Out with the Old, In with the Virtual: The Shift to Virtual Events

Given the global pandemic that we’re all experiencing, it’s no surprise that virtual events are a hot topic of conversation right now. Although social distancing rules are relaxing slightly, many consumers will take time to get comfortable attending in-person events. Therefore, we recommend that all businesses consider hosting virtual events in the coming months.

At first, we assumed the virus would be contained and that it wasn’t something we needed to worry about. Then, within weeks, major sporting events were canceled, and it suddenly became something more serious. All over the country, things were canceled whether this was a business conference, a local workshop, or product launches from major brands.

Months later, we’re still in a state of limbo and uncertainty. However, we don’t believe that businesses need to stop for the pandemic. Instead of removing the event from your calendar, why not make it a virtual event? Your brand gets the exposure you need, consumers get the service they want, and the world continues to go round despite what may be going on. Whether the event is for your employees, consumers, partners, or any other stakeholder, there’s no reason why you can’t make it a digital one.

The Shift to Virtual Events

In recent weeks, it has become clear that COVID-19 isn’t going anywhere. As a result, we’re adapting to a new normal. In both Europe and the US, virtual platforms are now used for businesses, sports teams, and even education. For those with children or grandchildren in education, you’ll know about Zoom lessons, Google Classroom, and other online educational tools.

In fact, there was even a proposal for a virtual Presidential debate. If something as significant as the debate can take place virtually, perhaps it’s time that we all embrace this new way of thinking. If you lack experience in this area, don’t worry because you aren’t alone. The pandemic has forced us all out of our comfort zone, but many businesses are finding that virtual events allow them to resume some form of normality.

Should you use virtual events? If you would normally host a physical event right about now, it’s definitely worth considering. Even though you aren’t in the same room, you can still form connections with stakeholders, disseminate important information, and generate revenue (and profit!).

Creating a Virtual Event — The Important Steps

How do you transform your typical, popular physical event into a virtual occasion that generates just as much attention? Follow these steps!

Step 1: Consider Your Goals

Before anything else, you need to think about the event itself. What do you want out of it? Do you want to generate leads? Sales? Or something else entirely? If you want to make the shift to a virtual event, you first need to pinpoint why you’re hosting the event and what you would have tried to achieve under normal circumstances.

If you have hosted an in-person event previously, this is great news because you can look back on how participants reacted to and engaged with particular aspects. For example, if attendees normally love interacting with products, is there an opportunity to create an AR (augmented reality) aspect where participants still have a similar level of interaction?

On the other hand, the main appeal might normally be a panel discussion. In truth, this is easy to implement online; you can have the same panel discussion but with the audience at home instead of in the room. Attendees can still contribute in the chat and you can even hold a Q&A session at the end.

Step 2: Select a Platform

When hosting a live event, you typically find and pay a venue. In the digital world, it’s a little more complex, but there are virtual event platforms that host similarly to a physical venue. As well as watching the stream, attendees can interact with other guests and sponsors.

When choosing a platform, don’t just pick the first name you see. Just like with a physical event, there are pros and cons to hosting platforms. Before making a decision, we recommend:

• Exploring various platforms
• Attending events and learning which is best for attendees
• Talking to business owners that have hosted a virtual event
• Considering visual needs, registration, chat room functionality, and other features
• Assessing the prices and packages of each service

Step 3: Put the Attendees First

Don’t forget, even when virtual, an event is all about the attendees. With this in mind, keep them informed as you make progress on planning the virtual event. Make announcements, allow them to receive push notifications, and consider an email list so that they’re updated at certain steps. Alternatively, use social media to your advantage to provide followers with information.

In addition, you can put the attendees first by choosing the right type of content. Depending on your goals, you might consider the following:

• Live chat
• Video conference
• Livestream
• Webinar

After experiencing the past few months of 2020, the majority of consumers are now accustomed to virtual events. Therefore, they will most likely have already installed the software needed for virtual events. Livestreams are most commonly used because they offer an abundance of features such as engagement with viewers, screen sharing, and more.

Furthermore, holding an event virtually doesn’t mean that you can’t make it interactive. Here are some methods to keep attendees engaged:

• Integrate social feeds
• Take questions from the comments
• Use AI to generate insights
• Use surveys to gauge feedback (it may be possible to make small alterations on the fly!)
• Show the content and bios of speakers
• Use live polling to better understand the customer experience

What’s more, many businesses have found success through an omnichannel experience. In other words, engage people through social media or email even while the event is ongoing.

Step 4: Don’t Forget the Networking

Most people choose not to attend a virtual event because they disregard the networking aspect that so many people find value in. According to some studies, as many as three in four people like events because of the networking opportunities. If you entice attendees towards your event, we recommend a matchmaking tool to filter attendees, book virtual meetings, make genuine connections, and provide systems to start a video call.

With the right tools, you can actually encourage attendees to match with others at the online event. After choosing their interests, the algorithm will highlight potential matches (and this has the potential to surpass physical events in terms of making the right connections!).

Step 5: Promote Sponsors

Don’t worry, you won’t lose sponsorships through a virtual event; luckily, you can still offer visibility and exposure. Along with physical signage in a live stream, you can track ROI with sponsor dashboards. Additionally, we recommend a partner tab, a promotion space in the list of attendees, and more.

Step 6: Make It Easy for Everyone

Finally, understand that not all attendees will have grown up around technology or understand how virtual events work. Older users might shy away from anything virtual because they find it difficult. To help this, use a simple platform and keep your target audience updated. There’s nothing wrong with creating a step-by-step guide for older web users to follow. Post this to your blog, send it in emails, and share it on social media!

Can you create a short explainer video to ensure that all guests know how to join and sign-up for the event? Explain why people should join the event, how it works, what they will get from the event, and the networking opportunities. If you help a handful of people, the video will be worthwhile and generate a return.

Shifting to Virtual — The Best Way to Go

While Zoom has provided much value to businesses this year, we recommend going for something more. It’s certainly an effective tool for new product announcements, focus groups, press meetings, and small events. However, we believe that virtual events should go above and beyond the norm. For instance, some platforms now offer 360-degree videos and AR experiences.

Regardless of the event type, follow our steps in this guide and you should have everything you need to draw a crowd and make the virtual event a successful one. Remember, make everything easy for sponsors and attendees. Often, this is the difference between a successful event and one that fails to capture the imagination.

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