Event marketing in 2026: AI, PPC and revenue growth strategies for B2B events (Event Marketing Digest - May 2026)
In this MPG Digest email, 5 months into 2026…
We summarise our top 5 most-read blogs published so far in 2026. These show how AI should now be embedded in every event marketing strategy and campaign.
This is followed by a list of MPG’s top 5 services - a useful benchmark if you want to know where other event organisers are investing in commercially-focused marketing initiatives. Get in touch to find out more about what we do and request a quote.
To wrap up, you’ll find MPG’s Diary - listing the free in-person and online gatherings we will be hosting for our valued community in the coming months. For our latest schedule of events and to request an invitation, please drop me a line on helen@mpg.biz.
YOUR SUMMARY OF MPG'S RECENT INSIGHT PIECES
4 important questions to ask your event marketer before spending more money on PPC ARTICLE
This blog outlines four essential questions to ask the person managing your PPC/Paid Media budget - to ensure this investment is driving commercial results rather than being wasted on vanity metrics like clicks and impressions. It emphasises the critical need for robust conversion tracking, synchronised ad messaging, and website optimisation to transform incoming traffic into registrations. AI is a key element in this framework because while platform algorithms automate campaign targeting, human oversight is strictly required to train these AI systems properly and protect the brand from poor-quality, auto-generated "AI slop" copy and visuals.
Sponsorship marketing: a guide for every revenue-focused conference organiser ARTICLE
How can conference organisers unlock massive untapped revenue? By treating sponsorship marketing as a distinct, strategic discipline rather than a basic add-on to delegate marketing. This blog provides a comprehensive framework for driving commercial results, focusing on sales alignment, story-led value propositions, and a structured timeline spanning up to a year before the event. Automated technologies, including AI, are critical elements for implementing this strategy by tracking end-to-end data metrics and capturing intent signals to streamline the high-value sponsor journey.
If you’re relying on email to promote your event, you’re in trouble ARTICLE
Declining email engagement across the events industry is driven by a fundamental shift in fragmented buyer behaviour rather than a crisis in marketing competence. Event organisers must stop relying on email as an independent engine and instead build a coordinated, multi-channel marketing ecosystem to capture non-linear buyer journeys. AI is a key element in this new strategy because marketers must intelligently utilise AI tools to prevent "copy slop" in email copy while simultaneously optimising their websites for modern AI-powered search discovery.
Is your B2B event marketing ready for a laugh? ARTICLE
Carefully planned humour and memes can boost community engagement and drive registrations in B2B event marketing campaigns. This blog outlines 6 strategic guidelines for event organisers, emphasising the importance of audience demographics, cultural contexts, and maintaining a consistent content mix. AI serves as a key element in this process by enabling marketers to quickly generate short, low-cost video content using tools like Google Gemini to scale their creative ideas.
Why event website optimisation is now a commercial priority for B2B event marketers ARTICLE
Optimising your event websites is a critical commercial priority because hidden friction points, unclear value propositions, and poor user journeys directly drain revenue. This blog emphasises that marketers must treat website performance as an ongoing strategy focused on integrating conversion rate optimisation (CRO), traditional SEO, and modern visibility standards. Search behaviour has shifted, requiring websites to have clear structures, credibility signals, and distinct page purposes so AI-powered research tools can easily discover and surface the event to prospective buyers.
AI in event marketing: your practical 4-step guide ARTICLE
This blog outlines a structured framework for event marketers to test, evaluate, and adopt AI tools while avoiding the trap of falling for vendor hype and FOMO. It emphasises evaluating tools based on commercial impact, measuring clear ROI, and running contained pilots before executing a full-scale rollout. Marketers should first look for built-in AI functionalities within their existing tech stacks - like HubSpot Breeze or Canva - to efficiently save time and drive revenue.
MPG'S TOP 5 SERVICES IN 2026
MPG is a team of hands-on specialists delivering data-driven marketing that grows events and revenue. Enquire about our services via this form for a chat and a quote.
Here are MPG’s top services in 2026 - where we’ve seen event organisers making significant investments over the past 6 months:
(1) PPC/Paid Media campaigns
Ensuring your marketing reaches your target audience beyond your email database and reinforces the marketing: MPG delivers the strategies, campaign plans and optimised digital campaigns for strong commercial results - leveraging AI-driven algorithms in the best way.
(2) HubSpot implementation and optimisation
Getting the most out of a strong HubSpot implementation or HubSpot set up already in place can be game-changing - especially when deploying automation and new AI features available. As an established HubSpot partner, MPG supports many event organisers in getting the most out of this powerful tool.
(3) Conversion tracking and attribution reporting (GA4/GTM)
When event marketers and their stakeholders have easy access to complete and accurate data on how their campaigns are performing, an events business can really thrive. But this is a dangerous blind spot for many. MPG’s hands-on analytics specialists can solve this by implementing exactly what is needed to be a commercial impactful, data-driven conference or tradeshow organiser.
(4) Spex marketing strategies, operations and campaigns
To enable steady, systematic and scalable new client acquisition and to support client retention and growth, MPG delivers the strategic and operational playbooks, assets, infrastructure, processes and campaigns needed to ensure strong and growing revenue from sponsors and exhibitors. MPG’s hands-on work by spex marketing experts delivers strong and visible ROI.
(5) Delegate acquisition strategies, operations and campaigns
Well co-ordinated, multi-channel and fully optimised marketing is needed to deliver the profile and number of attendees a conference needs to lead the market. MPG’s hands-on work implementing our tried and tested methodology incorporates the tools needed for efficient, scalable and impactful marcomms. Our approach and unique marketing performance dashboards ensure your campaigns are data-driven and AI-enabled.
MPG DIARY
Upcoming MPG hosted gatherings:
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MPG Event Marketing Leaders Roundtable (IN PERSON - for senior executives only) - 9 July, London:
In an AI-driven world, as email performance declines, what is the new winning approach to event marketing?
Request an invitation
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MPG Lunch & Learn - Online (by invitation only) 10th July
What every event marketer should know about PPC and paid media for conferences and trade shows.
Request an invitation
All MPG events are designed as learning, training and development opportunities for event marketers at every level. The full MPG events schedule for the rest of 2026 is currently being finalised. Get in touch to request the finalised info.
Past MPG events - materials are available upon request:
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Event marketing in 2026 and beyond: what are our strategic and tactical priorities?
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Getting spex marketing right to boost revenue - what is the best approach for my business?
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AI in PPC for B2B Events
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Winning visibility in an AI-driven search world: what every B2B event marketer should know about AI optimisation, data and search
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Effective PPC for B2B events: getting the right creative into your ads
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Sponsor marketing: what does a sponsor marketing campaign look like? How does this differ from and intersect with delegate marketing?
Upcoming Events we're attending:
ACTIVATE by Gleanin - 3rd June, online, free, 2-3pm BST
Event Tech Live London - 11-12th November, ExCeL London
The Definitive AI Forum for Media, Information & Events 2026 - 18th November, Stationers' Hall, London
And that’s a wrap for May.
If you’d like to talk about how you can get more out of your investment in event marketing, please drop me a line on helen@mpg.biz.
