Media covering the Consumer Electronics Show in January will have a single online destination for information about products and services from the more than 3,000 exhibitors in Eureka Park, the section of the show dedicated to start-ups. For the second year in a row, show organizers have partnered with Launch.it to provide a searchable online platform where these exhibitors can upload company news, product details, contacts, and more. The service essentially replaces the need for printed media kits, flash drives, and other traditional press materials at a trade show.
“The event industry has a built-in audience,” said Trace Cohen, Launch.it president and co-founder. "It’s PR’s best friend. Everyone you want to talk to is there, everyone’s excited to find out what’s new, and yet a lot of shows don’t lead with news. You have to sift through the noise. By creating a digital presence for this news, it’s generating so much more content online that these industries never really had before." In addition to C.E.S., Launch.it has provided digital media centers for the Sweets & Snacks Expo, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Social Media Week, and more.
Launch.it works with show organizers to develop the news platform, which can be an independent Web site or embedded into a show’s existing site. Show organizers determine the fee exhibitors pay to be included on the site, generally ranging from $100 to $500 each, and they share that revenue with Launch.it. Alternately, organizers can opt to pay the entire cost for the system and offer free access to exhibitors. Users, which may include media, show attendees, sponsors, and other exhibitors, can view the site for free.
The news site goes live about three to six months before a show, but prior to that Launch.it uses emails and webinars to educate exhibitors on how to use the system. “We give a run-through of the platform and explain the concept of social media marketing, content marketing, how to stream video and audio, how to use it to build buzz and have lasting S.E.O. after a show ends,” Cohen said. Exhibitors upload their own content, which can include documents, images, and videos, plus tags to make it searchable.
A Launch.it home page includes a “top 10” list of the stories garnering the most engagement through clicks, comments, shares, and other metrics. Below that is a Pinterest-style gallery of product images that represent individual stories. Within each story, exhibitors can customize a variety of action buttons, including “buy it,” which directs the reader to a point of purchase; “cover it,” which directs the reader to a media contact; and “invest in it,” which can lead to a crowdfunding link. Readers can also choose to follow the writer, brand, or industry to receive future updates. Exhibitors can include their booth numbers in the stories, and they can determine whether the content should publish immediately or at a later date. Cohen said they can also work with a show’s mobile app provider to share the site’s content in the app.
The system provides detailed data to exhibitors regarding page views, time on page, downloads, shares, and other statistics.
