Measure your event communication reach: KPIs and practical analytics
TL;DR — Measuring your event communication reach requires tracking 4 key KPIs: adoption rate, total reach, conversions, and ROI. Use UTM, an integrated dashboard, and CSV exports to have a complete view of your strategy's impact.
1) Why measure reach
The challenges
Without measurement:
- Impossible to know what works
- Budget allocated without justification
- No optimization possible
- Difficult to justify investment
With measurement:
- Identification of effective levers
- Continuous optimization
- Budget justification
- ROI demonstration
The 3 measurement levels
Level 1: Adoption
- How many exhibitors use the kit?
- Which formats are most downloaded?
- When do exhibitors download?
Level 2: Reach
- How many impressions generated?
- On which channels?
- What audience reached?
Level 3: Impact
- How many registrations generated?
- What cost per registration?
- What overall ROI?
2) KPI #1: Adoption rate
Definition
Adoption rate = % of exhibitors who downloaded ≥ 1 visual
Calculation:
Adoption rate = (Exhibitors who downloaded / Total exhibitors) × 100
Targets by segment
Small event (< 200 exhibitors):
- Target: 40-50%
- Excellent: > 50%
Medium event (200-500 exhibitors):
- Target: 35-45%
- Excellent: > 45%
Large event (> 500 exhibitors):
- Target: 25-35%
- Excellent: > 35%
Complementary metrics
Adoption rate by format:
- LinkedIn square: X%
- LinkedIn landscape: Y%
- Email header: Z%
- Email signature: W%
Adoption timeline:
- Adoption at T-8: X%
- Adoption at T-4: Y%
- Adoption at T-1: Z%
Re-adoption rate:
- Exhibitors downloading multiple formats
- Exhibitors downloading at multiple times
3) KPI #2: Total reach
Definition
Total reach = total number of impressions generated by exhibitor communication
Estimated calculation:
Reach = (Number of posts shared × Average impressions/post)
Impression estimates by channel
LinkedIn:
- Feed post: 300-800 impressions/post (depending on network)
- Article with image: 500-1,200 impressions/article
- Link share: 200-600 impressions/share
Email:
- Newsletter: number of subscribers × open rate (30-40% B2B)
- Email signature: number of emails sent × view rate
Website:
- Dedicated page: number of unique visitors
- Blog: number of article views
Measurement methods
Method 1: Direct tracking
- UTM on shared links
- Google Analytics / LinkedIn Analytics
- Precise but partial measurement
Method 2: Estimation
- Number of posts × average impressions
- Simple but approximate
- Useful for order of magnitude
Method 3: Sampling
- Manual tracking of exhibitor sample
- Extrapolation to whole
- Good precision/effort compromise
4) KPI #3: Conversions
Definition
Conversions = actions generated by communication (registrations, badges, meetings)
Calculation:
Conversion rate = (Conversions / Impressions) × 100
Conversion types
Registrations/Badges:
- Clicks on badge links
- Registrations generated via UTM
- Conversion rate: 2-5% (depending on audience quality)
B2B meetings:
- Time slot reservations
- Meeting requests
- Conversion rate: 1-3%
Engagement:
- Likes, comments, shares
- Audience quality indicator
- No direct conversion but sign of interest
Conversion tracking
UTM on links:
https://yourevent.com/badge
?utm_source=exhibitor
&utm_medium=kit
&utm_campaign=event-2025
&utm_content=linkedin-square
Recommended structure:
utm_source: channel (exhibitor, linkedin, email)utm_medium: content type (kit, post, newsletter)utm_campaign: event (event-2025)utm_content: variant (linkedin-square, email-header)
Google Analytics dashboard:
- View by source/medium
- View by campaign
- View by content
- Conversion funnel
5) KPI #4: ROI and cost per result
Definition
ROI = (Benefits - Costs) / Costs × 100
Cost per impression = Total cost / Number of impressions
Cost per registration = Total cost / Number of registrations
Comparison with ad budget
Traditional ad budget:
- LinkedIn Ads: €0.06 / impression
- Google Ads: €0.025 / impression
- Email marketing: €0.025 / impression
Exhibitor communication:
- Automated kit: €0.002-0.021 / impression
- Up to 30x cheaper per impression
ROI calculation
Concrete example:
Investment:
- Automated visual kit: €1,000
- Communication (emails, reminders): €200
