So, you’ve organized the perfect event.
Perhaps you've organized a cultural festival in your city, or a corporate conference for your employees, or you've set up a company booth at a recruitment fair. Maybe you've even set up an online event in the form of a webinar to help clients get the most out of your product.
You've probably heard about 'no-show', the biggest fear of an event planner. Imagine that your event is all ready to go... but you're not even close to having the number of attendees that you were hoping for.
No matter how perfectly you’ve planned your event, all that hard work will go to waste if you don’t promote it effectively. Making an event teaser video is one of the best ways to promote your event online and to make sure it receives the attention it deserves.
Here are 8 simple tips to create an event teaser video that you can publish on social media and spread the word in time for the big occasion.
What is an event teaser video?
Definition: An event teaser video is content that is usually posted online as part of a marketing campaign for a particular event before it takes place. The goal of the video is to announce the event and then highlight its appeal for a target audience to convince them to register to attend.
Therefore, the video must provide key details about the event: date, location, purpose, etc. and what the event has in store for potential attendees. The video must finish with a call-to-action which will typically direct the audience towards an attendance sign-up.
Teaser videos can be a great way to promote city events or to boost attendance for corporate events while also publicizing the brand image.
To summarize, an event promo video generally includes:
- Name of the event
- Date and location
- Catchy copywriting
- Eye-catching footage
- Event statistics
- Program
- Highlights of the event experience and side-attractions
- Call-to-action
Now then, let's dig into the 8 must-haves for an event promo video that will engage your audience!
Tip 1: Use an attention-grabbing visual for the first screen of your event teaser video
Why is the first screen the most important part of your event teaser video?
Videos are consistently proving to be the most popular format for online content. A Hubspot report showed that 54% of consumers want to see more video content from businesses or brands that they support.
But the sheer volume of online content makes it hard to pin down an audience.
Consequently, the attention spans of viewers are incredibly short because there's so much other content on offer just one click away. You have about 3 seconds at the start of your event teaser video to grab your viewers' attention, or your post will be scrolled past and lost forever. Harsh? Yes. The reality of modern media? Also yes.
The first screen MUST make an impression if you want your viewer to keep watching.
Here is an example of an attention-grabbing introduction:
3 ideas to make a great first screen
This will set the scene and grab your viewers' attention.
Perhaps your headline speaker skydive-jumping from a plane – while shooting Go-Pro footage as they parachute down, crashing through the glass and landing on stage?
Maybe not. Keep it simple and consider using footage or photos from last year's event. If you're planning the first edition of a new event, find some eye-catching footage online of the event venue instead.
2. Humanize it
Closeup shots of people smiling and enjoying themselves are far more effective than generic crowd shots because they're more likely to prompt an emotional response from the viewer.
Of course, crowd shots can be useful if you want to show off the sheer scale of the event and the number of attendees.
If you have footage and photos of real attendees, definitely use them in your event teaser video to achieve that personal touch. However, it's not always possible to have a huge back-catalog with photos and videos of genuine people.
In this case, you can use stock footage. Try to find footage that looks the most natural and relevant to your target audience.
Look carefully at the way the actors are dressed, their facial expressions, what's in the background, and the overall tone of footage — to make sure it's all in line with the message and theme of your video. You can then mix it with any genuine footage or photos that you may have.
It's still very possible to achieve that personal touch if you select the right stock footage!
3. Straight to the point
The huge volume of online content has made viewers more resistant to anything that is overly-promotional and they are much better at detecting 'hype'.
It's best to avoid long brand logo animations at the beginning of the video and to cut right to the chase instead. Try asking a question that will catch the attention of your target audience, or describing the key benefit of attending the event.
The style and sequence of your video as well as your event video recordings are dentrimental to ensure the viral sensation that will become of your event video !
PlayPlay Pro Tip
Make sure that the thumbnail of your video post on social media is an image that will tempt scrollers to stop and click play on your video. Ideally, this image should include some key information about the event: brand logo, event title or date.
It might seem obvious, but this step is often overlooked on social media posts — and viewers are far more likely to click on a video with an attractive or informative thumbnail image.
It's worth taking the time to select an effective thumbnail. It doesn't take long, and you could see an increased engagement with your post as a result.
Tip 2: Master copywriting in your event promo video
How to write effective text for your event teaser video
Here, you really have to tune in to your target audience. Who is your event aimed at? Why should people be attending your event? What's in it for them?
Make sure that you adopt an appropriate tone for your target audience while being clear and concise with your message.
To put this in context, imagine you are organizing a recruitment event for your company.
Here are two techniques worth considering for the text in your video:
1. Questions and the use of the second-person voice
Put the emphasis on the needs of your target audience by addressing them directly.
