Why Online Video is So Important for Events and Meetings

If you’re not incorporating online video into the promotion of your event, you’re missing out on a great opportunity. Video views have grown from 114.3 million in 2006 to over 200 million by the end of 2008. Imagine what it is now in 2010 with all the Flip Cams and faster bandwidth. More and more, people would rather “watch” than “read” content on the Internet. What a great way to communicate your message.

Online video has the ability to engage, educate, entertain and inform people better than any other medium. If given a choice to read a page or watch a 2-minute video, wouldn’t you choose the video over a long page of words?

As human beings, we’re naturally attracted to visual scenes of other people. Video grabs us. Viewers thirst for stories, people and relationships and brands through which they can live vicariously. They absorb video through their eyes and ears and process the info with their brains and hearts.

This past weekend I was one of the producers of EventCamp.org where we utilized video with some silly pre-event videos to get the audience excited about the event. Then onsite we used one of our sponsors Livestream.com to stream video and audio to our virtual audience who joined us via twitter. Livestream, plus a small DV Camera captured and archived the sessions, interviews for later viewing.  This also build excitement and will carry the message and information of the event for the months in between events helping keep the community information flowing.  It is making more and more sense not to miss these opportunities using all types of video for your event strategy. So try to incorporating online video into the phases of your event. You’re missing out on a great opportunity if you don’t!