5 excellent ways to use an event video

The benefits of online video are often talked about, with organisations and businesses slowly but surely coming to terms with the fact that they should be using video in their marketing strategy. That said, there are still many that are investing in video, but then doing very little (if anything at all) with it. As a commercial filmmaker, the greatest fulfilment and job satisfaction comes from when a client shares a success story about one of their videos – only then can I be sure that it really has ‘worked’.

There are some basic but vital things that should be done with video content in order to maximise its potential. In this article I will concentrate on the event highlights video, as this is one of the most common types of videos that I often see published without any real marketing strategy or drive behind it.

1. Create a post-event buzz

Video content is fantastic for continuing on those conversations and discussions from the event on social media, articles and your website. Not only is video the most engaging type of content, but it’s also the most likely to be shared. A highlights video from your event can be used to reach a much wider audience than just those who attended the event itself.

2. Promoting future events

Many of my clients host yearly events, and so filming this year’s event is a vital part of marketing next year’s event. By thinking ahead and creating engaging video content from the event, we can ensure that the events become more and more successful year on year.

3. Following up with prospects

Following up with prospects from an event is essential if you are looking to maximise your event’s impact on lead generation. However, it is essential that your follow-up approach is not too sales orientated, and that it is engaging. Sharing a highlights video is a perfect example of how you can use content marketing to reach prospects and engage with them by adding value rather than selling your product or services. A well-made event highlights video will cover issues discussed throughout the event, as well as capturing the excellent experience your customers are having with your product or service.

4. Up-to-date video content

You will no doubt have read about the importance of video content by now, but in order for video to be effective, it has to be part of a strategy which delivers regular and up-to-date content. Having one corporate film on your website or YouTube channel is fantastic, but having a series of regular videos is the most powerful way of generating an audience that is interested in what you have to offer. An event is a really great opportunity to create video content which is current, relevant and cost-effective.

5. Capturing testimonials

I mentioned briefly about what makes a great event video – a mixture of the issues discussed, with some positive experiences from customers using your products or services. The latter is actually an incredibly powerful marketing tool. With many of my regular clients, we have accumulated enough content to be able to produce a dedicated testimonials film. We interview their clients at each event we film, and although we might not necessarily use this footage straight away, it’s always useful to include a question in the interview about their experience. This footage can then be edited at a later date into a powerful testimonials film, separate from the event highlights film.

Filming your events is more than just covering the action on the day, it’s about generating engaging video content that can be used to fuel a successful marketing campaign, generate more leads and drive sales.

I hope this has been useful. If you have any questions about video marketing, or are thinking of filming one of your events, please do get in touch, I’d love to hear from you.

Santiago Pilgrim / Owner, Pilgrim Productions.