- Total: €1,200
Results:
- 150 exhibitors × 40% adoption = 60 active exhibitors
- 60 exhibitors × 2 posts = 120 posts
- 120 posts × 600 impressions = 72,000 impressions
- 72,000 impressions × 3% conversion = 2,160 registrations
Cost per impression: €1,200 / 72,000 = €0.017
Cost per registration: €1,200 / 2,160 = €0.56
ROI: If each registration is worth €50 (paid badge or client value):
- Benefits: 2,160 × €50 = €108,000
- ROI: (108,000 - 1,200) / 1,200 × 100 = 8,900%
Integrated dashboard (recommended)
Global view:
- Overall adoption rate
- Total number of downloads
- Estimated reach
- Conversions (if UTM configured)
Detailed view:
- List of exhibitors with status
- Adoption timeline
- Breakdown by format
- Top exhibitors (number of downloads)
CSV export:
- Raw data for in-depth analysis
- Integration into BI tools
- Customized reporting
Google Analytics (UTM)
Configuration:
- UTM on all shared links
- Goals configured (registrations, badges)
- Conversion funnel
Useful reports:
- Acquisition > Source/Medium
- Behavior > Behavior flow
- Conversions > Goals > Overview
Native analytics
LinkedIn Analytics:
- Impressions, clicks, engagement
- Audience (demographics, sector)
- Best posts
Email Analytics:
- Open rate
- Click rate
- Unsubscribes
7) Data interpretation
Scenario 1: High adoption, low reach
Symptoms:
- Adoption rate: 50% ✅
- Estimated reach: 20,000 impressions ❌
Diagnosis:
- Exhibitors download but don't share
- Formats poorly adapted to channels used
- Lack of post examples
Solutions:
- Provide ready-to-copy post examples
- Create "How to share" guide
- Organize training session
Scenario 2: Low adoption, high reach
Symptoms:
- Adoption rate: 20% ❌
- Estimated reach: 100,000 impressions ✅
Diagnosis:
- Small base of very active exhibitors
- Under-exploited potential
- Many exhibitors not participating
Solutions:
- Analyze why 80% don't adopt (survey)
- Simplify the process even more
- Adapt communication by segment
Scenario 3: High adoption and reach, low conversions
Symptoms:
- Adoption rate: 45% ✅
- Estimated reach: 80,000 impressions ✅
- Conversions: 200 registrations ❌
Diagnosis:
- Poorly qualified audience
- Ineffective CTA
- Unclear message
Solutions:
- Improve CTAs (clearer, more urgent)
- Personalize messages more
- Better target audience
8) Reporting and result communication
Executive report (for management)
Format: 1 page, visual, key figures
Content:
- Adoption rate: X%
- Total reach: Y impressions
- Conversions: Z registrations
- ROI: X%
- Cost per impression: €X
Detailed report (for team)
Format: 3-5 pages, in-depth analysis
Content:
- Analysis by segment
- Adoption timeline
- Breakdown by format
- Comparison with targets
- Optimization recommendations
Internal communication
Share results:
- Event team
- Management
- Partners (if relevant)
Highlight:
- Success (high adoption rate)
- Impact (reach, conversions)
- ROI (budget justification)
9) Implementation checklist
FAQ
What are the most important KPIs to track?
Prioritize adoption rate (active exhibitors), total reach (impressions), conversions (registrations via UTM), and cost per impression/registration to evaluate ROI.
How to measure reach generated by my exhibitors?
Use UTM on shared links, track visual downloads, estimate impressions via number of posts × average impressions/post, and analyze mentions on social networks.
What tool to use for tracking?
Combine an integrated dashboard (downloads, adoption) with Google Analytics (UTM), native social network analytics (LinkedIn, email), and CSV export for in-depth analysis.
How to interpret a low adoption rate?
Analyze barriers (survey), simplify the process, adapt communication by segment, and add incentives (social proof, highlights).
What ROI can I expect?
With a well-designed kit and 35-50% adoption, you can generate an ROI of 500-1000% or more, depending on registration value and number of exhibitors.
Next steps
- Define your KPIs: adoption, reach, conversions, ROI
- Set up tracking: UTM, dashboard, analytics
- Set your targets: adoption rate, reach, conversions
- Measure regularly: weekly during campaign
- Analyze and optimize: adjust based on results
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