Not enough time to create event content
The Perception Problem - Content for Events
One of the biggest challenges often faced by event marketers is time. Or rather, the apparent lack of it and it was the number one challenge faced by those responding to our event content survey, particularly when it comes to content creation.
The demands of organizing and managing events, coupled with the need to constantly engage audiences through compelling content can make time seem like a scarce resource.
When we dove into the content discussion at DigitX by Tag Digital, the crux of the issue, however, goes beyond mere time management. It's about understanding the significance of content in our increasingly digital-centric landscape and the value it brings to the table.
In an era where consumers are inundated with information from every corner, the power to cut through the noise lies in creating high-quality, engaging content that resonates with your audience.
Content marketing, in this regard, has emerged as more than just a buzzword. It's a powerful tool that allows businesses to build relationships, establish trust, and drive conversions. Be it blog posts, social media updates, videos, or podcasts - content in its various forms connects with audiences or attendees on a deeper level, providing them with value and fostering a sense of community.
Yet, the question remains - with so much on an event professional's plate, how can one make time for consistent, effective content creation?
Over the next few weeks, I aim to address the various challenges or barriers to event content creation raised through our survey.
The perception problem - understanding the disconnect
A fundamental challenge in content creation lies in managing time and perceptions - specifically, the perceptions of those in higher positions (yes, that's the ED's)...
Often, these individuals may not fully grasp the long-term value that content marketing brings. They might view it as a task that consumes significant resources without offering immediate, tangible returns.
This perception problem stems from a traditional mindset where marketing success is measured solely by immediate sales or leads generated or registrations completed. In such a scenario, activities that offer quick, visible results often precede strategies like content creation that yield dividends over a longer term, such as building long-term SEO. This outlook can create a disconnect between content creators (event marketers) and decision-makers, leading to underinvestment in content creation activities.
Therefore, highlighting the importance of demonstrating the value and impact of content marketing is crucial. It's about showing how content marketing plays a significant role in brand building, customer engagement, and trust establishment, which are all key drivers of long-term business success.
Events marketing - using content
For instance, and we think you already know this - you're into content; after all, well-crafted blog posts can establish your brand as a thought leader in your industry, building credibility and trust with your audience. Social media content can foster a sense of community among your followers, enhancing customer loyalty. Informative webinars or podcasts can demonstrate your brand's expertise, attracting potential clients or partners. While these outcomes may not directly translate into immediate sales, they contribute significantly to your brand's reputation, customer relationships, and market presence, which are invaluable assets in today's competitive landscape.
As content creators, it's essential to communicate these benefits clearly to those in higher positions. Use metrics and analytics to show your content's reach, engagement, and influence. Highlight case studies where content marketing has led to notable business results. By doing so, you can help shift the perception of content marketing from being a 'nice-to-have' to a 'must-have', ensuring it gets the time and attention it deserves, thus, giving YOU more time to create engaging content.
Event marketing strategies to give you back more time
Event Content Marketing Time Management Challenge: It's Not About Having No Time
A common refrain among event professionals is the perceived lack of time for content creation.
However, it's essential to recognize that this is often a misconception. According to a variety of sources, one of the most prevalent myths about content creation is the idea that it's an end goal in itself, and once you've created content, you're done and can expect results.
The truth is, content creation is not a one-and-done task, nor is it solely about churning out as much content as possible. It's a continuous process, and it requires time not just for creation, but also for planning, research, editing, promotion, and measurement of results.
Therefore, the issue isn't so much about not having enough time, but rather about how we prioritize our tasks and allocate our time - if we recognize the value of content creation and its long-term benefits to our brand or event, we would naturally make it a priority and find ways to allocate time for it.
This means looking at your schedule and identifying tasks that could be delegated, outsourced, or streamlined. It could mean setting aside dedicated 'content creation' time in your calendar, or breaking down the content creation process into smaller, manageable tasks that can be done in between other responsibilities.
Additionally, it's important to note that content marketing is not enough on its own. It should be part of your larger, integrated marketing strategy, including other tactics like SEO, social media marketing, email marketing, and more. This integrated approach ensures that your content reaches the right audience, at the right time, through the right channels, thereby maximizing its effectiveness and ROI.
The time management challenge in event content creation is less about scarcity of time and more about effective prioritization and strategic integration. By changing our perspective and approach towards content creation, we can make better use of our time and create more impactful content.
What if you work for yourself, or are a marketing team of one?
This itself can be a challenge. You're responsible for event budgets, logistics, marketing and now content creation. How do you manage it all and still have time to actually plan and execute the event?
The key is to prioritize tasks based on their impact and importance. While there may be various urgent tasks that demand your immediate attention, don't neglect the important but less urgent activities like content creation. By setting aside dedicated time for this task and incorporating it into your overall business or event marketing strategy, you can ensure that content creation receives the attention and time it deserves.
Another helpful approach is to break down the content creation process into smaller, manageable tasks. This not only makes it more achievable but also allows for flexibility in scheduling. For instance, you may not be a writer, but give yourself 30 minutes one morning for writing down a list f ideas. then the next day, expand on it, what do you want it to say? Sound like? Do? and so on. In this way, you can make progress on your content creation while still managing other aspects of your event or business.
Don't underestimate the power of outsourcing or delegating certain tasks. If content creation is not your forte or you simply do not have enough time for it, consider hiring a freelance writer or working with a virtual assistant to help with research or social media promotion. This frees up your time to focus on other important aspects of your event or business, while still ensuring that quality content is being produced.
