Case studies and industry news ‘most useful’ for eventprofs

Case studies and industry news are the most useful types of content for eventprofs, according to an ExpoPlatform study.

Exclusive findings from the Event Tech Returns to Live Survey shows examples of how exhibitions have played out were found to be useful by 72% of respondents.

Meanwhile, 62% rated industry news as being useful to them, with eventprofs wanting to keep on top of everything that’s going on in their sphere.

Stephan Forseilles, head of digital transformation at easyfairs, told ExpoPlatform: “People don’t trust salespeople: they want feedback from their peers and that’s why case studies are sought after so much.”

Download the full Event Tech Returns to Live report for free.

What’s behind the figures?

These findings show that real life examples and insights from the events industry are the most important resources for them.

This can include case studies from successful tradeshows, feedback from exhibitors and exhibitors, a weekly newsletter or publishing in-depth research into a trending topic.

Carina Bauer, CEO of IMEX, believes the key to making these forms of content is for them to be upfront about what is working – and what is failing.

She added: Case studies always have been, and probably always will be, a firm favourite for eventprofs and they definitely came into their own during the pandemic. 

“However, our own experience shows that unless a case study is really candid, not shying away from failures or missteps, then it has little practical value.

“A good case study lifts the lid on the end-to-end event or experience design process – and its KPIs – and doesn’t shy away from the truth.”

What it means for organisers

Producing good quality content is the lifeblood of your event community – and an organiser can set themselves apart from the competition by creative use of formats.

Tools like cost calculators or checklists can be far more useful than just the written word, so it’s worth testing a range of formats to see what resonates with an audience.

Content is what keeps your social media channels active and engaging, makes your email newsletters get opened and the thing that starts to pull in new audiences through search engines.

Consider taking on someone who has specialist skills in this area. Here is what they’ll nee

•  Hard journalism skills such as copywriting and interviewing members
• Willingness to experiment with different multimedia formats e.g. infographics or videos
• Curiosity about what analytics are telling them

We hope you enjoyed reading this article and found it useful. At ExpoPlatform, we want to help you build better events and communities. Please get in touch and ask for a demo here. Thank you.