A question such as "Could this be you?" is simple, direct and should prompt a response from your target audience, who are potential new recruits for the company. This should capture viewers' attention and encourage them to keep watching the video.
This question would serve as a great transition to the next part of your video, where you could showcase some footage of current employees clearly enjoying the work that they are doing.
2. Short, catchy sentences
The text for your video should promise something, without over-promising or sounding too promotional. It’s a busy world — people usually expect something in return for investing their time. What can they gain from attending your event that is both appealing and believable?
A phrase like "Transform your job into a career" is a certain promise to attendees that they will benefit from attending this event, and that they could find the career path they've been searching for. This is also a believable expectation to have for a recruitment event.
Remember: brevity and clarity are key. It's important to pack a Who, What, When, Where and Why into your video; the more information you can provide while keeping the text concise and memorable — the better your message will be in your event teaser video.
Tip 3: Use numbers and quotes in your event teaser video
Why should I use event numbers or quotes?
The use of numbers is inherently persuasive. You may claim to have organized the most popular event of the year so far, but why should anyone believe you?
Throw in some stats and your event teaser video will increase in units of persuasiveness by at least 50%. Already sounds more convincing, right?
Having "10 exhibitions, 900+ attendees, 4 surprise VIP guests" sounds far more attractive than just "exhibitions, lots of attendees, surprise VIP guests" and this specific information will add to the appeal of your event.
Numbers can also be used to highlight the interest of the event. For example, "92% of last year's attendees want to come back" or "we recruit 12% of our annual new recruits at this fair" are both effective ways of using stats to convince potential attendees that your event is definitely worth checking out.
If you don't have any event numbers at your disposal, maybe you have some quotes or testimonials from a previous event? Using 'social proof' is an effective method for convincing people to come to your event because they're hearing about the benefits from real attendees, not only from the event promoters.
How to use numbers and quotes in your event teaser video
Showing off those impressive numbers can help you to structure your event teaser video and to transition from one screen to the next.
If you have some available statistics for the number of people that will be attending, how many VIPs will be there, how many workshops or exhibitions there'll be... make sure to showcase them in your video.
When including testimonials in your video, It's best to use a short quote from a real attendee whose enthusiasm is evident in their facial expression and in the way they are speaking. Emotion is very persuasive! If they found one particular aspect of the event particularly useful or entertaining, quoting them on this can be a great way to highlight a specific benefit for future attendees.
Check out this example:
Tip 4: Highlight the big-name attendees in your event teaser video
Why should I be name-dropping?
If you've managed to secure some big names as performers, speakers, or on your guest list, it's a good idea to do some name-dropping. What better way to get potential attendees pumped-up than to let them know who they'll be sharing the experience with!
How to highlight the big-name speakers for your event teaser video
Dedicate a screen to your key speakers/performers and provide a brief description about who they are and what they'll be doing at the event.
Or include short interview videos with your VIP attendees discussing why the event is unmissable. TedX, for example, does this to promote their conferences in the buildup to each event. It's an effective — and more subtle — way of highlighting who the major attendees are while presenting a testimonial of the event experience at the same time.
If possible, ask them to use your event hashtags on their own social media accounts so that they share your video online and help you build the hype.
Also, consider reaching out to some influencers who are relevant to your industry. They can help to promote your event by sharing your content online with their followers.
Here's an example of an event highlight video aiming at attracting attendees:
Tip 5: Give an overview of the program and its extra miles
How do I include the program in my event teaser video?
The program is at the heart of the event and it is worth highlighting in your video so that attendees have a good overview of what to expect.
After you've drawn viewers in with an eye-catching opening sequence and some of the key event highlights, offer them a glimpse of the event program.
You can create a short, simple list that covers the essential aspects of your event, with a very brief description for each if it's not clear from the title.
But watch that word count!
There's no need to provide a fully detailed program that includes the specific times of everything you've got going on — just enough to inform attendees about how your event will be structured.
Am I wasting time by not focusing on the main attraction?
Not at all. While time is precious in your teaser video, you want to give viewers a glimpse of everything that will be going on. Try to sell the overall experience of the event, which includes all those little side-attractions.
The event teaser video should answer these questions: why should I bother spending my time to go to this event? what is the added value for me? why is it better to actually BE there, rather than watching a recap online?
Give your audience a taste of the event experience
Events that involve interactive experiences where attendees can speak to people face-to-face, ask questions and participate — are far more appealing than the traditional 'death-by-powerpoint' presentation.
If you've organized some tutorials, workshops, team-building games, or coffee-breaks dedicated to networking — make sure to highlight them in your video with photos and clips.
