In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, the realm of events has undergone a remarkable transformation.
Gone are the days of traditional in-person gatherings as virtual events emerge as the new frontier of engagement and connectivity.
Imagine a world where you can seamlessly connect with a global audience, deliver impactful presentations, and foster meaningful interactions—all from the comfort of your own home or office.
Welcome to the era of virtual events—a revolutionary platform that transcends geographical boundaries and redefines the way we engage with our audiences.
As the world navigates unprecedented challenges and embraces the digital revolution, virtual events have emerged as a beacon of innovation and opportunity.
From webinars and virtual conferences to interactive training courses and live hangouts, the possibilities are limitless.
Whether you're a seasoned marketer, a passionate educator, or an aspiring entrepreneur, virtual events offer a powerful platform to amplify your message, expand your reach, and leave a lasting impression on your audience.
Join us on a journey as we delve into the dynamic world of virtual events, exploring the myriad of possibilities, strategies, and best practices for hosting successful and impactful virtual gatherings.
What is a Virtual Event?
In an era characterized by rapid technological advancements and shifting paradigms, the concept of events has evolved beyond traditional boundaries.
At its core, a virtual event represents a dynamic and immersive gathering conducted entirely online, where participants from around the world converge in a digital space to engage, interact, and exchange ideas.
Unlike traditional in-person events that require physical attendance at a designated location, virtual events leverage cutting-edge technology to transcend geographical constraints and offer unparalleled accessibility and convenience.
Participants can join these events from the comfort of their homes or offices, using computers, laptops, or mobile devices, thereby eliminating the need for travel expenses and logistical challenges associated with traditional gatherings.
Virtual events encompass a diverse range of formats, including webinars, virtual conferences, online training courses, virtual trade shows, live hangouts, and interactive Q&A sessions, each tailored to suit specific objectives and audience preferences.
Whether it's disseminating knowledge, fostering networking opportunities, or showcasing products and services, virtual events empower organizers to deliver compelling experiences that resonate with participants on a global scale.
In essence, virtual events epitomize the fusion of innovation and connectivity, revolutionizing the way we conceive, plan, and execute gatherings in the digital age.
Main Types of Virtual Events
Virtual events are a hot topic in the B2B marketing world. They're a great way to reach a large target audience and allow them to engage without leaving home or office.
There are many different types of virtual events, but here is our list of the most common ones:
Webinar
A webinar is an online seminar where people can watch the presenter on a screen and ask questions during the presentation.
Virtual Conference
A virtual conference is a live event where participants can attend via livestreaming or recorded sessions. It’s like a regular conference but without attendees having to travel to one location.
Online Training Course
An online training course is an interactive training program in which participants learn from pre-recorded videos, slides and other media files. This type of courses started to be more common in universities.
The main difference between a virtual training course and other types of virtual events is that this doesn’t require participants to arrive at a specific time – it only requires them to be online when they want to start watching!
Virtual trade shows
Trade shows are exhibitions where exhibitors display their products or services and meet with potential customers and partners face-to-face. A virtual trade show is the next big thing in trade show marketing. It's the first interactive and integrated online technology that allows people to network and communicate before they meet in person at an event or one-on-one.
Live Hangout On Air
A hangout is like an online party where people can chat in real time with each other through video chatting software like Skype or Google Hangouts. This is often used for interviews or panel discussions, but can also be used for more casual discussions among friends who are geographically dispersed throughout the country or the world (and even beyond).
Live Q&A Session
A Live Q&A Session is a great way to learn more about a topic or subject that you are interested in. It allows you to ask questions and get answers from experts in the field. The best part about a Live Q&A Session is that you can get your questions answered in real-time.
This means that you can get the information that you need right away without having to wait for a response. Additionally, a Live Q&A Session gives you the opportunity to interact with other people who are interested in the same topic as you. This can be a great way to make new friends and connections. If you are looking for a way to learn more about something that you are interested in, a Live Q&A Session is the perfect solution.
Why Host a Virtual Event?
Here are a few advantages of hosting a virtual event:
1. You can reach more people in one day than you would in three months.
2. You can control the schedule and content of your event, and it’s easier than ever to share the virtual experience with others.
3. If you have a compelling story and topic, you can attract an audience from all over the world – even if they don’t live in your local area or city.
4. Increase brand awareness and recognition by reaching new audiences that would not normally see your company or product in person, such as international customers or consumers who live outside your area of operation.
5. Create a community around your brand by inviting members from different groups, communities, or organisations to participate in discussions with one another via social media channels (for example Facebook). This can be a great networking opportunity.
How to host a successful virtual event
Virtual Event Planning
Set a clear goal
Before you start planning your virtual event, you need to set a clear goal for it. What do you want this event to achieve? Do you want to raise awareness of your brand or product? Do you want people to register for it? Or do you want them to take action after they’ve attended? Once you have an answer, start thinking about how your virtual event can help achieve these goals.
Identify target audience
The next step is identifying the target audience for the event. Who are the people who will be most interested in attending the event? You can use social media analytics tools like Facebook Custom Audience Pixel or Google Analytics Audience Explorer to find out more about who is visiting your site — what they like, what they don’t like and so on — and use this information to create segments based on their interests.
Choose the right platform to host your virtual event.
