Channels

HTW's channel strategy is built around owning our audience directly. Rather than relying on paid placement or earned media as a foundation, we build direct relationships through our website, email list, and social channels. Each channel plays a distinct role in growing our network, driving event registrations, and building the HTW brand year-round.

The channels below are ordered by priority and strategic importance. For the full campaign calendar and content templates, see Cadence & Campaigns.

Website

Our website is hawaiitechweek.com and is our foundational marketing asset and primary owned channel for organic discovery. Beyond hosting the event calendar, handbook, and brand content, the website is actively optimized as a distribution channel through:

• SEO — structured content, metadata, and page architecture optimized for search discoverability around Hawaii tech, events, and ecosystem topics
• LLM indexing — site structure and content written to be surfaced and referenced by AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, etc.) when people ask about Hawaii tech or tech events in Hawaii
• llms.txt — a machine-readable index that helps LLMs correctly understand and cite HTW content
• Organic search — evergreen pages (about, mission, reports, handbook) designed to rank and drive inbound registrations year-round, not just during the week

Email Marketing

New Contact & Lifecycle Emails

Sent automatically via Mailchimp each time a new sign-up is received:

1. Welcome Email — Welcomes the new sign-up to the HTW community/mailing list with links to social media and key content. When the Event Calendar goes live in Q3, the welcome email includes the calendar link.
2. [Pending] Stay Connected — Exclusive content on social
3. [Pending] HTW Highlights — Best moments of HTW + numbers
4. [Pending] About HTW — Purpose, Mission, Vision
5. [Pending] Unsubscribe Email — "Sorry to see you go" email

Process:

• Monitored continuously and reviewed annually. Updates as needed. (3 hours)
• When event calendar goes live in Q3, link is placed in welcome email. Removed after the week. (1 hour)

Owner: Michael → VA / Content Marketer — Estimated Hours: 4/year

General Emails

Throughout the year we send 14-20 emails to our community to provide valuable updates and content, without drowning them in email, while maintaining consistency. These are ongoing emails (~1/month) that increase in August-September leading into HTW.

Standard emails include: "Save the Date" announcement, opening of event applications, pre-marketing, and post-week content drops (recap, panel recordings).

Process:

• Annually: Email is reviewed as part of overall marketing strategy including key metrics like list growth, unsubscribes, etc. (2 hours). All emails duplicated into a new "HTW YYYY" folder with skeleton content updated where necessary (2 hours).
• Monthly: Content is updated, email is tested (including links and buttons), and sent (4 hours). Responses and metrics monitored e.g. unsubscribe spikes, etc. (4 hours).

Owner: Michael → VA / Content Marketer — Estimated Hours: 100/year

Specific (Ad-Hoc) Emails

We may send emails specific to a key announcement not covered in General Emails — e.g. a major speaker announcement not covered previously due to timing, or a special announcement from a travel partner, etc.

Monthly Email & Outreach Calendar

Media (Social)

Overview

Social media includes Linked, Instagram, Youtube, and X (Twitter). These channels are important for sharing key updates and content, keeping our community engaged, and growing our reach. The goal of social media is to grow and engage our audience while feeding people back to our website and event calendar.

• LinkedIn is our largest channel and where we have the largest audience and will continue to grow. It's important for posting individual event notices, recaps and highlight videos, and for our corporate partners.

• Instagram is a great channel for sharing quick content, focused on video (reels) and photos. It's important for us to continue to develop, especially given the aesthetic and culture vibe of HTW.

• X (Twitter) is where in my experience the most hardcore engineer, investor, and related techies from Silicon Valley and globally are found. It seems to be much less popular in Hawaii, but is extremely popular given its users, and that it is simple and has high virality. It also supports both short and long form content well including video.

• Youtube is used as our video repository. This can include both full panels, but also may include all shorts (reels) and mids as well.

