of this series). Skimping on staffing and equipment is a great way of ensuring your first livestreaming outing is half-baked and unpolished.

Do keep an eye on your schedule, too. You can’t just throw a livestream out there and expect people will find it easily. You may get a few wanderers who find your stream by accident but for the most part, you need to get hot on promoting it in advance of the day it goes live. Starting two to three weeks out, alert your audience of the day and time they can see your livestream. Get a graphic “coming soon!” drip campaign going via email and social. And on the big day, make sure you’re cross-promoting so that your followers on other platforms tune into your stream.

Live TV…it’s a ruff world out there

Live TV has proven repeatedly that there are umpteen ways things can go wrong when you’re on the air. Therefore, I can’t emphasize enough how important planning ahead and rigorous testing is. Remember Murphy’s Law: anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

As for what not to do, most importantly: don’t just do nothing. Livestreaming and video are far too powerful and influential to skip over. It might sound intimidating, but you can do this. Don’t be daunted – come up with a solid plan and stick with it. On the flip side, don’t try to livestream everything because that’s one sure-fire way to get overwhelmed. Save your most valuable sessions or events most likely to go viral for your video streams.

Finally, don’t wait until the last minute. Procrastination is not your friend. Start your planning process early, set reasonable milestone dates, and revisit your plan and schedule frequently.

That’s (Almost) a Wrap!

We’re rapidly closing in on the end of this event marketing Master Class series. If you’re just joining us, you might want to go back and check out our earlier installments, or watch the on-demand version of our Boosting Conference Engagement with Live Social Media webinar.

Aaaand action! @Melissa_IPR is back with her next installment on #livestreaming and #SocialMedia:
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Once again, we’re going to start with the “why”. First and foremost, livestreaming is hot, hot, hot. Like Beyoncé hot. Carolina Reaper hot. Large Hadron Collider hot. Well, you get my meaning. According to Research and Markets, the video streaming market is going to be worth an astounding $70 billion dollars by 2021. 78 percent of online audiences are already watching Facebook Live videos. Instagram Live commands an audience of almost 234 million people.

Any way you slice it, livestreaming is booming and more importantly, it’s here to stay. The question then becomes, how will you capitalize on it? Do you even know where to begin? No? Don’t worry, that’s what you have me for.

Ask Not What Event Marketing Can Do for Livestreaming…

The OG in the video hood.

The first thing you need to do is ask yourself: is livestreaming going to boost your audience engagement enough to make it worth your while? While your response is going to depend on your unique circumstances, the answer for most organizations and brands is going to be a resounding, “Yes!”

In today’s social media world, rich media – and video in particular – is king. If you need proof, just look at the video world’s OG, YouTube. The number two social media platform worldwide, YouTube draws 1.58 billion active users to its channels each and every month, and that number is only going to get bigger from here on in.

Video’s capacity for meaningfully conveying non-verbal information and presenting rich content quickly makes it a powerful vehicle for prompting people to take action. Add to that livestreaming’s ability to forge a two-way connection with viewers, and you’ve got a powerhouse method for engaging your audience.

Livestreaming’s other great aspect? It’s not that hard. A smartphone and an Internet connection and you’re in business. Easy peasy. And after you’re done, you’ve got a wealth of rich media content that you can leverage over and over again.

…But What Livestreaming Can Do for Event Marketing

All those data points and statistics I just threw at you sound awesome, if a bit esoteric, amirite? Right now, you’re probably thinking that you want to hear some real-world proof points. Ask and ye shall receive.

Interprose worked with a professional industry association that boasts a global membership. The association’s flagship event is its annual members meeting and conference, but only approximately 10 percent of its far-flung membership is able to actually attend the event in person. Recognizing that a large portion of its audience simply wouldn’t be able to be in the room, we launched a cost-effective video streaming campaign. Staffed by association volunteers armed with livestreaming-ready smartphone rigs, we took to Facebook Live to share video from nine different sessions over the course of four days. To say the results blew everyone away is an understatement.

Our nine live videos generated a mammoth aggregated audience of more than 100,000, resulting in 18,000 combined video views, Likes, shares, and comments. Our broadcasts reached viewers in Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Turkey, the U.S., and beyond. Responding to and interacting with viewers in real-time, we were able to capture and address questions, provide updated event info, and deliver a valuable, meaningful experience for those members who couldn’t be onsite.

Afterwards, we regularly promoted the archived videos throughout the year, extending their shelf life and value, and maintaining a high engagement level with the group’s membership. Not bad for an association with a highly specialized membership population, eh? In this case, livestreaming was definitely the right way to go.

Livestreaming: Event Marketing’s Secret Weapon

Not necessarily the livestreaming gear we’d recommend.

If you’re on the fence about whether livestreaming is the right choice for you, I would strongly recommend that you do consider adding it to your event marketing mix. It’s a secret weapon that can put your event engagement over the top – the power and influence of video is too important to ignore. And my guess is that it’s going to become a de facto part of how events are presented to audiences, if it isn’t already.

In our next installment, we’re going to share best practices and things to avoid, and offer a comparative look at the various video platforms you have to choose from. We’ll also cover some gear options, and help you figure out which one is right for your individual situation.

In the meantime, if you haven’t already checked out our previous installments, I urge you to do so. You’ll find Command Attention: Social Event Marketing Strategies That Actually Work, Parts I and II here and here. And if you want to check out the on-demand version of our Boosting Conference Engagement with Live Social Media webinar, you’ll find it here.

See you on the big (or small) screen!

What do #Beyoncé, the Large Hadron Collider, and #EventMarketing have in common? Find out here:
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You know what they say – give a man a fish and you’ll feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and he’ll be out on the lake every dang weekend with his fishing buddies. Oh, wait – we weren’t talking about my husband’s fishing habit? Just kidding (mostly).

All joking aside, I’m here to start teaching you how to fish.

Our presentation at the ASAE Marketing, Membership, & Communications Conference (#MMCConf) in Washington D.C. has come and gone, but it’s time to start turning that info into actionable strategies for reeling in your audience (something we’ll also be covering in-depth during our June 21 webinar). Let’s cast out our lines, shall we?

The Right Bait in the Right Spot

These days, you can hardly step foot out on the web or dip a toe into the socialverse without running smack-dab into promotions for hundreds of other events. And those events are all aggressively competing for attention from potential attendees, exhibitors, media, and analysts. So, how do you break through the noise and rise above the maddening crowd?

Any good fisherman (or woman, for that matter) understands that you need to start by finding a good fishing hole and then loading up your hook with the right kind of bait. How do you know what the right bait is? Well, who it is you’re trying to catch? It comes back to one of my cardinal rules for effective social media and event marketing: know thy audience.

Are you trying to lure in young professionals? C-Suite executives? SMBs? Industry practitioners? When it comes to event marketing, there are already a lot of lines in the water. Fine-tuning content and promotional messaging by platform is a must. Not only do you have to know whom you’re trying to reach, you have to know where that crowd hangs out, and then tailor your content to that environment.

Young professionals? Try funny videos or memes on Instagram and Snapchat. C-Suiters? A well-crafted blog post published via LinkedIn Pulse will do the trick. SMBs? Share timely, relevant content on Facebook. Industry practitioners? Hit them with a tweetstream that mixes up original and curated content.

Chumming the waters with the right content at the right time on the right platform will help you catch the attention of your audience, eventually enabling you to successfully reel them in.

Hook, Line, and Sinker

What brings a fish to the hook? Snaring the attention of a game fish requires more than just tossing a hook and line into the water. You need something – a flicker of movement, a splash of color – to draw them to you. Most anglers have a vast array of lures, bobbers, and rigs in their tackle box because they realize they won’t catch a darn thing without them. The same is true for your quarry.

Commanding your audience’s attention is critical – you need to grab their focus quickly and deliver your message before they move onto something else. One good place to get started is by creating big, bold visuals with only the minimal amount of text necessary, then deploying them as Twitter headers, and Facebook and LinkedIn covers. Expanding that graphic theme into a drip campaign is an impactful way of introducing key speakers and sessions, and giving your audiences a sneak peek at what lies in store for them at your event.

Pitching to a younger crowd? Why not try a takeover, permitting your speakers, executives, or heck, even your interns to assume control of your Instagram or Snapchat accounts for a day? Allowing them to share content from their unique worldview can help your campaign better resonate with Millennials and other younger target audiences.

Finally, do remember that rich media (and particularly, video) is king. Why do we watch “behind the scenes” documentaries or “making of” featurettes for our favorite TV shows and movies? Because everyone loves to peek behind the curtain and catch a glimpse of how the magic happens. Candid, behind-the-scenes photos and videos are perfect for forging meaningful connections, as you’re introducing human characters to your story that audiences can personally identify with.

