Short-form Video In Marketing At A Trade Show !

In today’s digital age, one of the most effective ways to promote and generate buzz around your trade show is through short-form videos. Unfortunately, not everyone in the event space has yet to master this medium. As organizers move into the next generation of trade shows , it’s important to consider the following when using short-form videos for marketing:

Commence Early Preparations

Producing short-form videos takes time, as you’ll be splicing together a lot of different footage to create this type of content. It would be wise to start planning well before the event — not just for months, but for a year in advance, to capture all the necessary footage and think strategically about how to promote the event.

By starting early, you’ll be able to think strategically about promoting the event through video and have plenty of time to experiment with different approaches to see what works best. You’ll also be able to gather feedback from stakeholders and make any necessary adjustments along the way.

Capture Attention with Compelling Teasers

Short teaser videos are a great way to create anticipation and generate excitement for your upcoming trade show. Craft a visually appealing and concise video that highlights the key features, attractions, or exclusive sneak peeks attendees can expect. Teasers should be brief, captivating, and leave viewers eager to learn more.

Showcase Exhibitors and Special Guests

Create short videos featuring your exhibitors and special guests to introduce them to your audience. Highlight their products, services, or expertise in a way that showcases the value they bring to your trade show. This not only promotes the exhibitors but also provides potential attendees with a preview of the valuable connections and experiences they can have at the event.

Showcase the Host City

Naturally, attendees will spend time doing something other than just participating in the show or event. Off hours will open another opportunity to develop additional short-form video content and make your event even more appealing to potential attendees, exhibitors and sponsors. Consider shooting short videos showcasing what to do in the host city, including featured landmarks, restaurants, shops, entertainment and activities in the surrounding area.

Provide a Behind-the-Scenes Look

People sometimes want to see how the sausage gets made. It’s educational, and isn’t that what this industry is all about? Give attendees a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes in the lead-up to an event. Time-lapse footage showing the setup of the trade show floor or a navigational video detailing how to get around the show floor as it is being set up would be interesting and beneficial. Just use your imagination to create an interesting behind-the-scenes spot.

Create Engaging Content

Short-form videos offer a perfect opportunity to create engaging and shareable content that aligns with your trade show’s theme or industry. You can create how-to videos, product demonstrations, expert interviews, or even entertaining skits related to your event. The key is to make the content informative, entertaining, and relevant to your target audience’s interests.

Leverage User-Generated Content

Encourage attendees, exhibitors, and influencers to create and share their own short-form videos about your trade show. User-generated content adds authenticity and social proof to your marketing efforts. Consider running a video contest or providing incentives for the best user-generated content, amplifying the reach of your trade show promotion.

Implement an Omnichannel Strategy

Not all attendees, exhibitors or sponsors frequent the same marketing channels. Even if the event or show is for a niche audience, they’ll often have their channels of choice for correspondence. Meet people where they are by using an omnichannel approach for short-form video distribution. Post videos on the event website, of course, but also share on social channels, including in emails, use for presentations and more.

Tailor Video Production to Specific Channels

What works on YouTube won’t work on TikTok. Review the channels you intend to use and build video content around their best practices. The last thing you want is to produce marketing material that does nothing to get meaningful results regarding awareness, interest, attendance or excitement.

As with all marketing materials, making short videos to promote your  trade show will require creativity. Start planning early, experiment with production and test the content to determine what resonates with target audiences — whether the target is attendees, exhibitors or sponsors.

Hiring a trade show booth manufacturers may help you showcase your brand in the most creative way.Contact us today!