Evolution of B2B event marketing in 2023

Evolution of B2B event marketing in 2023

2022 brought about the long-awaited return of in-person events, and with it came a mixed bag of results. Virtual events kept marketing initiatives rolling during the pandemic, but attendees and organisations alike clamoured for face-to-face events. However, what marketers saw were fluctuating attendance rates and unpredictable engagement. Coupled with shrinking budgets brought about by an economic downturn, this has led to several question marks hovering over event marketing in 2023.

Event marketing remains, without question, an incredibly effective tool. But now, marketers must reevaluate their strategies around events of all types, physical and virtual, large-scale and small-scale. Are companies still as willing to shell out resources for executives to travel to events? Can organisations still afford to host and participate in numerous large-scale events? The in-person strategies pre-lockdowns no longer entirely apply, and marketers cannot lean as heavily on virtual events as they did the previous three years. So how can marketing leaders determine the right strategy for today’s audience?

• What challenges do marketers face in driving retention for virtual and in-person events? 
• How can companies navigate around shrinking resources as costs go up and engagement stagnates?
• What best practices should marketers adopt to effectively capture ROI and measure success when executing event marketing tactics?