Event Content Strategies For Engaging Audiences Year-Round with Emilie Lewis

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Session Overview

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How are you leveraging your event content all year long? Event content serves as a high-impact accelerator to engage your audience during the event, and across marketing channels long after the event has ended.

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Emilie Lewis, SVP of Marketing, Audience, and Content Strategy at Emerald joins us for this exclusive live Sessions to dive deep into the evolving strategies for keeping your audience engaged—not just during your event, but 365 days a year.

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This discussion covered three critical elements:

1. Audience Engagement & Content Strategy at the Event: Discover how to craft a content strategy that captivates your attendees from the moment they arrive. We’ll explore tactics to ensure your content resonates, keeps your audience engaged throughout, and fosters meaningful connections in real-time.

2. The Role of Experiences in Driving Engagement: Learn how immersive, impactful experiences can boost engagement at the event and beyond. We’ll explore why experiences are more than just moments; they’re pivotal touchpoints that connect audiences to your brand throughout the year.

3. Post-Event Content Syndication & Engagement: The event may be over, but the conversation shouldn’t be. We’ll discuss how to repurpose and syndicate event content to maintain audience interaction long after the event ends. From strategic content distribution to ongoing audience engagement, you’ll gain actionable insights to keep your community connected year-round.

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Whether you're looking to optimize your event’s content strategy, enhance audience engagement, or leverage post-event content to extend the conversation, this will provide you with the tools to succeed.

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Session Transcript

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Bryan Funk [00:00:00]

Today, I’m thrilled to have Emilie Lewis, SVP of Marketing, Audience, and Content Strategy at Emerald, here to discuss content strategies and audience engagement.

Emilie, welcome. Thanks so much for joining us.

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Emilie Lewis [00:02:00]

Thank you, Bryan, and thank you to Sessionboard. We love the product—it makes our lives so much easier. I’m excited to be here and to chat with everyone today.

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Bryan Funk [00:02:30]

Before we dive in, can you tell us a bit about yourself? What’s your background, and how did you get to where you are today?

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Emilie Lewis [00:02:45]

Sure! My title is SVP of Marketing, Audience Acquisition, and Content Strategy. In short, I oversee marketing teams, media, and conference content. Anything involving brand perception, event content, or media strategies falls under my purview.

As for my background, I grew up in a one-stoplight town in the South and now live in Los Angeles. I’ve lived overseas, worked in New York, and had some fantastic opportunities throughout my career. I started in fashion, managing events like Coterie in New York, and even opened wholesale showrooms in Australia. I’ve worked for brands like Nike, which I always say was my “Brand Marketing 101” experience. Over time, my career has revolved around marketing and events, whether in-house for brands or at B2B trade shows.

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Bryan Funk [00:05:00]

How does your background in brand marketing influence your approach to event marketing?

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Emilie Lewis [00:05:30]

They’re one and the same. Marketing is expansive, and often, when no one knows where a task belongs, it ends up with the marketing team. I started in marketing before social media and digital marketing existed. Back then, we relied on in-person experiences and storytelling. Guerrilla marketing was the norm—targeting geographic locations, flyering cars, working with local publications. Despite all the advancements, the core remains the same: evoke emotion and drive conversations. Then, turn those conversations into actionable data to support the business.

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Bryan Funk [00:08:00]

I love that perspective. Let’s dive into audience engagement. How do you define a strong content strategy for events, and what are its key components?

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Emilie Lewis [00:09:00]

At its core, every relationship—whether personal or professional—hinges on communication. As marketers, we often overcomplicate things. Think about dating: if someone ghosts you after a great conversation, you’re unlikely to engage with them again. That’s exactly what happens when we fail to maintain year-round communication with our audience.

Too often, we focus intensely on the pre-event phase, engage heavily during the event, send a thank-you email afterward, and then go silent for months. This creates a retention problem. It’s not that audiences don’t want to hear from us; it’s that we’re not providing relevant content. A strong content strategy involves consistent, meaningful engagement that avoids “ghosting” our customers.

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Bryan Funk [00:12:00]

You’ve highlighted the importance of breaking down silos. How can event teams collaborate more effectively within broader marketing ecosystems?

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Emilie Lewis [00:14:00]

It starts with communication. While my current role focuses exclusively on events, I’ve worked in organizations where events were just one part of the business. At companies like Nike, for example, the focus wasn’t on selling shoes but on selling emotions—empowerment, happiness, inspiration. That mission came from the top and permeated every department.

For marketers, the key is talking to your customers and your colleagues. Understand the challenges faced by your sales and operations teams, and align your strategies accordingly. Listening to customers is crucial. They often provide insights that data alone can’t capture. Building strong cross-functional relationships ensures everyone is working toward the same goals.

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Bryan Funk [00:18:00]

Do you have an example of how customer feedback has influenced your event strategy?

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Emilie Lewis [00:19:00]

Yes! At one point, we considered changing the date of a major event. Data suggested it was the right move, but a focus group provided critical insights we hadn’t considered. One comment completely shifted our perspective, and we ultimately decided against the date change. It reinforced the importance of balancing data with direct customer conversations.

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Bryan Funk [00:22:00]

What’s your approach to pre-event, during-event, and post-event content?

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Emilie Lewis [00:23:00]

Honestly, I don’t see content in those terms. Content should be a continuous conversation. It’s not about us; it’s about the audience. People’s favorite topic is themselves, so we need to focus on their needs, challenges, and successes. Segment your audience, identify common hurdles, and create content that addresses those pain points. Spotlight customers and let them share their stories.

For example, post-event content shouldn’t just recap what happened. Use it to highlight industry trends, share customer insights, and keep the conversation going. This establishes your brand as a thought leader and keeps your audience engaged year-round.

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Bryan Funk [00:30:00]

Any advice for getting actionable feedback from your audience?

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Emilie Lewis [00:31:00]

Surveys are helpful but can be overdone. Keep them short and specific. On-site, use tools like QR codes for quick feedback. Beyond surveys, host small regional events, dinners, or coffee meetups to connect with attendees in a casual setting. These human-to-human interactions often yield the most valuable insights.

Also, don’t hesitate to ask your broader network for feedback. Sometimes, the best ideas come from outside your immediate circle. Be open to having conversations that go beyond data and dive into genuine customer experiences.

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Bryan Funk [00:40:00]

Thank you, Emilie, for sharing your insights. Before we wrap, how can folks connect with you or learn more about your events?

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Emilie Lewis [00:41:00]

You can find me on LinkedIn at Emilie Lewis (with an “IE” spelling). For information on our events, visit MJBizCon or Emerald’s website. MJBizCon is my current focus, happening December 3-6 in Las Vegas.

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Bryan Funk [00:43:00]

Thank you, Emilie, and thank you to everyone who joined us today. We’ll share a recap with key takeaways. Stay tuned for next week’s session, and good luck with your upcoming events!