Digital Marketing and Trade Shows: A Guide for Success

The term digital marketing incorporates a whole host of marketing tactics including websites, social media, and content marketing. In Google’s study of B2B marketing, they found that eight of the ten most effective marketing platforms are digital.

When creating a digital strategy for a trade show, consider how you increase your trade show effectiveness before, during, and after the show.

Where to Start

Showcase your participation in the show on your website. Regardless of the approach, ensure that your website pages have strong writing and architecture designed to maximize your exposure in search engines. Consider creating a form on your website that attendees or other exhibitors can use to schedule a meeting with you at the event. Be confident to ask for a phone number on the form as you will want to call and confirm the appointment a few days before the show.

Blog About it!

Use your blog to write about the event, promoting both the trade show and your business at the same time. An active content calendar will include blogs geared toward each of the buyer personas you will be targeting at the show and will feature content that gets them excited to meet you. You may have a giveaway or a pre-show contest to draw your prospects to you, or you may be planning on having a contest during the trade show. Use that to funnel your top prospects to your form so you can get that meeting booked!

Get Social

Next, look at the social media channels your customers, prospects, and trade show attendees use regularly. Build a social media campaign that will increase awareness of your presence at the show. You can choose to use social media to build brand awareness so attendees and exhibitors can gain some familiarity with you before you meet them at the show.  Promoting your contest or giveaway is another popular choice on social media, as is offering a giveaway or exclusive content to anyone who stops by your booth.

Use your social media efforts to drive people to your website (particularly that form we mentioned) and once you do you can kick your Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising into high gear by using retargeting. This effort keeps you top of mind in the run up to the tradeshow.

Spread Awareness:

Finally, use email marketing. When done right, email marketing can let your existing list know well in advance that you will be exhibiting. Sending a series of pre-show emails that promote the show, your presence, and offer valuable content that will specifically interest the profile of companies that will be attending or exhibiting at the trade show will make yours a welcome name at the event.