Your event app serves you in countless ways — a digital guide for attendees, a communications and networking vehicle, and a way to promote your brand. A well-executed event app pays for itself, both in time savings for your event support reps, and creating an engaged attendee base. Are you ready to take it a step further and monetize your event app?
We're here to help you create a raving sponsor base, who are excited to sponsor your event each year! Check out some of the ways you can showcase sponsors in your event app, below. 👇
Ways to Promote Sponsors
Sponsor Exhibitor Profiles
Using the Sponsors/Exhibitors feature, create a profile for each sponsor/exhibitor. The Sponsors/Exhibitors features list your Sponsors/Exhibitors. Once you create their profile in this feature, you can internally link the Sponsor/Exhibitor to other areas of the app, like sponsored sessions. Use photos and descriptions to bring their profile to life! Consider building the profile out more for your premiere sponsors. Logo, description, contact information and more can be included. For more info on the Sponsors/Exhibitors features, check this out.
Attendee Calls to Action
Boost sponsor engagement by utilizing the Attendee Calls to Action section in the sponsor's profile. You can add buttons for attendees to Request Follow Up or Schedule Meeting with a sponsor.
You aren't limited to meeting links, either. Since you can change the Schedule Meeting Button Label, this could be a link to anything! A sponsor's website, webinar, demo video...the options are endless. 🙌 For more info on the Attendee Calls to Action section, check this out.
External links
In the external links section of the Sponsor/Exhibitor profile, you can add websites, phone numbers, and email addresses. Consider adding an external link to their website, or even a special landing page to capture leads. The options are endless! You can also offer more links for top sponsors. 🥇For more info on external links, check this out.
Internal links
In the internal links section of the Sponsor/Exhibitor profile, you can link to other content within your event. This is a perfect way to make sponsors visible throughout the event, with links to sessions the sponsor is sponsoring (like a happy hour or party, or session a sponsor is speaking at), or speakers from the sponsor team who are presenting at your event. For more info on internal links, check this out.
Banners layout
If you are using the Banners layout for your event, the banner can be one of the most visible ways to promote your sponsors! Attendees will see them whenever they use the app, and the link can go to the sponsor's website - and, you can pass the user's event app data to the URL! Banners are easy to create, or your design team can offer to create these for sponsors - so these can be sold even just days before the event starts! Banners are also easy to change on the fly, so you could even sell a sponsor exclusive banner-space for a day. For more info on banners, check this out.
⭐️ Keep in mind, it's a good idea to maintain some creative control over the design of sponsored banner ads. This helps ensure that your event look is cohesive and polished.
Announcements
Consider having an announcement "from" the Sponsor! Announcements allow for pre-approved sponsor messaging, which can be sent to all attendees, or specific groups. Pre-schedule Push-Notifications to go out at designated times, or send them on the fly, all on behalf of your Sponsors. Drive traffic to their website or link to their internal profile. For more info on Announcements, check this out.
⚠️ Caution, as with all apps, attendees can opt to turn off notifications for your event app. Don't have too many sponsored notifications!
Images
With images throughout the event, such as your cover image and event logo, this is a great spot to be creative and showcase your sponsors! If you are using a Branded Event App, you can also consider incorporating your sponsor in your splash screen. A full ad is not recommended for a splash screen, but this is a great option for visibility. The splash screen is seen by every attendee when they open the app.
⭐️ Keep in mind, it's a good idea to maintain some creative control over the design of splash screens. This helps ensure that your app look is cohesive and polished.
⚠️ Caution, the splash screen applies to branded event app customers only. There is only one splash screen per branded app. If you are using your app for multiple events, it may not be a good fit to offer this to sponsors.
Smart Feed layout
The Smart Feed event layout showcases the profiles from your Sponsors feature, making it easier than ever to highlight sponsors. When users click the Smart Feed, they'll go to the Sponsor's profile in the app. For more info on the Smart feed layout, check this out.
Wall
Posting on the Wall "from" the Sponsor is a great way to increase excitement leading up to your event. This is also a more organic way to showcase sponsors, as it is mixed in with posts from attendees. Simply create a new account with the sponsor's name, and post! For more info on the Wall, check this out.
Live Display
Grant your sponsor amazing visibility and branding opportunities with Live Display! Whether you would like to showcase one app sponsor, or give them all opportunities to be seen, Live Display is a great option to do just that. For more info on Live Display, check this out.
Maps
Link your Sponsor & Exhibitor Profiles to exactly where they will be on the interactive map. Your attendees will have the opportunity to go to the map directly, choose who they would like to visit, and see exactly how to get there. Alternatively, they can also go directly to the sponsor profile, click on their booth number or location, and it will show them exactly where they need to go! This is also a great option to highlight locations of after-hours events or meet-and-greets provided by your sponsors. For more info on the Map feature, check this out.
Sponsor-specific Web Link
Create a feature dedicated to your top tier sponsor for even more visibility. A Web Link feature is easy to create, and you can link to their website or special landing page. Custom feature icons can be uploaded to allow your sponsor's logo to be the icon. For more info on the Web Link feature, check this out.
Socio Streaming
If your event is hybrid or virtual, Socio Streaming is a great option for showcasing sponsors in your live streams! You can fully customize your stream with your own branding or your sponsors, including the theme color, logo, overlays, and even videos. Socio Streaming is an additional cost add-on feature, reach out to your Socio contact for pricing. For more info on Socio Streaming, check this out.
Event Game
The Event Game is a great way to get attendees engaged with your event! Why not monetize the game by giving the credit to a sponsor? The game's name can include "sponsored by "sponsor"", and you can even ask the sponsor if they'd like to provide the prize! Mention this in other marketing communications for even more visibility! For more info on the Event Game, check this out.
Game Challenges
Interact with sponsor to receive challenge code! This could include getting a badge scanned, or posting a picture to the Wall. This is a fun way to generate leads and encourage attendees to interact with and learn more about the Sponsor. You can even assign different numbers of points based on sponsorship tiers.
Event Code
If you're using the Event Code privacy setting option for your event, a creative option is to use the sponsor's name as the event code! For more info on privacy settings, check this out.
Titles Throughout the App
Consider adding "brought to you by "Sponsor"" to the Overview title, title of your event, description, sessions, booth locations, and more!
⚠️ Caution, keep these to a minimum. They'll have more impact when they are used sparingly!
Example of Sponsorship Tiers
While you can offer any of these options to sponsor's "a la carte", you may decide to provide different packages for your offerings, AKA "tiers". Pricing will be different for each event, because the audience and value are different for each event.
Gold 🥇
- A dedicated, exclusive feature icon
- Splash screen
- Announcement (push notification) "from" sponsor
- More links in their profile, such as a specific product page or social media
- Everything in the Silver and Bronze tiers
Silver 🥈
- Banner ad
- Game challenge
- Everything in the Bronze tier
Bronze 🥉
- Profile in Sponsor feature with a link to sponsor's website
- Sponsored session
- Titles (brought to you by "Sponsor") and internal links to Sponsor profile
- Map location
- 1 Wall post
⭐️Keep our other products in mind! If you're using our Lead Retrieval product, consider including that for your top tier sponsors! If you're using our Live Display product, consider providing a full banner ad for each top tier sponsor. Lower tiered sponsors can have a "combined" banner ad.
Have something else that worked well for your event? Let us know! 😉
We'd love to have a personalized conversation about your event! Reach out to your Socio contact to strategize on the best way to make your sponsors come back year after year.
Questions? Chat Us or Email [email protected]