Building Event Communities Through Targeted Content and Engagement

About the Episode

How do you turn a trade show into a community people keep coming back to?

In this episode of the Epic Events Podcast, host Muhammad Younas chats with Georgina Kay, the marketing manager behind International Confex. Gina shares how she singlehandedly runs the marketing for one of the UK’s biggest industry events and why connection, not just conversion, drives her strategy.

She walks through how she uses data to tailor content by audience segment, builds entire campaign calendars eight months in advance, and adjusts show elements like floor plans and theater names based on attendee feedback. 

You’ll also hear her candid thoughts on avoiding generic marketing, dealing with last-minute registrations, and how even with a small team, you can foster meaningful engagement year-round.

This is a practical, honest look at what it takes to grow not just event attendance but a true event community.

Key Takeaways: 

• Build your marketing calendar early to create space for deeper engagement.
  
• Segment content by audience type to drive higher open and conversion rates.
  
• Use attendee feedback to shape programming and floor plans, not just surveys for show.
  
• Swap generic email blasts for tailored, testable sequences that evolve over time.
  
• Keep your community in mind by meeting them where they spend their time, whether that’s on Instagram, LinkedIn, or in person.
  
• Use tools like AI GPTs and WhatsApp concierges to reduce friction and boost attendee experience.
  
• Partner with existing communities to amplify your reach and stay grounded in real audience needs.
  
• Focus on quality connections over surface metrics. Meeting facilitation and onsite value matter more than vanity numbers.
  
• Don’t treat registration as a one-time goal; engagement starts the moment someone visits your site.