Planning an event is one thing—making sure the right people know about it, engage during it, and remember it afterward is another challenge entirely. That’s where effective programmatic advertising comes in. Whether you’re hyping up your event, keeping attendees engaged in real time, or staying on their radar post-event, here’s how to do it right.
Not all events are created equal, and neither should your advertising strategy be. Whether you’re promoting a massive industry conference, a niche networking event, or a fast-paced product launch, optimizing your programmatic advertising approach ensures you reach the right audience at the right time. By tailoring strategies to different campaign goals, you can maximize engagement, improve ROI, and create a more impactful presence before, during, and after an event.
Each phase of an event—pre-event, live event, and post-event—presents different challenges and opportunities. The key is understanding how people behave at each stage. Before the event, they’re researching and making decisions. During the event, they’re focused on the experience and may only have a few moments to glance at an ad. Afterward, they’re either reminiscing or evaluating their next steps. With the right approach, programmatic advertising can enhance engagement throughout the entire event cycle.
Your goal before the event is to generate excitement and drive attendance. This is the phase where potential attendees are deciding whether your event is worth their time. They’re likely browsing industry news, checking social media, and discussing with peers. Your job is to make sure your ads appear where they’re already looking.
To do this, leverage data-driven targeting. Use first-party data, CRM lists, ABM targeting and lookalike audiences to reach individuals who have shown interest in similar events or topics. Contextual targeting is also key—placing ads on sites discussing relevant industry trends can significantly boost visibility.
Creative and messaging best practices are essential during this phase. Highlight urgency with phrases like "Last chance to register!" or showcase social proof through testimonials from past attendees. Tease standout speakers or key sessions to entice people to sign up.
Data-driven insights help fine-tune your approach. Track click-through rates (CTR) on registration ads and measure conversion rates from ad clicks to sign-ups to see what resonates most. Using Growth Channel can make your data-driven advertising even more effective. For example, New Media Advisors cut campaign costs by 30% and saved hours of setup and analysis time with Growth Channel’s self-serve platform. These tools help you track performance and quickly optimize ads, turning insights into real-time results. It’s a simple way to refine your strategy and maximize event impact. Check out the case study.
Live events demand real-time visibility and seamless audience engagement. Attendees are moving quickly—checking schedules, navigating the venue, and networking—so your ads must capture their attention instantly.
One of the most effective strategies for live event advertising is prioritizing above-the-fold placements. This means ensuring ads appear at the top of mobile web pages and apps without requiring users to scroll. Since attendees have limited time to engage with content, this guarantees maximum visibility.
Another crucial consideration is device preference. Unlike pre-event browsing, where desktops are common, live-event engagement happens primarily on mobile and tablet devices. Attendees are using their phones to check event details, take notes, and interact on social media. If your ads aren’t optimized for mobile, you risk missing out on a significant portion of your audience.
Geo-fencing is another powerful tool for live-event targeting. By setting a virtual boundary around the event location, you can serve ads specifically to people at the venue. This allows for hyper-relevant messaging, such as directing attendees to a specific booth, promoting real-time giveaways, or encouraging participation in live sessions.
Additionally, event durations are typically short—ranging from a single day to a few days—so your frequency strategy should reflect this. Higher ad frequency ensures your brand remains top-of-mind during the event’s limited time frame. Learn more about frequency capping as it applies to other types of campaigns in our guide, “Best Practices for Setting Frequency Caps in Advertising.”
The event may be over, but the marketing opportunities aren’t. Attendees are still thinking about their experiences, following up on key takeaways, and deciding on next steps. This is the time to nurture leads, reinforce brand messaging, and drive further engagement.
One of the biggest mistakes marketers make is assuming that engagement ends when the event does. In reality, the post-event phase is a critical period for capitalizing on the excitement and interest generated during the event. Attendees have just experienced your brand in a high-energy, immersive setting—this is the perfect time to continue the conversation.
Retargeting should be a top priority. Anyone who attended, interacted with your ads, visited your website, or engaged with your event content should continue seeing relevant ads for two weeks to a month after the event. By keeping your brand in front of attendees, you increase the likelihood of turning initial interest into concrete business outcomes.
Creative and messaging should evolve post-event. Use personalized follow-ups, share event recap videos, or highlight attendee quotes to maintain engagement.
Data is just as important in this phase. Track retargeting CTRs, lead nurture conversion rates, and social shares of event content to assess impact and refine future strategies.
Don’t forget to use the post-event period as a learning opportunity. Analyze performance metrics, such as ad engagement, registration-to-attendance conversion rates, and post-event inquiries. Identify what worked, what didn’t, and refine your strategy for future events.
Effective event marketing isn’t just about getting people to show up—it’s about keeping them engaged before, during, and after. Nail your targeting, optimize your placements, and keep your messaging fresh. Do it right, and your event will be the one everyone remembers.
Growth Channel can help you run pre, live, and post-event campaigns effortlessly! Request a demo to see how the platform can take your event marketing to the next level, or check out our Resource Center to learn more.