Or maybe you've planned a cultural event in your city. Besides the main exhibitions or performances, what else will be going on? What food and drink is on offer? Are there any meet-and-greets?
Hook your audiences with the promise of a great experience that extends beyond the main attraction.
Here's an example of an 'event experience' sequence :
Tip 6: Create hashtags for social media in your event teaser video
Creating hashtags with keywords that are relevant to your event or industry will increase the searchability of your video, while also summarizing the event in one word or short phrase.
A Hashtag is a great tool to spark conversations on social media platforms, build a following for your event and increase its online visibility.
How to create an effective hashtag for your event teaser video post
Here are 5 questions to ask yourself as you create a hashtag for your event teaser video:
- Is it relevant?
- Is it short?
- Is it unique?
- Is it memorable?
- Is the meaning clear?
Your hashtag must describe your event without being too generic or too long.
Brainstorm some keywords related to the theme of your event and you should be able to find a combination that works, without spending hours trying to come up with the greatest hashtag ever.
Using an acronym for the name of your event is a useful way to keep your hashtag short.
Make sure to feature your chosen hashtag in the description text for your video post and get the conversation rolling on social media for your promo campaign.
Tip 7: Finish your event teaser video with a punchy call-to-action
A quick reminder: what is a video call-to-action?
After the first screen, the CTA is the second most-important aspect of your video, and it usually appears right at the end.
A call-to-action tells the audience what you want them to do next after having watched your video.
You may have created the greatest event teaser video of all time, but if you haven't directed viewers toward a particular action at the end — all your efforts will have been for nothing.
Examples of CTAs you can use for your event teaser video
You want your CTA to be as clear and direct as possible so that the viewer knows exactly what to do next after watching your event promo video. You should use a verb, and then direct the viewer to the page where they can complete this action.
For example:
- Register now
- Sign up now!
- I want to attend!
- Find out more
- Book your spot!
- Learn more
- Follow us
- Take me there!
- Limited time offer
The CTA should be followed by the website URL or your social account ID so that your viewers are directed towards the next step — registering to attend your event!
Take a look at how your CTA could look in video format:
Choosing your format
Make sure you have the right dimensions for your event teaser video when you post it on different social media channels. This is important to keep in mind when choosing the photos and footage that you will use in your video, in order to maintain the image quality.
Tip 8: Pre-tease your event teaser video
Pre-tease a teaser… wait, what?
You want to post as much content as possible to promote your event so that you are consistently reaching new audiences and spreading the word online.
No matter how great your event teaser video might be, posts on social media rarely stay visible for very long because there is constantly so much other content being posted.
By planning and sequencing the promotion of your event online, you can build up interest and awareness over a sustained period before actually posting the main event teaser video.
This means creating and posting shorter videos as 'pre-teasers' in the build-up to posting your main event teaser video...
How to pre-tease your event video teaser
The idea is to create several shorter videos that provide little sneak-previews of your main event teaser. You can then post these videos on social media at regular intervals beforehand so that when the time comes to post your main event teaser video — you will have already built up some awareness for your event.
To put this in context, let's say that you've managed to get two industry experts to host workshops at your event.
You could make a very short video dedicated to highlighting these VIP attendees and then post it on social media. This will create a sense of anticipation for viewers who have become intrigued by the prospect of seeing these VIP attendees. You will then release the full details of the event in your main teaser video, having already created some noise online.
As a result, you could see even greater online engagement for your main event teaser video when you finally post it.
Video posts are great for engagement because they’re interactive through the 'like' functions on social media platforms — just watch as your post climbs to the top of news feeds when viewers start voting.
Seeking inspiration to create your own?
Conclusion
The goal is to show off as many aspects of your event as you can while keeping the video as short as possible. Easier said than done! There is no ‘correct’ way to make a video event teaser, and it is often the most original and daring videos that can make the biggest impact.
However, you might not have the time, nor the resources, to make a groundbreaking, cinematic video that will change the landscape of the event industry.
By following these 8 simple tips, you will be able to produce a high-quality video that could reach new audiences and increase attendance for your event, while reflecting well on your brand's image.
Here's a little recap video with GIFs... because who doesn't love GIFs?! Check out the linked article if you're keen to know how to make a recap video on your own.
Want to have a go at making your own stylish event teaser videos? Many event planners are already creating their own videos with PlayPlay to promote events. If you're curious, give it a try.
Jaymi Onorato
Demand Generation Manager, North America
Jaymi is a growth-focused B2B marketing leader driving demand generation for North America at PlayPlay. Jaymi advocates for inclusivity in tech and women in leadership.
