33 sponsorship ideas for virtual events

Delivering value to sponsors can feel almost impossible these days. In-person events are on hiatus, and so are most of the traditional sponsorships. But don’t worry – there are tons of great ways to engage your sponsors, provide value, and keep those dollars rolling in! 

Here's our quick and dirty list of sponsorship ideas based on what we’ve seen work for us, our customers, and in the events industry at large. Scroll to the bottom for the full list! 

1. Sponsored Email Blasts
   This option is familiar, so it pretty much sells itself. Target your event registrants or any other segments of your audience with emails that feature your sponsors and what they offer. Include special deals and compelling calls to action (CTAs) to drive more clicks and conversions. 
   
   
2. Social Media Posts
   Be sure to thank your sponsors with friendly shout-out posts leading up to the event. You can even try bundling a series of social media posts into your sponsorship package, which is a great way to guarantee exposure for sponsors without adding inbox clutter for your viewers.
   
   
3. Sponsored Ad Retargeting
   Target your audience members with sponsored ads that follow them all over the web leading up to the event. Ad retargeting guarantees broad, multi-touch exposure for sponsors, and there’s virtually limitless “inventory” to sell, since you’re not limited by space.
   
   
4. Spotlight Articles
   Write your own piece about the sponsor, or have them provide you with an article that you can share on their behalf – just make sure it’s not too salesy. Try a straightforward feature on the business, an interview with an executive, or a fun and simple highlight. 
   
   
5. Sponsored Chats & Pop-ups
   Leverage the web traffic you already have to engage visitors and highlight sponsors. The engagement rate for this is very high, it’s an awesome lead-capture opportunity for sponsors, and it’s super measurable – all making it an easy option to pitch.
   
   
6. Waiting Room/Transition Slides
   Display sponsored slides while people are staring at their screens waiting for the next session to start. Switch these out to showcase multiple sponsors between sessions, or pitch this to just one or two sponsors as a premium option that guarantees exposure throughout the event.
   
   
7. Official Intro Video
   Have your sponsor create a video introducing their brand, and then play it during the event when people are most likely to be engaged – like before a major session. The goal is brand awareness for the sponsor, so make sure they include their logo and keep it short and sweet.
   
   
8. Sponsor “Commercial” + Pop-Up CTA
   This video should offer more detailed information from the sponsor plus a CTA that attendees can click on to learn more. At the end of each day, provide your sponsor with a list of the leads who opted in rather than sharing your entire attendee list.
   
   
9. Mid-Session Pop-Up CTA
   There’s no better time to catch a viewer’s attention than during a session, especially if the CTA is relevant to the session’s content. Run sponsored pop-ups mid-session, and pass along any opt-ins to the sponsor. Just make sure the pop-up placement isn’t too disruptive!
   
   
10. Sponsor Rep Introduces Speaker Live
    Ask a rep from the sponsor side to host a session and introduce the speaker. Some friendly banter can help start things off on a good tone and make the sponsor feel more accessible. This is a common tactic at in-person events, and it happens to work really well for virtual, too. 
    

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