Practical tips on managing your time for event content creation
Balancing the demands of event management with the need for consistent, quality content creation can be daunting. However, with strategic planning and effective time management techniques, it's entirely possible to juggle both responsibilities effectively.
Here are some practical tips that can help event professionals better manage their time for content creation:
Task Delegation: Not every task needs to be done by you. Identify tasks that can be delegated to team members or outsourced to freelancers or agencies. This can free up your time to focus on strategic content creation.
Goal Setting: Define clear, measurable goals for your content creation efforts. Knowing what you want to achieve can guide your content strategy and make your time spent on content creation more focused and productive.
Content Calendar: Develop a content calendar that outlines what content will be created and when. This helps you plan ahead, allocate time efficiently, and ensure a consistent output of content.
Batching Tasks: Group similar tasks together and tackle them in one go. For example, you could set aside a block of time for brainstorming content ideas, another for writing, and another for editing and proofreading.
Content Repurposing: Maximize the value of your content by repurposing it. A blog post can be turned into a series of social media posts, an infographic, or a podcast episode, saving you time on idea generation and content creation.
Utilizing Tools and Technologies: Leverage content creation and management tools like Trello, Asana, or Google Docs to organize your tasks and collaborate with your team. Use automation tools for scheduling and publishing your content.
Time Blocking: Dedicate specific time slots in your day or week solely for content creation. Treat this time as non-negotiable in your schedule to ensure that content creation doesn't get sidelined.
Continuous Learning: Stay updated with the latest trends and best practices in content marketing. This can inspire new content ideas and help you create more effective content, making your time spent on content creation more worthwhile.
If you're struggling with event marketing ideas, we'll be covering those sorts of content topics for your audience or attendees in our next blog.
By implementing these strategies, you can manage your time more effectively, reduce stress, and ensure a steady stream of quality content that engages your audience and enhances your brand's presence in the digital landscape.
Overcoming the attribution hurdle
Showing direct value from event content with analytics to reach potential attendees.
One of the key challenges in content marketing is demonstrating its direct value to the business - in other words, proving that your content efforts are leading to tangible results like leads, conversions, or sales.
This process, known as attribution, can be complex due to the non-linear and multi-touch nature of the customer journey - it's not easy to know that a blog you wrote 8 months ago is what triggered someone to buy from you. However, it's essential to learn and overcome this hurdle to validate your content marketing efforts and secure buy-in from decision-makers.
Here are some strategies to track and show direct attribution from content creation:
Use Google Analytics: Google Analytics is a powerful tool for tracking user behavior on your website. You can see which pieces of content are attracting the most visitors, how long they're staying on the page, what actions they're taking, and more. This data can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of your content.
Set Up Conversion Goals: Conversion goals are specific actions that you want users to take after consuming your content, such as signing up for a newsletter, downloading a whitepaper, or making a purchase. By setting up conversion goals in Google Analytics, you can track how often these actions are happening and attribute them to specific pieces of content and it can assist you in your event marketing planning when attracting attendees or exhibitors and sponsors.
Track Social Media Metrics: If you're sharing your content on social media, use the platform's analytics tools to track engagement metrics like shares, likes, comments, and clicks. These metrics can give you a sense of how well your content is resonating with your audience and can help direct what to create next.
Use UTM Parameters: UTM parameters are tags that you add to your content's URL to track where your traffic is coming from. This can help you determine which pieces of content are driving the most traffic and conversions.
Leverage CRM and Marketing Automation Tools: Tools like HubSpot can help you track the customer journey across multiple touchpoints, allowing you to see how your content is influencing leads and conversions and see how individuals are responding to your content.
Calculate ROI: Finally, calculate the return on investment (ROI) of your content marketing efforts by comparing the revenue generated from your content (e.g., through registrations) with the cost of producing and promoting it. This can provide a clear, quantifiable measure of your content's value.
By utilising some of these strategies, you can show the direct value of your content creation efforts, thereby overcoming the attribution hurdle and validating the importance of content marketing in your overall business strategy.
Conclusion - event marketing content
In this post, we've explored some of the key challenges event professionals face when it comes to event content creation - specifically, the time management challenge and the attribution hurdle.
We've begun to debunk the myth that 'not having enough time' is the primary barrier to content creation, arguing instead that it's about effective time management and prioritization.
We've also shared practical tips for managing your time for content creation, including task delegation, goal setting, and utilizing tools and technologies. Additionally, we've discussed strategies to track and show direct attribution from content creation, highlighting the use of analytics and metrics to demonstrate content marketing ROI.
As an event marketing professional, it's crucial to recognize the value of content creation in enhancing your brand's digital presence, engaging your audience, and driving tangible business results. So, take a moment to reassess your time management strategies, make content creation a priority, and leverage the power of analytics to show the direct value of your content efforts.
What's next for your event marketing strategy?
The journey doesn't end here when it comes to using content to market your event. In our upcoming posts, we'll delve deeper into the world of content marketing for event professionals, sharing more tips and insights to help you master this crucial aspect of digital marketing from our event content survey.
So, stay tuned for more valuable content in the coming weeks including topics like types of content creation and content creation ideas. Remember, the key to success in content marketing, as with any endeavor, is continuous learning and improvement.
And as always, if you have any questions or need further assistance, don't hesitate to reach out. Until then, happy content creating!