Process

• Each year we'll build out a HTW Content Calendar (internal Google Sheet).
• HTW Posting Schedule is dictated by the Content Calendar. HTW directly posts HTW content, HTW & Sponsor Event Announcements, and the various campaigns. We will repost or quote-repost the highest quality community event posts, typically 1-2 posts per event.
• Have a dedicated "live" social media lead during HTW to retweet, pull in content, and

Owner: Michael → VA / Content Marketer + Week of Social Marketer Estimated Hours: ~190 / year ~20 hrs / week during September, ~10 hrs / month rest of the year

Direct Outreach / VIPs

Overview

Direct outreach is the process of reaching out to key people at leading organizations that span technology, finance, media, politics, and key industries to let them know about Hawaii Tech Week. The purpose of doing this is to build relationships with people who move the needle of industry, and get Hawaii Tech Week on their radar. This includes the most important people in these areas in Hawaii and connected to Hawaii from other markets e.g. Silicon Valley, Asia, etc.

Process

• In Q1 of each year, compile a list of key people at Hawaii's leading companies and major tech players in other markets. (8 hours)

• In Q1 of each year, reach out to net new key VIPs via email, social, and through warm intros and share with them a 1-2 liner on HTW with a link to their website. Share links to key content, and offer to schedule time if needed. (12 hours)

Owner: Michael → VA / Biz Ops Estimated Hours: 20 hours / year

PR / Earned Media

Overview

Our primary focus is on building our own media channels and direct-to-audience communications via media (social) and our email newsletter. Typically, we will not do outreach to the various media outlets, but if we get inbound from the various local publications e.g. PBN, Hawaii Business Magazine, Hawaii News Now, we'll do it pending the specifics. In the future, we may consider advertising in national tech publications like TechCrunch, etc.

It's important to note that PR is a valuable tool, two things need to be remembered:

• News orgs and their editorial branches typically have a paid publishing / ads group that are responsible for selling ads. We always want to pursue the news stories first. While we may test paid ads / acquisition / content in the future, editorial press should come first.

• Owning a direct to user / following relationship, and maintaining the strength of that relationship is most important. PR and Earned media, and the risks that come with it, come after the fundamentals of growing our own channels via email and social.

The list of Media & PR contacts can be found in HTW CRMish (internal). Filter for "Media / PR" in Type.

Process

• Each year in Q1, draft up a one-pager and/or press release style document with whatever information is available to date. Ideally, this should just be the website. Use the Hawaii Tech Week Press Release Template (internal). [2 hours]

• We should reach out to the PR / Comms teams from the City of Honolulu and the State of Hawaii to market and make proclamations for Hawaii Tech Week. (Recommended by Ryan Ozawa).

• Draft a blurb that can be sent in email or message form. Send this to each of the PR / Media contacts, and let them know you wanted to give them an update on Hawaii Tech Week. [6 hours]

  • Include the one-pager and links to some of the social, etc.

  • Let them know you'll be open to interviews and other PR opportunities, will be making more announcements in Q2/Q3, and are would like to invite them as a guest or on press pass for the upcoming year's events.

  • Direct them to published content wherever possible e.g. Youtube channels, social media comments, and written pieces.

• Schedule a limited amount of high-value interviews, podcasts, or other PR opportunities where it makes sense. Be valuable with your time. [12 hours]

Owner: Michael Estimated Hours: 20 / year

Partner Marketing

Overview

Partner marketing consists of engaging with groups in the community to share Hawaii Tech Week with their email, social, and other audiences. These partners can share HTW within their existing newsletter list, or simply retweet and repost.

Process

• Each year, update the Spread the Word and related assets. [1 hour]

• Draft an email blurb that can be easily shared with inbound and outbound partners that ask how they can help. [1 hour] → This can potentially be placed in a media / press kit.

• Review potential partners in HTW CRMish (internal) and send them a direct 1:1 email or message on HTW. [4 hours]

• Answer and direct any partner questions, meetings, etc. [4 hours]

Ideally all the assets would be in place so that this process is streamlined and doesn't require a high-touch if partners are kept up to date with the general email track.

Owner: Michael → VA / Content Marketer Estimated Hours: 10 / year

Paid

Overview

Until we have established a Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV) or sell passes / tickets at the HTW organization level e.g. HTW 2026 Pass, we will not pursue paid marketing because we are unable to measure a dollar in dollar out ROI. If we do pursue paid ads in the future, we can explore placement in newsletters e.g. PBN and HB, Instagram / LinkedIn ads, and other formats.

Process

• N/A