Virtual platforms and virtual events have become prominent for business owners everywhere, and this has also meant that marketing has followed suit. Experiential marketing strategies, in particular, often rely solely on in-person events, but this has changed drastically. Virtual events have overtaken this space, and they’ve become pretty important in different aspects, especially to keep up with marketing efforts. We’re going to dive into experiential marketing strategies and how virtual events have reshaped it, as well as what we may be able to expect in the future. 

What is Experiential Marketing? 

Experiential marketing at the base level refers to marketing strategies that create unique experiences for customers by going outside of the norm for traditional marketing. It often includes immersing them in activities or events that were in-person, but this has changed with the digital and virtual world coming in. 

Key Elements of Experiential Marketing

There are many key elements that go into experiential marketing, and what makes it different from traditional marketing. Let’s look at some of these elements to see how they work together to create a unique marketing experience. 

Interactive 

This marketing strategy is interactive, allowing customers to truly experience and engage with the brand. This brings the brand and the customers closer together and makes customers feel like they are a part of the brand itself. 

Many Different Forms of Marketing

This kind of marketing can be done in multiple different forms and variations to allow these experiences to be unique to the brand. They can include pop-ups, live events, or workshops. 

Emotional Connection

One of the biggest pieces of experiential marketing is the emotional connection that it fosters. The entire goal of this marketing strategy is to evoke an emotion from customers and try to relate to the customers, which can bring a stronger connection between the brand and its customers. 

Virtual Events are Becoming the Norm

Following COVID-19, especially, we have seen a huge surge in virtual events, and many people have started to shift away from in-person events. It made it easier to do, while still fostering a connection with the audience. Not only this, but the advancement in technology has allowed virtual events to be accessible by anyone and to be set up by anyone. Video chat, webinars, live streams, and so much more are easily produced and shared with audiences. As long as you have a streaming software, laptop, or mobile phone, you can attend these virtual events despite your physical location in the world. This has allowed businesses and brands to keep up with this connection with their audiences through experiential marketing without having to do in-person events, which in turn has allowed many people from all over the world to be able to attend these events. 

 Types of Virtual Events

There are many different types of virtual events that are used for marketing purposes. With virtual events, they are accessible virtually everywhere, making attendance no issue and allowing viewers to watch even if they can’t travel to the event itself. Here are a few of the top virtual events that we have seen: 

• Webinars 
• Workshops 
• Virtual conferences
• Live events
• Product launches 
• Virtual trade shows 

How are Virtual Events Shaping Experiential Marketing?

Virtual events have already transformed experiential marketing, and we can only expect it to get more prominent as technology becomes more advanced. It has allowed more access to brands than ever and has changed the way that we look at these experiences and marketing strategies. 

Accessibility to Your Audience

With these events being virtual, this means that anyone can attend even if they aren’t in the area geographically. This allows brands to connect with more people at a time and reach audiences they may not have been able to reach before. 

Analytics and Data Collection

Virtual events allow for data collection like we’ve never been able to see before. It allows for real-time analytics to be shared and more intense personalization for the audience. 

Advanced Technology 

With other technology advancements coming about, such as VR or interactive chats, this can level up the virtual events and make them much more interactive. This is also in line with experiential marketing and brings that extra level of connection that is prominent in this strategy.

Efficiency and Effectiveness

When it comes to virtual events, they are much more cost-effective and efficient than in-person events. This means no venue rentals, no audience capacity, virtually no cost, and a simple and effective way to connect with your audience. A simple setup can allow you to create these virtual events easily. 

Challenges in Virtual Experiential Marketing 

Like anything, there are challenges with virtual experiential marketing, and we’re going to showcase some of the challenges that you might find when doing this method. 

Technical Glitches: With any virtual event or technology, you could experience glitches that cause problems in your event or stunt the event fully. 

Platform Limitations: Depending on the platform that you’re using to host the event, you could find that there are certain limitations with it. 

Digital Fatigue: Digital fatigue is a common factor for anyone who wants to do any virtual event or use any sort of technology. This is especially more prominent because of all of the technology and screens that we look at on a daily basis. 

Experiential Marketing with Virtual Events

Experiential marketing is a marketing technique that has been used for years now, but with virtual events becoming more prominent, this has collided with marketing. There are many reasons why virtual events are a great addition to your marketing strategy, and the connection that’s fostered with your audience through them is not lacking. We’ve seen a huge change in how in-person events have shifted to virtual events, and this is true for experiential marketing. With this said, if you are a business looking to expand your marketing efforts and take on a new way of showcasing experiential marketing in a virtual way, we can help. At Factory 360, we give you the marketing guidance that you need, and we know that virtual events are the future of experiential marketing. If you’re looking to connect more with your audience, build relationships, and bring your marketing to the next level, this could be the right choice for you. Contact us today to learn more.