Adding that flicker of movement, that splash of color – that’s how you’ll get your audience to first bite, and then engage with you, hook, line, and sinker.

Good Things Come to Those Who Bait

Social media event marketing is a lot like fishing. It depends on a combo of skill, strategy, timing, and a little bit of luck. But, by relying on your fundamentals and the recommendations I’ve laid out here, you should find that it’s a tad easier to reel your audience in.

Don’t forget, we’re going to be presenting our next Interprose Master Class: Boosting Conference Engagement with Live Social Sharing at 11am EDT on June 21, 2018. Registration is free, so I hope you’ll come join us. And if you’re looking for Part I of this event marketing series, you’ll find it here.

How is #EventMarketing like fishing? Let @Interprosepr’s expert angler Melissa Drozdowski explain:
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Event marketing. A tried-and-true staple of branding, engagement, and revenue generation, it’s a juggernaut that remains prominently on the radar for enterprises, SMBs, associations, and everyone in between. Bizzabo’s Event Marketing 2018 Benchmarks and Trends report shows marketers are still betting big on events, with 63 percent planning on upping not just their event budgets, but also the number of events they participate in. Why? Well, according to the study, a whopping 95 percent say live events provide attendees with a valuable opportunity to form in-person connections in an increasingly digital world.

And indeed, this extra investment and confidence in event marketing seems warranted. Event Marketer’s annual EventTrack reports offer eye-popping insights. For example, did you know that 74 percent of event attendees say that after an event, they have a more positive opinion about the company, brand, or product? When three-quarters of your audience says events are important, that’s not the kind of thing you ignore.

But what about social media and event marketing? Let’s just say they go together like peanut butter and jelly, Batman and Robin, teenagers and selfies…well, you get the idea. Think about this for a sec: 98 percent of consumers create digital or social content at events and experiences, and 100 percent share that content. At least half of those attendees will generate two to five photos, videos, or social posts, and 14 percent will share more than six posts. That’s a whole lot of event-related social interaction going on.

So, what are you going to do about it?

Effective Event Marketing: Command Their Attention

Taking your event marketing strategy to new heights requires a couple of things: the willingness to fuse the tried-and-true with the new and unexpected, enlightened tactical execution, and lots of heavy lifting. But what does that mean, exactly?

Everyone has his or her favorite go-to tactics when drumming up an event marketing strategy. However, ask yourself – is sticking to the same-old-same-old tactics holding your event back? How much further could you push awareness and participation in your event if you shook things up even just a little? Adopting a more creative approach and integrating novel techniques can help you command greater attention from existing and future audiences, and drive that all-important Fear Of Missing Out (or FOMO for you hip kids).

Getting your target audience to push that “Register Now” button and engage deeply with your event…that’s what it’s all about, right? Whether it’s harnessing the power of social media in new ways, building an out-of-this-world experiential marketing encounter, or leveraging real-time user-generated content – interactive hashtag mosaics, anyone? – intriguing your audience and adding value to your outbound social communications is what truly matters.

Interprose Goes to Washington

Guess what? The concept of powering up event engagement and participation is a topic that’s near and dear to our hearts here at Interprose. So much so that on Wednesday, May 23, 2018, Interprose founder and CEO Vivian Kelly; VP of Marketing D. Mark Durrett, and I will be making the trek to ASAE’s upcoming Marketing, Membership, & Communications Conference (#MMCConf) in Washington D.C.

During this MMCConf Learning Labs session, we’ll let you in on the secrets of how to turbocharge your conference and event engagement with real-time social sharing. We’ll be offering practical insight on crafting an effective social sharing strategy that wows audiences and gets them to become repeat attendees to events of every type and size.

If you can’t make the trip to Washington D.C., no worries. We’ll also be hosting a free companion webinar at 11am EDT on June 21, 2018 to reprise our MMCConf Boosting Conference Engagement with Live Social Sharing presentation and take a deeper dive into the art of hosting memorable events. Stay tuned for more details on what we’ll be covering and how to reserve your spot.

Remember – event marketing is among the most powerful tools in your marketing toolbox but as the old saying goes, a tool is only as good as the person using it. Be creative in your approach and augment tried-and-true tactics with a few edgier techniques, and watch as your next event becomes an unforgettable one.

See you in D.C.!

PS: Our next Interprose Master Class webinar, Boosting Conference Engagement with Live Social Sharing, is coming up at 11am EDT on June 21, 2018. Come join us!

Is your #EventMarketing getting stale? Then it’s time to shake things up a bit:
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