Over the last year or so the term ‘virtual event’ has become part of our everyday vernacular. From Zoom meetings or Microsoft Teams gatherings, to full-scale live events using platforms such as Pheedloop and Livestream, our go-to methods of networking have taken a digital shift.

If you haven’t considered a virtual event before now then this is the best way to start learning how they can benefit your organization. Just like regular events you can make them as large or small as you like to cater for your specific needs. In this blog post we will be covering all aspects of hosting a virtual event and make some suggestions that you may want to utilize in the future.

What exactly is a Virtual Event?

Virtual events are live, shared experiences, hosted in an online environment with a group of people with a mutual interest in a particular topic. These ‘virtual events’ can take the shape of a webinar or live stream that includes entirely live interactions or a mix of live and some pre-recorded material. They can be hosted internally for a closed audience of staff teams only, or you can go the route of an external event that can even be ticketed and offer the same kind of experience as a large in-person event with virtual breakout rooms and span a period of multiple days. 

You also have the option of creating a paid virtual event. These have their own advantages especially if you are creating a ticketed event. They are as follows;

Lead Generation

If attendees to your events are paying then they are more likely to be focused and engaged in the content rather than jumping from session to session as if it were a free event. You might get fewer attendees, but they will be high quality and have a genuine interest in the topics you are covering. This, in turn, will help generate better quality leads that you can follow up with following the event to convert into sales or an audience for a future event you may be hosting.

Broaden Your Reach

We know it’s not the most ideal situation to move your event to a virtual platform but one major consideration is that it does make you way more accessible. All your audience needs is a stable internet connection and your event can be watched from anywhere across the globe with attendees not having to consider travel, accommodation and other expenses. The bonus of going virtual is that as with all digital platforms you can watch the recordings if you were unable to attend live.

Revenue Generation

It all depends on your business model, but hosting regular virtual events can become another way to generate revenue for your organization. Consider charging a subscription fee or pay-per-view for events, classes, online courses and training on a recurring basis. This will live on long after the pandemic is over.

Affordable

There is always a price tag attached to the production of an event, however, virtual events typically cost much less than physical in-person ones. Instead of the time and money it takes to find a venue, pay for said venue, book catering, AV support, out-of-town presenters and the list goes on. We can produce affordable virtual events of any size either hybrid or completely virtual with remote presenters being brought in via Zoom or similar video conferencing platform.

Things to Consider

Some important items of consideration for your virtual event are as follows:

Are you going with a hybrid event or completely virtual?

How many presenters are there going to be?

Will there be any sponsors?

How will attendees register for the event?

Is it going to be pay-per-view?

Do you need to include some pre-recorded content?

These questions and many more will help you decide on the best approach for your virtual event and enable you to prepare.

Virtual Formats

There are many ways of producing a live virtual event. You can go with what we call a “Hybrid Event’ where we have the MC’s and maybe one or two presenters in the studio and we bring in several presenters over Zoom or similar video conferencing solutions. These feeds are all mixed and switched live into the live stream of the event using our technology in the studio or on location. We have the ability to broadcast from your building, a different venue or from our fully equipped studio space. The other type of event is completely virtual where all presenters are brought in from remote sources. We also have the ability to include pre-recorded content if this is a preferred method of some presenters. It is also possible to film, record and produce an entire presentation or event in advance and stream it out at a later date. This allows more flexibility for you in terms of building up a series of videos that can be streamed on a regular basis. 

The possibilities are endless. We know that in-person events won’t be completely replaced by the virtual format but look at them as another marketing tool that you can utilize when the time is right. We are happy to discuss the options available and work with you to build an event that suits your needs. For a no obligation consultation please call Andy Holt on 780-907-1445 for an informal meeting or discussion about your event planning needs.