An event-specific microsite for trade show or product launch is an informative digital method to launch a time-sensitive discussion between you and your audience. Microsites are useful for hosting information in the online venue -- separately -- away from officially branded corporate sites-- so that engaged customers can have meaningful interactions with your brand, conveniently.

Here are 6 Major Uses for a Microsite at a Trade Show or Live Event:

1. Social Media Streamlining
A busy customer or prospect may miss your vital information on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn, but if you cluster all of your social-media activity (and videos) on one microsite, you can direct attendees at your trade show to follow you there pre-show, throughout the show, and post-show to make sure they stay up-to-date with information about your event.  

2. Community Building
A microsite will encourage discussions to begin even before your trade show. Getting the conversation started early allows you to start the in-person event with clear direction and increased engagement around specific issues.

3. Product Launch
A dedicated microsite for a new product/announcement can increase press coverage and demonstrate your company's support toward a new venture-- either for yourself or an important client. 

4. Special Events
A microsite could allow for a virtual tour of your event space, event specifics, and up-to-the-minute schedule updates. You can even create a Twitter hashtag and run the feed on the microsite. It's a visible, targeted destination for attendees to locate valuable current information.

5. Virtual Tradeshow
Having a place for all of your vendors to reach clients who could not attend the in-person event allows your audience to stay infinite, giving your clients an advantage over other shows.  

6. Internal Training
You can have a dedicated site for your booth staff to stay aware of the booth duty and show schedule, booth attire, protocols, and announcements. It's a place for employees-only that protects your internal messaging needs.

Microsites are strong tool for targeted advertising campaigns that incorporate media-rich messaging points. If your event microsite is a dedicated microsite for trade show, you can use it to involve attendees prior to your event and throughout the live show. You can begin dialogue that will continue throughout the event, which can help you monitor the patterns of engagement throughout.

Are QR codes worth it when you're setting up your promo, graphics, and exhibit materials for trade shows?  

Generating Twitter followers thru event marketing, including trade shows, is a strategic way to obtain trade show leads who can be engaged with through social media and nurturing campaigns. Michael Heipel wrote an event marketing blog post this past summer that provides 15 tips about how trade show organizers can use Twitter to obtain followers. But exhibitors themselves can use Twitter in many similar ways. From an exhibitor perspective, consider these top 8 tips to begin the engagement with people at your next trade show or conference thru the use of Twitter:

Santa’s Hideaway Hollow is a non-profit organization that is a true hidden gem in Northeast Ohio. It is a magical place that surrounds terminally ill children and their families with comfort and the spirit of Christmas complete with elves, reindeer, and of course – Santa.

Having trade show exhibit freight being forced after a show is something that can be prevented with pre-planning prior to your trade show.

Lights, Camera, Education: Video Production Tips for a Professional Film Shoot!

This month please meet Dale Godbey, the Facilities Manager for GALLO in Cleveland, OH. He has been in this position for 37 years and his doing his best to contribute toward a Sustainable Cleveland here at GALLO!

Great news! You finally received the marketing budget to invest into a new custom trade show exhibit for your company! So how do you begin the process of shopping for a new custom trade show exhibit and finding a strong exhibit builder to partner with?

Exhibitor: NWP                                                 

"Times have changed, and your trade show compaigns must change in light of today's new business paradigms. . . Think strategic, smart, and above what 95% of exhibitors are now doing. . . Learn how to think intelligently, removing boundaries (real and artificial) that limit continuing success" (Trade Show Bob, Exhibit Thinking 2.0, EXHIBITOR2011).