Meetings and events PR has evolved dramatically since the outset of Covid-19. Digital disruption has transformed the events industry but has also accelerated change within publishing and altered the needs of the media.

So, what has changed? And what does it all mean for meetings PR?

As PR specialists for the meetings and events sector, working with destinations and venues, event organisers and associations, the Clareville team spoke to three meetings industry editors, from Conference News, C&IT, and M&IT, on how their publishing and events strategies have changed.

 

Calum Di Lieto, editor of C&IT

How has your publishing strategy evolved in the last year?

C&IT has always had a strong live portfolio, supplemented by a print magazine and online news site. Obviously, the impact of Covid meant we had to adapt these live events into digital briefings focused on our research.

However, what we didn’t expect was the appetite for broadcast to be so strong. And so we decided to reassess our entire content strategy and redirect our resources away from short news pieces, towards more in-depth research and reports.

We’ve also decided to move away from traditional print towards a long-term broadcast strategy – one that will go beyond lockdown. The latter has resulted in a focus on more short-form video content, long-form video broadcasts, and the launch of the popular RSVP podcast.

Why has there been more of a focus on podcasts and video content?

There are two reasons for this. The first is depth. If a picture says 1,000 words, then a video says 100,000 – the level of depth that can be obtained from a short video conversation goes far beyond anything else, meaning we can provide more value for our audience.

The second reason is that events are a highly visual industry. Whether it’s hotels, venues, destinations, or coverage of the events themselves, people want to see and feel the experiences.

Meanwhile, our lighthearted podcast allows for busy event professionals to engage with inspiring and entertaining content, while they multitask.

Editors appear to have increased their speaking and moderating engagements during this time. Why is this, and is it important to your publication and strategy?

The absence of live industry events was really felt. The value of MICE professionals coming together in a room is unparalleled, particularly when it comes to content. And so, having a physical presence through speaking and moderating at events by delivering research findings or discussing industry topics is extremely valuable to us as a brand, and also the wider industry looking to learn from C&IT.

What’s more, audiences want to connect with individuals, not just a logo, and so taking to the stage allows people to put a face to a name and engage more emotionally with our brand.

What are you looking for in terms of your content going forward?

High-value, informative content that can help event planners achieve their goals strategically. C&IT aims to really push the mindset of the events industry so that we can change the perception of event professionals internally and externally so that they are seen as real strategic partners to business success. We as a brand are also very passionate about both sustainability and diversity – both are issues that need to be addressed as an industry, but also as a human race.

Martin Fullard, editor of Conference News

How has your publishing strategy evolved?

Publishing isn’t as straightforward as it used to be, and the pandemic has made it clear to me that, in the case of Conference News, there are two distinct audiences, although some crossover exists.

We have now shifted the content of the monthly print magazine to serve the needs of the event buyer community, such as corporates and PCOs, and it has become a stronger title, both editorially and commercially, as a result. This audience work in other sectors, so they will not need to be updated on the events industry every day, therefore a single theme issue each month is a more targeted, specific approach to fulfilling their needs.

Conversely, the website is targeted more at the marketplace audience, those in the service, supply, and delivery of events. These are the people who live and breathe events every day, and they need to stay on top of things – that’s what our web service provides.

It’s very apparent that there has been more of a focus on podcasts and video at Conference News, and across the meetings and events media. Why is this?

For 200 years the only way you could get your news was through a printed newspaper. These days, audiences can pick and choose how they consume their information, and this means publishers are having to create content for multiple channels. You can’t be a stand-alone print service anymore, nor can you focus solely on delivering video, for example. We must be multichannel. There is demand for all types.

The trick is doing it all effectively and pinpointing tight angles, and that comes at a cost in terms of resources. That’s when you need proper journalists, not just content creators, as they can cut through the white noise of excessive content and give the audience a high-brow perspective.

At the moment, a lot of publishers and individuals are trying their hands at a lot of things, but engagement is generally in the tens rather than the thousands. I think there is still a lot of experimentation going on.

As the editor, you are often a speaker or moderator at events. Has this increased during the pandemic? And why is it important for your brand?

Well, there aren’t many trade press editors left! While the events industry was mothballed, I never stopped; in fact, I’ve never been so busy in all my professional life.

I spent my days finding and talking to the right people, reading, learning, translating, and then sharing as much information as I could to support the events industry.

It felt quite lonely at times as a journalist, to be honest. This level of in-depth information, specific to the business events industry, wasn’t available anywhere else, so people were coming to me from all over asking for advice and to clarify this and that. I guess this knowledge has put me in a unique position as having a clear, joined-up view of everything. I really do take pride in the fact that Conference News is seen as a trusted resource for accurate industry information.

The fact that mainstream media also come to me as a resource perhaps helps that profile also, such as the BBC, LBC, the Guardian, and others.

I also enjoy speaking and moderating, so I like to put some effort into the presentation too!

What are you looking for in terms of your content going forward?

I’m not sure how to answer that without blurting out soundbites. To keep it simple, there are two main things. Firstly, we want to hear about innovative ideas that helped deliver great events, free of buzzwords.

Secondly: partnerships. Publishers need partnerships to be able to continue delivering the exposure and achievements that everyone wants. Journalists don’t like to talk about these things, but without commercial support, how can they present a client’s achievement to the very audience they want to be in front of?

What’s clear is that an independent organisation can’t do it itself, but by working together, we can create all sorts of bespoke content through multiple channels that grow the industry we all serve.

 

Paul Harvey, editor of M&IT

How has your publishing strategy evolved in the past year or so?

When the first lockdown hit we pivoted the magazine to digital. We’d usually have printed and sent out magazines to peoples’ offices – clearly, there was no point in doing that!

Last summer we worked hard on positioning the M&IT brand and making sure we were best serving our readers. We convened the M&IT Advisory Board, which meets every quarter to help shape the direction of the brand, and we also amassed a pool of M&IT Experts to provide in-depth insight and knowledge.

We have four issues of M&IT a year, each of which is themed around a particular subject. The June issue was all about sustainability, and the upcoming September issue will be themed around people.

There has noticeably been more of a focus on podcasts and video – why is this?

In the past year, we’ve launched two podcasts – M&IT Talks and Eventful Life. M&IT Talks is a series in which I delve into pressing industry issues with a high-profile eventprof. We’ve covered everything from sustainability and mental health to recruitment and advice for early career event professionals.

Eventful Life is senior journalist Holly Patrick’s fortnightly focus on the big personalities in the sector. It’s a video chat where eventprofs reflect on where they are now, how they came to be there – and where they’re going.

We also regularly post plenty of other video content, such as our bi-weekly Northstar global content team discussions where editors from across the world give regional updates on the meetings sector, and our on-demand M&IT webinars.

The move into podcasting and video has been a lot of fun and crucially, it’s been important to offer our audience content that fits with the way they live their lives. Everyone has different needs when it comes to absorbing information – and at M&IT we’ve got you covered.

What are you looking for in terms of your content going forward?

At M&IT, we want our readers to stay connected, stay curious and stay current. We know the importance of inspiring, educating, and informing those who create events and incentives for a living. That means giving them the news, information, and advice that helps them produce great events with a wow factor.

In the last year, we’ve changed up our brand and overhauled our website to become sleeker and stronger – and that’s what we want from our content. We’re always on the lookout for new M&IT Experts to add to our roster (if you’d like to be involved, get in touch!) and for new and interesting subjects for our webinars, podcasts, features, and videos. We’re on the side of the corporate planner; if it affects event buyers, we need it on our radar.

Contact us at Clareville to talk about how we can provide your event PR.