Choose the right platform to host your virtual event. Some platforms allow you to create polls, quizzes and other interactive elements that will help you get insights from your audience. You can also use the chat feature to ask questions or listen to what people have to say about your topic of discussion. In addition, there are live video platforms such as Oreed, WebEx Meetings or GoToMeeting that allow you to share your screen with multiple users at once.
Executing a successful virtual event
Share a clear agenda that includes speakers and timeframes.
Share a clear agenda that includes speakers and timeframes. Your audience needs to know what's going on throughout the event, so they don't feel lost or confused. You should also include times for breaks or other important information like where the restrooms are located.
Engage your audience
The best way to do this is by asking questions and getting feedback from your participants. If there is something that they want to discuss, let them know!
Use polling software or other tools to get feedback from participants during the event. You'll learn more about what's working for them and what isn't so you can improve future events.
This will make them feel like their opinions matter and that they're involved in the process of planning for this event.
Prepare to troubleshoot
Even though virtual events aren't as high-stakes as traditional ones, they still require careful planning and execution. Test your audio quality before the event starts by having someone call into a conference line using Skype or another service.
Also, make sure there are plenty of backup options in case any sites go down during the live event — it never hurts to have a backup plan!
Post-Event
You’ve done it! Your virtual event is over, and you’re ready to share it with your community. But don’t stop there. You can still reap some benefits from your hard work by following up with attendees, sharing the event with others and capitalising on what was learned from the experience.
After each session, ask participants to fill out a quick survey asking their opinion of the content and presentation style. You can use these results to guide future events or tweak an existing one. Here are some other things that can help you continue to build momentum for your virtual event:
Post-event sales pitch:
In addition to asking for feedback, ask participants if they would like more information about any products or services mentioned during the session. This is a great way to get sales leads right after an event has finished!
Post-event follow up
A few days after your event has ended, send out an email thanking attendees and inviting them back next time around. If possible, add a link in this email so they can view the recorded version of their session again if they missed something important due to technical difficulties or other reasons.
Virtual Events vs Live Events; the difference
Virtual events can be just as exciting and engaging as live events. But they're different, and they don't work the same way. Here are some of the key differences:
Virtual Events Are Not Live Events
The term “virtual event” is a bit misleading since it implies that it is a live event that takes place over the Internet or through other electronic media.
However, virtual events are actually not live at all; they're prerecorded videos (or live streams) that are broadcast over the Internet for people to watch when it works best for them.
Virtual Events Are More Flexible than Live Events
Because virtual events aren't restricted by time and location, you can fit them into your schedule without having to worry about things like flights or hotel rooms being booked up by other attendees.
You can also conduct virtual events without worrying about finding a venue that has enough space for everyone to sit comfortably in front of their computers or tablets at once — all you need is a reliable internet connection!
Virtual Events Can Be More Cost-Effective than Live Events
Virtual events cost less to produce than live events because they don't require travel expenses for your team or the costs of renting a venue or securing catering services. They also eliminate the need for marketing materials like brochures, flyers and banners, which can save you even more money.
Maximizing Audience Engagement: Elevating the Virtual Experience
One of the key ingredients for a successful virtual event lies in the ability to captivate and engage the audience throughout the proceedings.
Unlike traditional in-person gatherings where interactions occur organically, virtual events require deliberate efforts to foster engagement and maintain participants' interest in a digital environment.
Here are some strategies to maximize audience engagement and create a memorable virtual experience:
Interactive Q&A Sessions
Incorporate live Q&A sessions into your virtual event to encourage active participation and foster meaningful dialogue between speakers and attendees.
Provide opportunities for participants to submit questions in real-time, either through chat features or designated Q&A segments, allowing for dynamic interaction and exchange of ideas.
Polling and Feedback Mechanisms
Integrate polling software or feedback tools into your virtual event platform to solicit input from participants and gather valuable insights on their preferences, opinions, and experiences.
Conduct polls on relevant topics, seek feedback on session content, and gauge audience sentiment to tailor future events to their interests and needs.
Interactive Elements and Gamification
Inject elements of interactivity and gamification into your virtual event to enhance engagement and incentivize participation.
Incorporate quizzes, challenges, and interactive activities that encourage attendees to actively engage with the content and each other, fostering a sense of camaraderie and excitement throughout the event.
Networking Opportunities
Facilitate networking opportunities within your virtual event platform to enable participants to connect with peers, speakers, and exhibitors in a virtual setting.
Create virtual lounges, breakout rooms, or networking sessions where attendees can engage in casual conversations, share insights, and forge valuable connections, enhancing the overall networking experience.
Live Chat and Social Media Integration
Leverage live chat features and social media integration to encourage real-time interaction and collaboration among participants.
Create dedicated chat channels for different sessions or topics, allowing attendees to ask questions, share opinions, and engage in discussions with fellow participants, speakers, and organizers.
Conduct your online events with Oreed
With Oreed’s online event management software, you can conduct live webinars, web conferences and even virtual exhibitions through which you can showcase your company’s products and services. The platform makes it easy for you to create an interactive environment where participants can ask questions during presentations or interact with each other during Q&A sessions.
You can use Oreed’s virtual event scheduling system to keep track of all attendees who are participating in the event so that they receive timely reminders about upcoming events.
All this and much more. Sign up to try it out!
