Although virtual events might sound futuristic to you, they’ve been around for quite some time now. However, they have gained traction in the last two years with the COVID-19 pandemic changing our everyday routines. Companies around the world had to cancel their in-person events, looking to help flatten the curve. But there are those who’ve decided to go virtual and still organize their events. If you’re one of them, we’ve come up with our tips for hosting a virtual event.
Moving shows and conferences to the internet can reduce costs and decrease carbon footprints. Not only that, but it can also make attendance accessible to a much wider audience. In 2018, Coachella’s YouTube live stream of Beyoncé’s performance gathered 41 million people from all over the world. The actual show was attended by hundreds of thousands of people, but Beyoncé reached more fans thanks to the power of the internet.
So, use this power for your own brand and follow our tips for hosting a virtual event!
What Is a Virtual Event?
Chances are you’ve already attended a webinar, watched your favorite workout class, or participated in a meeting using a video conferencing app on the internet. You might have even joined a marketing conference from your own living room. In that case, kudos to you! You know a thing or two about online events. However, if this world is new to you, don’t worry. We’re here to bring it closer to you.
A virtual event is an organized gathering that takes place on the internet rather than in an actual physical location. You can attend any kind of event these days, from Q&A sessions to popular conferences with thousands of people in the “audience.”
Make no mistake, virtual events hadn’t sprung up because of the coronavirus. They were always there, hoping that a larger crowd would notice them. And that’s exactly what has happened in the past two years.
Although it’s tough to beat the real in-person experience, online events actually do give their physical counterparts a run for their money. You can now watch live, on-demand presentations and interact with other attendees in a virtual environment. What more do you need, right? These digital gatherings have it all!
Don’t worry, because of our tips for hosting a virtual event, ideas will strike you in no time!
It’s Good Time for Virtual Events
People will always welcome face-to-face interactions, but there are times when going online is what you and your brand should do. Just look around you; your customers can’t take their eyes off mobile phones. That small yet powerful device can help you conquer the marketing world and drive conversions.
In fact, businesses are starting to turn towards the digital world, understanding how impactful it can be for their events. A whopping 93% of event professionals plan to invest more in online events in the future. As far as companies are concerned, going digital is the right way to go. Namely, 63% of organizations are making a transition to virtual conferences and events. If you’re one of them, you’ll certainly need tips for hosting a virtual event. Keep on reading!
Hybrid Events Are Becoming More Popular
We know what some of you may be thinking: What in the world are hybrid events? Well, let’s find out!
Some organized events are completely virtual in that the attendees join them from the comfort of their own home (or any place they want). However, others combine both in-person and digital components, which makes them hybrid events.
Say that you can’t attend a product launch of your favorite brand in person. But you really want to see what the company will reveal. All you need to do is visit a landing page, submit a form, and live stream the product launch. It’s as simple as that in 2021!
Furthermore, this possibility to host both in-person and digital events is gaining traction in the industry. Indeed, 68% of professionals want to have hybrid event technology that supports both of these event types. Are you on their side?
Types of Virtual Events
You can never go wrong with virtual events. They command attention the moment you post them online. Their beauty is that you don’t need to record the same thing over and over again. Live a little and try as many types of virtual events as you can!
Through practice, you’ll conclude which types work for your audience, and which should hit the road and never be recorded by your brand again. So, while we’re giving you tips for hosting a virtual event, let’s recommend which types you can try out:
- How-to’s and tutorials
- Webinars
- Behind-the-scenes
- Online conferences and shows
How-To’s and Tutorials
Have a product or service that you want to present to your customers? Don’t write a blog post, host a virtual event instead! A how-to or tutorial is helpful if you want to provide tips and tricks to your viewers. People like when companies launch products they need. But do you know what they adore? Learning about those products by way of video. So, give them what they want!
With this type of virtual event, you can launch a new product, respond to questions, or mention how your customers are using your product/service. Take things to the next level with a real class. For example, chefs or trainers can share their cooking or workout tips online.
Webinars
No virtual event list would be complete without a webinar. This is an engaging digital event where one speaker or a group of them holds a presentation to the audience. The viewers usually participate by submitting questions or responding to polls. If you want to engage your viewers and interact with them, webinars are there for you! Let’s move on with our tips for hosting a virtual event!
Behind-The-Scenes
You know how you can have a successful virtual event? By giving your followers a glimpse into what’s happening behind the scenes. Many popular business pages do this! Places like theatres, museums, and national parks can offer a sneak peek to their audience. But you don’t need to run these places to be eligible for behind-the-scenes content.
