How to Use Your Blog to Build Trade Show Event Buzz

August 30, 2014

Timothy Carter

Timothy Carter is the Director of Business Development for the Seattle-based content marketing & social media agency AudienceBloom. When Timothy isn't telling the world about the great work his company does, he's planning his next trip to Hawaii while drinking some Kona coffee.
 

Competition is fierce for business. From consumers with less disposable income to companies operating with much smaller budgets, marketing and sales departments put in the extra work to increase sales and ultimately the company’s bottom line in more creative ways.

If your company is paying the money for the space rental, the purchase of the trade show display and related sales collateral, along with paying for travel, accommodations and more, they should be spending the time to promote their trade show marketing event on their blog. It’s a cost-effective way to extend the life of your trade show marketing.

I’ve got three tips to help your company start using their blog to build some buzz for your next trade show event.

Bring Your Camera

Take pictures or videos at your trade show booth. Visuals are a powerful part of your company’s marketing message. People are likely to be drawn into reading your blog article with a high quality photograph. Whether it’s a shot of your trade show booth, a winner of a contest your company has running, the more pictures taken, more chances your company has to share what’s happening at the trade show.

Write Fresh Content

Don’t wait until the trade show is over to write the article. Write while the experience in the company trade show booth is still fresh. As part of the process of breaking down a trade show after it’s over, staff should be writing up a short review of the day’s events, any exciting announcements, winners of your contest (you did take their picture didn’t you?) should be included in any blog article.

Pssst ... Don’t forget the basics of blogging: write to your audience for what the audience wants and needs, answer their questions. Don’t write for the search engines.

Use Social Media

Every business should have a Facebook and Twitter account at the very least. Hopefully your company also has a Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, Google+ account to keep your message, products/services and brand in front of people.

For example, you can write an article on your blog sharing the news of a create Facebook only event where people tag themselves in one of your photos, or share one of their own at your trade show booth and offer them something for free. Remember those pictures you’ve been taking? They can be uploaded to Instagram or Twitter with your trade show hashtag and posted in an article. You can host an Instagram contest for attendees who are sharing pictures at your booth with a special hashtag. Make it a contest. There are a number of effective ways to use social media to market your trade show.

With the results of your social media work, you are then able to craft an article that draws people in with pictures, tweets and comments from the social media channels.

There are definitely more ways than these that your business can use the company’s blog to boost your online presence. What ways are you and your company using your blog to drive traffic?

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Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact