• MarTech Today
  • Sections
    • Ads
    • Marketing
    • Content
    • Sales
    • Analytics
    • Management
    • Resources
    • More
    • Home
  • Follow Us
    • Follow
  • MarTech Today
  • Ads
  • Marketing
  • Content
  • Sales
  • Analytics
  • Mgmt
  • Resources
  • More
  • Events
    • Follow
  • SUBSCRIBE

MarTech Today

MarTech Today
  • Ads
  • Marketing
  • Content
  • Sales
  • Analytics
  • Management
  • Resources
  • More
  • Events
  • Newsletters
  • Home
Martech: Marketing

Many marketers unlikely to attend in-person conferences until COVID-19 vaccine

Overall, respondents said there was just a 4-out-of-10 chance they would attend a conference through the rest of the year.

Henry Powderly on May 11, 2020 at 3:42 pm
  • More

The majority of marketers say they will not attend any conferences or live events in 2020 unless a vaccine is available that would protect them from COVID-19.

In fact, more than 66% of those surveyed said they would only attend online or virtual events in the fourth quarter without a proven vaccine in place.

More than 250 marketers answered our survey. The majority hailed from the United States, though we saw many respondents from regions in Europe and Asia.

Overall, respondents said there was just a 4-out-of-10 chance they would attend a conference through the rest of the year.

That sentiment comes as the United States this week passed 80,000 deaths tied to coronavirus and many states are beginning to lift restrictions aimed at enforcing social distancing.

Several vaccines are being developed and tested now, and one has moved into Phase II trials. 

What can we do

Like restaurants, concert halls, sporting events and other businesses that rely on bringing people together for shared experiences, the COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating for the trade show and conference businesses.

In addition to major conferences like SXSW, HIMSS and Dreamforce, small shows across the country have canceled. And like us, who ran our Discover MarTech event virtually in April and will be running our SMX Next event online in June, many conferences have pivoted to digital formats. 

But the value and experience for attendees, exhibitors, speakers and marketers is hard to replicate in a webinar platform. That’s why we asked our survey audience what organizers can do to make the prospect of attending a conference in the fall more acceptable to them.

“Regular temperature checks and a way to allow for distance, but still an opportunity to network or go to booths,” wrote one respondent. “Limited numbers, seating charts, adhering and showing how you’re adhering to all health guidelines ahead of the event,” wrote another.

But even those precautions may not allay fears.

“Even if you took extensive precautions, I don’t know if it would be enough to make everyone feel safe,” one respondent said.

In order to track how that sentiment is changing, we will be redeploying the survey every few weeks. We will publish results on MarTech Today, Search Engine Land and Marketing Land.



About The Author

Henry Powderly
Henry Powderly is vice president of content for Third Door Media, publishers of Search Engine Land, Marketing Land and MarTech Today. With more than a decade in editorial leadership positions, he is responsible for content strategy and event programming for the organization.

Related Topics

Channel: Martech: Marketing

Subscribe to receive daily martech news and expert insights. See terms.


We're listening.

Have something to say about this article? Share it with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Get the daily newsletter digital marketers rely on.
See terms.

ATTEND OUR EVENTS

MarTech 2021: March 16-17

MarTech 2021: Sept. 14-15

MarTech 2020: Watch On-Demand

×

Attend MarTech - Click Here


Learn More About Our MarTech Events

White Papers

  • Digital Marketing Report Q4 2020: Benchmarks and Insights for 2021
  • Data SEO – The Next Big Adventure
  • Getting Started with Email Marketing Automation
  • The State of Local Marketing Report 2020-2021
  • Quality CRM Data: The Key to Delivering Great Customer Experiences
See More Whitepapers

Webinars

  • How to Avoid the Digital Transformation Trap
  • How to Build a Marketing System of Record
  • Meet BIMI: The brand-boosting email security marketers must have for 2021
See More Webinars

Research Reports

  • Local Marketing Solutions for Multi-Location Businesses
  • Enterprise Digital Asset Management Platforms
  • Identity Resolution Platforms
  • Customer Data Platforms
  • B2B Marketing Automation Platforms
  • Call Analytics Platforms
See More Research

Receive daily martech news and analysis.
Martech Today
Download the Martech Today app on iTunes
Download the Martech Today App on Google Play

Channels

  • Advertising
  • Marketing
  • Content
  • Social
  • Commerce
  • Sales
  • Analytics
  • Management
  • Home

Our Events

  • MarTech
  • SMX

Resources

  • White Papers
  • Research
  • Webinars
  • MarTech Conference

About

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Marketing Opportunities
  • Staff
  • Connect With Us

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Newsletters
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • iOS App
  • Google Play

© 2021 Third Door Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Your privacy means the world to us. We share your personal information only when you give us explicit permission to do so, and confirm we have your permission each time. Learn more by viewing our privacy policy.Ok