In today's rapidly evolving event landscape, delivering engaging content has never been more critical. Tim Parsons, Chief Innovation Officer at Matchbox Virtual Media, led a discussion on how to co-create event content with your community, emphasizing the value of authentic voices and user-generated content marketing. The panel included insights from Kirsten Bohl of the National Math Festival, Leslie Robinett from the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), and Sarah Murphy from the Association Forum.
The panelists underscored the importance of authenticity in event content. Authentic voices from real people help create more engaging and relatable experiences. Kirsten Bohl shared her experience with the National Math Festival, which transitioned to virtual events during the pandemic. By using Gather Voices, they enabled presenters to create enticing preview videos, enhancing engagement and anticipation. "We want to show that math belongs to everyone, it's playful and community-based," said Bohl. This approach aligns with their goal of making math accessible and enjoyable for all.
Leslie Robinett highlighted IFMA's global reach and how they leveraged Gather Voices to connect their members worldwide. For their flagship event, World Workplace, they created a promotional video featuring welcome messages from members across the globe, showcasing the diversity and unity of their community. "It was really nice to get an array of testimonials and welcome messages from all of our different members from across the globe," Robinett said. This strategy helped maintain a sense of connection despite the physical distance.
Sarah Murphy of the Association Forum emphasized that their members prefer hearing from each other. They use Gather Voices for various initiatives, including speaker proposals and recognizing their 40 under 40 awardees. "Our best engagement is videos, pictures, story sharing from our members," Murphy noted. This approach not only boosts engagement but also empowers members to contribute actively.
Murphy also shared a critical lesson: specificity matters. Initially, broad questions like "tell us why you're a member" yielded less effective content. They refined their approach by asking specific questions and providing bullet points, resulting in more targeted and useful videos. This iterative process has made their content more engaging and relevant.
A recurring theme in the discussion was the challenge of getting members to participate. The panelists shared various strategies to overcome this. Robinett emphasized the importance of starting with clear goals and objectives, then identifying the right people to involve. They often reach out to chapter leaders, corporate partners, and engaged members. This targeted approach ensures they get valuable content from enthusiastic contributors.
Murphy discussed the evolution of their process, starting with requiring video submissions for speaker proposals. This requirement initially faced resistance, but as members became more comfortable with the process, the quality and quantity of submissions improved. "You can see it when people start to get more comfortable with it as well," Murphy said. This gradual build-up of comfort and familiarity has led to a robust library of member-generated content.
Bohl shared a unique approach for engaging youth in their video contest. They provided inspirational videos from diverse mathematicians, helping students see themselves in those roles. "It can be a tool in the quest to lift up representation in mathematics," Bohl explained. This intentional approach to representation has helped them attract a broader range of participants.
The panelists highlighted the significant impact of user-generated content on their events. Bohl mentioned the ease of using Gather Voices for captioning, which has been crucial for accessibility. "It makes a difference in people's lives. It makes the events accessible," she noted. This attention to accessibility has been well-received by their audience.
Robinett pointed out that involving members in content creation fosters a deeper sense of community and long-term engagement. "It also gets them to just really engage and really feel like we value them to reach out to them and get their testimonial," she said. This sense of value and inclusion encourages ongoing participation and loyalty.
Murphy shared how the Association Forum's tight-knit community appreciated seeing familiar faces and hearing personal stories during the pandemic. "Being able to feature members, feature members' stories, and really connect with members through video has really resonated well with our group," she said. This approach has strengthened their community bonds and kept members engaged even during challenging times.
The discussion also touched on the role of user-generated content in sponsorship. Murphy described how they initially used Gather Voices to involve sponsors in their virtual fundraising event, leading to more creative and engaging sponsorship content. "We have had sponsors that have taken it and run with it and bring back a video that we're like, 'Oh my, how long did they spend on this thing?'" she said. This enthusiasm from sponsors has added value to their events and enhanced sponsor engagement.
Robinett shared a similar approach, using videos to showcase scholarship winners and encourage donations. This strategy has proven effective in highlighting the impact of their foundation's work and attracting new sponsors. "One of the things that we're working on is creating a video, showing scholarship winners who have benefited from being a scholarship winner of our IFMA Foundation," she explained.
Co-creating event content with your community can significantly enhance member engagement and deliver authentic, impactful experiences. By leveraging user-generated content marketing, organizations can create more relatable and engaging events. The insights from Kirsten Bohl, Leslie Robinett, and Sarah Murphy highlight the importance of authenticity, the power of member-driven content, and the value of continuous improvement in the content creation process.
Embracing these strategies can help organizations create events that truly resonate with their audiences, fostering a sense of community and long-term engagement. As the event landscape continues to evolve, the ability to harness the collective voice of your community will be a crucial differentiator in delivering successful events.
