With standbys like search and social proving harder to rely on, what’s a digital event marketer to do? One idea: Lean into quality (and maybe an influencer or two).

By Ernie Smith

If you’ve been around the block a few times, you likely know that the competitive landscape changes often. But it’s possible we’re seeing a landscape change that even hardened digital marketers might struggle to grasp. 

Recently, news came out that Google’s overall search was starting to decline in some browsers, and its recent emphasis on AI overviews has at times led has started to discourage people from clicking on links.

Add to all that the fact that many social networks have started to minimize the impact of your average link, and you might start to worry about it getting harder than ever to drive signups to your next event.

You might have to market without being able to rely on clicks—”zero-click marketing,” as it’s called. Sounds scary, but it’s doable, according to SparkToro CEO Rand Fishkin.

“I don't believe the death of clicks will lead directly to negative impacts on the events field,” Fishkin, an iconic figure in the SEO world, says. “Instead, my guess is that event marketers will simply have to evolve to prioritize engagement that doesn't rely on a click.”

But that’s not the only point of pressure. Nick Borelli, the marketing director of the “ethical facial analysis” firm Zenus, points to AI’s broader impact on traditional marketing, which is making it easier for even small teams to produce a ton of content.

“For marketers, instead of the potency of shotgun approaches, it becomes more of a game of segmentation and personalization, and trying to figure out how you can scale that, he says.

These shifts could be a little harrowing, but it’s still possible to succeed by leaning into them. A few ideas:

Focus on a kernel of quality. Borelli says that in a world where every content shop can produce decent content on every platform, the goal should be to get beyond the low-hanging fruit. One way to do that, he says, is by “focusing on the kernel at the center,” and using that as a starting point. In that situation, the role of AI is that of a support system, putting in the grunt work to help support the main message on secondary platforms. “Quality ends up being the differentiator—and even there, the bar has been raised considerably too,” he adds.

Build up your “mentions.” Recently, a Fortune article made the case for “winning the mentions,” the idea that building a strong brand reputation is becoming an essential part of staying part of the conversation with LLMs. That might mean focusing more heavily on your social media audience or becoming more game for interviews. Fishkin agrees, but emphasizes that it’s likely that larger events will win out over niches. “Like many things in the U.S. economy right now, that means bigger and more popular events will likely benefit, while niche/smaller events struggle,” he says.

Get a grasp on “zero click.” In the past, getting people to read about your event was as easy as putting up a website and hoping Google might find it. Fishkin says that the traditional funnel is still there—but the path to a sale might be more complex, requiring more engagement to prime the pump. “Zero-click doesn't mean zero transactions,” Fishkin says. “When people are (finally) nudged to make a purchase, they still do. It's just the messy middle of consuming content, considering options, comparing alternatives, etc. where clicks are really on the decline.”

Own more of your audience. Gatekeepers abound online, but they don’t have to shape your relationship with your audience, especially if you can build an owned audience through a medium like podcasting or newsletters. Borelli says that, beyond getting beyond a name of scale, and reach, this can help increase authenticity. “When a team of any scale can produce just an absolute volume of content, that you're going to have to play the game differently to succeed,” he says.

Make room for influencers in your strategy. Influencers have become a much more dominant force online in recent years, and they mesh perfectly with event marketing. “What people are going to crave is authenticity, which is definitely the stock-in-trade of an influencer,” Borelli says. Many influencers are big-fish-in-small pond “microinfluencers” who may not necessarily be famous, but their niche dominance can be perfect for promoting an event. But it’s important to keep in mind that they’re not just there to promote stuff, but to build an audience connection.

Should your next keynoter be an influencer? Borelli thinks that could be the natural next step. “I think that you're not going to hear about people unless they have enough acumen on social to rise up,” he says.

The result is a ground game that is going to feel sharply different from what it once was. Maybe it won’t be search that wins the day, but the right mentions in the right place—along with a more personalized approach.

Think you can pull it off?