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Insights on events, technology, and the future of gathering
Quick answer: Video belongs in your event promotion strategy because it shows people what your event will actually look, sound, and feel like - something static flyers and ads cannot do. Video previews give a behind-the-scenes peek, spotlight specific elements, showcase your theme, connect with your target audience, and get registrants excited enough to show up.
Promoting an event is no easy feat. Whether in-person, virtual, or hybrid, a lot has to happen to get people through the doors and into seats - and once you do attract an audience, you want your event to live up to their expectations. Video helps with all of the above, which is why it deserves a place in your event marketing strategy. Here are five reasons to put it to work.
Video lets potential attendees see your event in action before they commit. When you rely on static flyers and ads, your audience never gets the full picture: colors and imagery can help paint one, but they miss the sensory elements that only video can deliver. Viewers understand your event far better when they can see what it looks like, hear what it sounds like, and watch how others react to it.
Make a hype video part of your event marketing, ideally highlighting footage and photos from past events. Or showcase some of your prep work for the event to give viewers a taste of what’s to come.
Video lets you go deep on one part of your event in a way that is better remembered and understood by your audience. Flyers and ads limit how much information you can communicate at once - “less is more” is the general rule of thumb, since you don’t want to overwhelm your viewers. With video, you can narrow the focus instead: create a series of marketing videos, with one for the event in general, one about the pre-sale, videos about specific speakers, and so on.
Sometimes, people have to see it to “get it,” and video brings the visual elements that are often missing from other forms of promotion. Video captures your event in a way that traditional ads never could, so viewers get a better sense of what your event is about and how it fits in with their goals. For example, if you’re hosting an inspirational self-care workshop, your video can reflect elements of zen, mindfulness, and focus in a way that appeals to multiple senses. Add music and imagery, hire a professional voiceover that matches the vibe of your event, and show - rather than tell - people what to expect.
Events are rarely one size fits all. People want to know that by attending your event, they’re making the best use of their time and will get something out of the experience. A video that goes into more detail about your event gives them the information to make an informed decision about whether to attend. Plus, everything from the words you say to the music you use in the background will resonate differently with different audiences, so tailor your video to match the vibe of the people you want to attract.
Excited registrants show up; indifferent ones don’t. Every event organizer has had people register or buy tickets and then never appear. Sometimes they forget, or maybe they change their minds - but to an event organizer, the reason always feels like the event simply wasn’t important enough to them.
Think back to the last time you wanted to go to a concert, a trip, or some other engagement. You felt genuinely excited, and it was one of the key things on your mind leading up to that date. We prioritize the things we care about. When you get registrants excited about your event, they are more likely to show up - and a video that shows them what to expect helps them feel hyped about what they’ll learn and experience.
Video communicates what static formats cannot: how your event looks, sounds, and feels. That richer picture helps potential attendees understand the event, connect with its theme, and decide whether it’s right for them - and it keeps registrants excited enough to actually attend.
A hype video built from footage and photos of past events is the classic choice. Behind-the-scenes clips of your prep work, speaker spotlights, and short videos about specific elements such as a pre-sale also work well, because each one focuses viewers on a single, memorable message.
People prioritize what they care about. A video that previews what attendees will learn and experience builds genuine anticipation, so your event stays on their mind between registration and the day itself - making them far more likely to turn up.
Yes. Whether your event is in-person, virtual, or hybrid, video previews give remote and on-site audiences alike a concrete sense of what to expect - which is especially valuable when the experience itself happens on a screen.
Canapii has powered 2,000+ events for 300,000+ attendees across 45+ countries, with the tools to promote, run, and measure events of every format. Ready to make video part of your event promotion strategy? Get a demo.