Getting high-quality sign-ups for your B2B event isn’t just about attracting more registrations—it’s about bringing in the right attendees who will engage, convert, and bring value to your business.
So, should you focus on organic marketing (SEO, content, LinkedIn engagement) or paid advertising (LinkedIn Ads, Google Ads, retargeting)? The answer depends on your event goals, budget, and timeline.
Let’s break down the pros, cons, and best use cases for each approach, so you can decide which strategy will drive the most event registrations.
The Case for Organic Event Marketing
What It Is:
Organic event marketing involves free or low-cost strategies that build long-term visibility and engagement without paying for direct traffic. This includes:
✔ SEO-optimized event landing pages
✔ LinkedIn content & thought leadership posts
✔ Email marketing campaigns
✔ Community engagement & partnerships
✔ Referral & word-of-mouth marketing
Pros of Organic Marketing for Event Sign-Ups
✔ Cost-Effective: No ad spend required, making it a great long-term strategy for events with smaller budgets.
✔ Builds Brand Authority: Thought leadership content and SEO make your brand more credible in your industry.
✔ Better Quality Sign-Ups: Attendees from organic channels are often more engaged because they actively sought out your event.
✔ Long-Term Benefits: Unlike paid ads, SEO and content marketing continue to generate sign-ups even after your campaign ends.
Cons of Organic Marketing
❌ Takes Time: SEO and content marketing take weeks or months to build traction.
❌ Limited Reach: Without ads, you’re mostly reaching your existing network and not enough new prospects.
❌ Requires Consistency: Organic strategies need ongoing effort—you can’t just post once and expect results.
Best Use Cases for Organic Marketing
For repeat events or annual conferences (so SEO and content marketing have time to work)
For building a long-term community around your brand (e.g., LinkedIn engagement, newsletters)
For high-ticket, executive-level events where decision-makers need time to trust your brand
The Case for Paid Event Marketing
What It Is:
Paid event marketing includes advertising strategies that drive immediate traffic to your event registration page. This includes:
✔ LinkedIn Ads & Sponsored Posts
✔ Google Search & Display Ads
✔ Retargeting Ads for Abandoned Registrations
✔ Paid influencer & industry sponsorships
Pros of Paid Marketing for Event Sign-Ups
✔ Faster Results: Ads drive immediate traffic to your event registration page.
✔ Scalability: The more budget you allocate, the more reach you get—ideal for large-scale events.
✔ Better Targeting: Paid ads allow you to target specific job titles, industries, and locations for high-quality leads.
✔ Retargeting Captures Lost Leads: If someone visited your event page but didn’t sign up, retargeting ads can bring them back.
Cons of Paid Marketing
❌ Costs Can Add Up: If not optimized, ad spend can be high with low-quality leads.
❌ Doesn’t Build Long-Term Authority: Once you stop paying, the traffic disappears.
❌ Requires Expertise: Running effective ads requires A/B testing, audience targeting, and optimization.
Best Use Cases for Paid Marketing
For large-scale conferences, trade shows, and summits that need fast sign-ups
For time-sensitive event registrations (e.g., last-minute ticket sales, flash promotions)
For targeting niche audiences where organic reach is limited
Organic vs. Paid: Which One Works Best?
If You Have Time & Want Long-Term ROI → Go Organic
✔ SEO and thought leadership will continue generating sign-ups even after the event.
✔ Works well for repeat events or community-based initiatives.
If You Need Fast Sign-Ups → Invest in Paid Ads
✔ LinkedIn and Google Ads can immediately bring in attendees who match your ideal audience.
✔ Retargeting ensures you don’t lose prospects who visited but didn’t register.
The Best Strategy? A Hybrid Approach
The most effective B2B event marketing strategies combine both organic and paid efforts. Here’s how:
✔ Use organic marketing for brand authority & SEO, so people find your event naturally.
✔ Use paid marketing to boost visibility & accelerate registrations when you need immediate traction.
✔ Retarget visitors who didn’t sign up with ads + nurture emails for higher conversion rates.
Real-World Example: Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Virtual Conference
A notable example of effective event promotion is the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and their annual conference, WE20. Faced with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, SWE transitioned to a virtual format and sought innovative marketing strategies to boost attendance. Partnering with the David James Group, they implemented a comprehensive digital marketing campaign that included:
Retargeting Ads: Utilizing Feathr's platform, they targeted previous website visitors with tailored ads, reminding them to register for the conference.
Email Mapping and Keyword Search Campaigns: These strategies aimed to reach potential attendees based on their online behaviors and interests.
The results were remarkable:
Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): Achieved a 4,303% ROAS, with an investment of $1,678 in ads generating $72,207 in registration revenue.
Attendance: Nearly 20,000 participants attended WE20, marking it as one of their most successful conferences.
Final Thoughts
No single strategy works for every event. Organic marketing builds trust and long-term event awareness, while paid marketing gets fast sign-ups and targeted reach.
With Localista, you can track which event marketing channels drive the most conversions, automate personalized follow-ups, and optimize your event strategy in real time.
