Virtual events have been present for a long time now. While most organizations swear by them, many people still question this concept’s vitality. The value of face-to-face communication is still significant, but virtual meetings are an essential part of an event’s program.
Hosting virtual events needs the same attention and care as in-person events. Promoting both events, engaging attendees, and proving event success is necessary. The only thing missing in virtual events is attendees and a venue. Below we discuss the complete guide to virtual events.
Virtual Event Definition
You have probably attended an online webinar, watched a class, or joined meetings using a conference tool in your life. You might have also participated in a conference in your home’s comfort. These are all types of virtual events, which can be described as attending an event and its content online.
Types of Virtual Events
It is possible to add virtual events to your host’s event when the total event program is involved. Virtual events have not replaced traditional ones but are a new addition to improving the entire program.
Below we discuss the different types of virtual events;
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Virtual Conferences
Virtual conferences revolve around a complex, live agenda entailing your breakouts, sessions, and keynotes like in-person conferences. Virtual discussions entail multi-session content and different community engagement tools.
Even though it is not effective in networking and lead capture like in-person events, these conferences allow employees to see important keynotes in actual time.
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Webinars
Webinars have a duration of around eighty minutes, and holding them lets employees join a group chat and listen to their best speakers. Organizations can charge the attendees using the different online payment options, while others are free.
Webinars utilize video conference tools that oversee the Q&A option can present pre-recorded or live videos and have thrived with 100% attendance due to their educational state. Webinars can also entail external and internal training.
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Internal Hybrid Events
These include sales kick-offs, town halls, department meetings, training, and more. Internal hybrid events are ideal for companies that span different continents and are used to pass a specific message to the entire organization when the staff is not gathered in the same place.
While having employees work from an office is beneficial, it can be costly and time-consuming to schedule.
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External Hybrid Events
External hybrid events are held for people outside your organization. These events can be the user or industry conferences and need high video production levels so that the attendees can get the same quality as in-person attendees.
External hybrid attendees allow staff that cannot travel to learn and participate from the location of their choice. It is hard to offer the exact value of these external events because in-person attendees work more freely and can easily access the content.
Why you Should Host a Virtual Event
Virtual events occur for the exact reason as in-person events; to spread your organization’s lead to improve leads and revenue. Event and meeting planners find it tough to choose between virtual, in-person, or hybrid events for a long time, and every event type has its advantages and disadvantages.
Consider what you expect to gain when choosing if or not to make the event virtual. Below we discuss why you should consider hosting a virtual event;
- Budget- Your company needs to reduce costs, and you can achieve this by organizing smaller webinars and events. This also gives you a hybrid or virtual option when your attendee’s traveling is an issue.
- Accessibility- virtual events are accessible because they let you accommodate staff that cannot attend in person.
Elements of Virtual Meetings
Virtual events are built around data, attendee engagement, and content. Even though these meetings do not need F&B, they consist of the same elements as other types of events. Connectivity and video production quality is essential and the hosting website.
Below we discuss the elements of a virtual event;
- Live polling
- Event website
- Question and answer
- Recorded content
- Live presentation content
- Feedback surveys.
Virtual events depend on technology heavily. Attendance is impossible without mobile devices and computers, but it entails more than video conferencing tools. Like in-person events, virtual events gain from using event technology platforms that enable you to execute, manage, and promote your event.
Below we discuss the essential parts of event tech you should use when executing a virtual event;
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Registration
Registration is your first data collection tool and is crucial to your event. Registration tools enable attendees to register for these events, submit references, and offer payment when needed. A legitimate online registration tool lets attendees register quickly and gives marketers and planners the required information to host a great event that proves event success.
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Event Website
The event website is used when promoting your event. It has the same purpose regardless of is the event is in-person or virtual. The event website is a crucial promotional tool that attracts potential attendees and encourages them to attend the event.
This event website should outline your virtual event’s value, have the event schedule, show speakers, and have FAQs, among others.
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Email
Email marketing drives event demand, improves registrations, informs attendees before the event, and receives feedback surveys. Email is the most excellent way to talk to the attendees in different event stages, and you should use a marketing tool that delivers personalized, branded, and automated emails.
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Event Feedback
Event feedback is essential for virtual events, mainly when planners cannot gauge reactions using expressions or verbal feedback. You can use event feedback to get feedback using post-event surveys that show event success.
Event feedback is also utilized to ascertain virtual leads and convert them into sales.
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Integrations
Integrations ensure that important attendee data and registration are shared in the technological system and the event platform. It also ensures this data is shared with your marketing automation.
Final Thoughts
Virtual meetings have become popular in the recent past, and this is because of their many advantages. They are available in different types like webinars, video conferences, and internal hybrid events. Kindly reach out for more information.