It’s easy to forget that video can add something to the event. When you are at an in-person, why not keep all of the content to people on the stage? Because with a video, you can take your attendees to a place you want them to go and you can put the exclamation point on a point you are trying to make.

But there are things to consider. Here’s our checklist of ideas for including video at your next event:

1. Avoid the Internet: It can be tempting to use a video that is uploaded to YouTube, since you will not have to move it from computer to computer. But it’s a huge risk. What happens if your venue’s WiFi gets overloaded with all of your attendees? What do you do then? Don’t risk it. Just download the video.
2. Show it during the in-between times: As you’re tearing down and setting up, give your attendees something to watch and get excited about. Or maybe as they are walking into the room and are waiting for the next session to start. These times can be great for giving your attendees information they need or want via video.
3. Use it to drive attendees to sessions: Do you have people that duck out early? Or maybe they’re skipping the networking event? Use video to build excitement for those events to help attendance. Instead of telling them why it’s a must-see event, show them.
4. Show off your host city: In the case of Downtown Cincinnati, shopping, restaurants and fun are just steps away from our hotels. Take advantage of this by showing your attendees just how close they are to everything they need while in our city. And give them recommendations for restaurants and attractions they just have to try before they leave.
5. Get people excited for next year’s host city: And there’s no reason why you can’t show off next year’s host city too. Show your attendees why next year is a not-to-be-missed event.
6. Reuse event marketing video: Don't reinvent the wheel. You may have created a lot of video to get people to your event. Repurpose it so that it makes sense for at the event as well.
7. Put the focus on attendees: Since you have your attendees all in the same room, get testimonials from your attendees as to why your organization and event is so important to them. And then show a few of those clips in the moment to reinforce the messages you are trying to get across to attendees as a whole.
8. Use a theater: Did you put a lot of work into that video? Is it a focus of your event? Don’t make your attendees crane their necks as they twist around in their banquet chairs. In a location like the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, you can easily move your attendees from a big open banquet room to a theater that will give your attendees the feel that your video is a big deal. You may even want to include a red carpet and some popcorn, so it feels like a real movie premiere.

How have you included video at your event?