Nielsen Business Media Hosts Photographers’ Virtual Trade Shows
Successful Program Presented by PDN with ON24 Virtual Show
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – June 8, 2009 – ON24, Inc., Nielsen Business Media’s Photo District News (https://www.pdnonline.com) has launched a new virtual trade show program. Powered by ON24, the new program has already proven to be hugely successful with exhibitors and attendees.
The PDN Photographers’ Virtual Show is a free online trade show for professional and advanced amateur photographers. The first show in the series, held May 21, provided attendees with the opportunity to visit virtual booths, receive one-on-one support and assistance, and evaluate and purchase the latest photography equipment. A robust program featured webcast panel discussions and online presentations. A second show is set for June 11, and, due to exhibitor demand, a follow-up series will be hosted later this year.
According to Eric Biener, Nielsen Business Media Vice President of Business Development, hosting a virtual show was a natural extension for PDN. “There is genuine passion in photography for new product information and opportunities for skill enhancement. The ON24 Virtual Show platform provides an ideal environment for our pre-determined key performance indicators, offering a perfect pairing of brand and audience.”
The show’s unique format, consisting of two events held two weeks apart, makes it possible for PDN to customize show content for different targets. While the first show was designed for professional photographers, the second show is being marketed to “prosumers,” serious consumers who are interested in new technologies and equipment. With its proximity to Father’s Day, the second show will feature “a major e-commerce component-attendees will be able to buy equipment right in the virtual booths,” Biener explained. “As a result, this show isn’t just a communication device. This is truly a 360-degree opportunity, leading all the way to the end transaction.”
Biener said that the unparalleled success of the first show means that exhibitor expectations for the entire program have already been exceeded. The following metrics from the May 21 event illustrate audience interest and engagement:
- Over 15,000 registrants
- Average number of booths visited per attendee-5
- Number of 1-to-1 chats-about 1,200
- Number of webcasts launched-close to 7,000
- Number of documents opened-more than 22,000
The May 21 show content is now available on demand, and that is expected to attract another several thousand viewers.
Biener, however, measures success in terms of user satisfaction. “If you focus on the user experience, everything else falls into place. It was the excitement of the user experience that really sent the first show to the next level.” He added that a virtual show is an ideal solution for reaching a technically sophisticated audience that values peer-to-peer communication and information-sharing. “The positive, real-time comments on Twitter, the feedback from exhibitors, the message board activity in the virtual lounge-they all demonstrated that we created a very successful playground for these people.”
Biener continued, “Our May 21 event came off beautifully. The ON24 team really came through and put this event together for us. I look forward to another success on June 11.” To attend, fill out the Photographers’ Virtual Trade Show registration form.
About PDN
Photo District News (PDN), the award-winning monthly magazine for the professional photographer, has been covering the professional photographic industry for over two decades. Every month, PDN delivers unbiased news and analysis, interviews, and portfolios of the latest photographic work. PDN delivers the information photographers need to survive in a competitive business — from marketing and business advice to legal issues, photographic techniques, new technologies, and more.
About Nielsen Business Media
Nielsen Business Media, a part of The Nielsen Company, is a leading market-focused provider of integrated information and sales and marketing solutions, helping businesses go to market more effectively and efficiently. Serving more than 30 individual industries, spanning entertainment, media and marketing, retail, travel and performance and design, Nielsen Business Media provides business-to-business products and services in print, online and in person.
About ON24 Virtual Show
ON24 Virtual Show is a flexible communications and demand generation solution that provides a virtual venue for events such as trade shows, partner pavilions, conferences and training summits. With its professional networking capabilities, ON24 Virtual Show makes virtual events more engaging and interactive. Without ever leaving their desks, participants can learn from video presentations, interact with exhibitors and communicate with peers using professional networking tools. In addition, with its complete registration system and ability to track attendee activity, ON24 Virtual Show delivers robust reporting analytics.
About ON24, Inc.
ON24, Inc. is the global leader in webcasting and virtual events. ON24 provides a full range of innovative solutions for applications such as demand generation, corporate communications and training and continuing education. More than 700 organizations in publishing, technology, life sciences, government, and financial services rely on ON24, including IBM, Cisco, United Business Media, Credit Suisse, GE Healthcare, Hewlett-Packard, Motorola and the National Science Foundation. ON24 is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in New York, London and Singapore.