Indeed, you can tour your office, workshop, factory, or lab. Any location that will show your followers what it’s like to visit or work somewhere. Show your customers where you do your magic!
Online Conferences and Shows
Who says that large-scale events can’t go digital? Just dream a little bigger! If the past two years have proven anything, it’s that any event is streamable. From plays and concerts to marketing conferences, companies are putting out all the stops to keep their viewers engaged and entertained. Why don’t you join in the fun?
You can stream an extensive virtual event and gather professionals from your field. Pique interest online and get people to attend your event through clever marketing and promotion. If you don’t know how to go about this, here are our tips for hosting a virtual event!
Tips for Hosting a Virtual Event
According to the latest reports, 87% of marketers had to cancel their events because of the coronavirus pandemic. Now, that’s not a small percentage by any means. But you don’t need to join them. Think outside the box and turn your attention to the online world! Have you? Great! Then get ready for our tips for hosting a virtual event.
Create a Plan
Sure, you can play some things by ear. But, when hundreds or thousands of people are watching, it’s not wise to live stream without an actual plan. So, prepare the topic and what you’ll say in advance. Of course, leave some room for spontaneity, however, you should still devise a plan you’ll follow.
Regardless of the scale of your event, it should have a strategy. Once you have your goal and concept ready, everything will be much easier. The sooner you start planning, the better.
Here are some questions that can help you with your strategy:
- Will the event be live streamed or on-demand?
- Where will I host the event?
- When is the best time to organize the event?
- Will your viewers have to register?
- How will you promote the event?
- Do you want to work alone or find a partner?
- What metrics will you track?
Go over these questions and you won’t have that much trouble planning an event!
Choose the Time and Date
Although it might seem insignificant at first glance, choosing the time and date for your event is actually important. So, before picking one, do a bit of research. Check other virtual events and ensure that they don’t overlap with your event. Out of all our tips for hosting a virtual event, this one is perhaps the most important.
What’s more, you can’t forget about time zones. If you want to go global, go with a time that works for the majority of your customers. However, if this isn’t possible, you can always make the content available after the live event has ended. In that way, those who couldn’t make it will be able to watch it.
Furthermore, we recommend that you check analytics to see when your community is usually online. You’ll make an informed choice and benefit from it greatly. Some brands like to go on Instagram Stories and post polls there, asking their followers when they’ll be able to tune in. That’s another option for you, too!
Promote the Virtual Event
You have a strategy and you know when you’ll host your virtual event. Congrats! Things are shaping up for you! But it’s still not time to relax and take a break. Many duties await you, and we’re here to help you with our tips for hosting a virtual event! One of your most important duties is to promote that virtual event.
Look at your event and decide what its selling points are. Is there something that will particularly interest the audience? Perhaps a speaker, workshop, infographics, or other? Whatever you choose, start plugging it to your followers.
In addition, share the event details on social media or via email. You don’t need to spam your subscribers, but an email here and there is totally acceptable. The same goes with your social media accounts. Remind your followers why your event is great and when they should watch it.
According to research, the majority of people register two to three weeks before an event. So, this is when you should go all out and promote it.
Encourage Engagement
Every live event should include elements that engage the audience. You don’t want them to leave the event disappointed or wonder why they even bothered watching it, right? In that case, make sure to interact with your viewers and get them to participate.
For instance, you can ask them to submit questions in comments or through chat. Those who ask questions will likely stick around to get the answer. If you opt for this, you can have a moderator who will monitor the questions and send them to you.
Most online platforms have interactive features, so don’t forget to use them. Start polls and quizzes and see how your audience reacts. Another thing you can do is encourage live tweeting and come up with a hashtag just for your virtual event. Once your time is almost up, ask for feedback.
Say “Yes” to Virtual Events
To sum up, you don’t need to forget about in-person events. We recommend that you still nurture them, but also look towards the future. There you’ll see that virtual events are sometimes a better choice than their in-person counterparts. So, whenever you feel there’s room for it, go digital!
We hope that our tips for hosting a virtual event have helped you come up with ideas for your next conference or show. In the meantime, Brid.TV is also here to help you manage and host all videos for your virtual events. We’re an affordable yet powerful solution that will give you a user-friendly system, in-depth analytics, and extensive monetization options. So, while you’re looking towards the future, choose Brid.TV to be your faithful companion.
