Do Event Ads Work Better With Content? (with Brandt Krueger) | Ep. 8

EVENTASTIC Conference registration is now OPEN! The world's largest event about EVENTS!

Free + Virtual! Save your spot! https://www.eventastic.com/

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MASSIVE thank you to our Sponsor, Cvent!!

Cvent is an event marketing and management platform designed to help you plan, promote, and measure your events all in one place - whether they’re virtual, in-person, or hybrid.

Regardless of your size, check out Cvent today to get the tools you need to run smarter, more effective events.

Check out more at cvent.com/Jay

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🔗 Links & Resources

1. Brandt Krueger on LinkedIn

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Should your event advertisements send people directly to a registration form? Host Kristin Nagle asks industry veteran Brandt Krueger to weigh in on this common debate. Brandt breaks down why "cold" traffic often bounces when hit with an immediate ask and explains his strategy for warming up potential attendees first.

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They discuss the difference between injected ads versus host-read endorsements and why the "vibe" of an event matters before a user clicks buy. Later, things get controversial when Brandt explains why he would kill Spotify in a round of "Kiss, Marry, Kill."

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👤 Guest Bio

Brandt Krueger is a technical producer and educator with over 20 years of experience in the meetings and events industry. He is a globally recognized voice in event technology, advocating for a "human-first" approach to production. Brandt co-hosts the Event Tech Podcast and teaches the "Virtual Event and Meeting Management" certificate course for PCMA and the Event Leadership Institute.

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✅ The Event Question

Stacy from North Carolina asks:

"Should event ads lead directly to registration or to content first, like a highlight reel or agenda teaser?"

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📌 What You’ll Learn

1. Avoid cold asks: Do not send ad traffic straight to a registration form unless the user is already very familiar with the event.
2. Massage the decision: Use content to "warm up" the audience before asking for a commitment.
3. Focus on the funnel: Recognize that ad clicks are usually top-of-funnel actions where the user is just curious, not ready to buy.
4. Leverage personal influence: Host-read ads or personal endorsements often carry more weight than generic injected ads.
5. Provide context: Give potential attendees a chance to understand the "vibe" and details of the association or event before forcing a sign-up.

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🎭 The Ridiculous Question

The Question: "Kiss, Marry, Kill: Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube."

The Answer: Brandt kills Spotify (he prefers owning his music and dislikes their AI stance), kisses Netflix (it’s a flirtatious, dip-in-and-out relationship), and marries YouTube (for the utility and learning content).