International Institute of Event Management
Much of the world is in lockdown due to the spread of Coronavirus. When everyone is staying indoors, traditional events are all but lost. Still, it is human nature to crave for social interaction, so the burden has fallen onto virtual events to create social interaction while maintaining social distancing.
At its core, virtual events consist of the same things as traditional events. The event should be promoted, it should be engaging, and it should be memorable.
Promoting a Virtual Event
Most of the promotion of a virtual event should happen from a website dedicated to the event. The event website should be able to express the value of your virtual event. It should consist of the programs in your event, the speakers, the schedule, the platform the event will be held on, and a FAQ section. The website should also communicate how someone should register for your event. Promotion can also happen through social media and email, with the intention to drive people onto your event website. With so many different platforms available to use for a virtual event, it is important to make sure your attendees are able to effectively use your platform. The event website should provide a guide as to how to use the platform, attend the event, and how to engage using that platform. It may also be helpful to allow attendees to use the platform beforehand so that you aren’t barraged with questions on the day of the event.
Engaging Attendees
It may seem difficult to be able to engage with attendees when there is no physical face to face relationship, but with a few features, people can have an engaging experience at a virtual event. An easy way to promote engagement is with live Q&A sessions with keynote speakers. Q&A sessions can easily be held on a virtual platform by either speaking or through a messaging speaker. Furthermore, Speakers can use software that conducts live polling to engage the audience during their presentation. For example, the speaker can ask “How many of you have… ?” and by using the live polling software, audience members can give their input and the speaker can interpret the data in front of them. Using social media is also a great way to engage attendees. You can ask them to post a picture of their favorite part of the event and accompany a certain hashtag with it. Finally, one of the most important ways engagement happens in in-person events is through networking. Networking can happen in virtual events by utilizing a platform that can create message rooms between a few people. This way attendees can engage with other peers, and will further improve their experience at the event.
Keeping It Memorable:
Virtual Events have yet to become mainstream, so those who create and hold virtual events have the opportunity to stand out. Virtual events are unique in the way that all your attendees have access to an electronic device that is connected to the internet. Virtual Events can take full advantage of this by holding activities with the attendees that need the internet. From quizzes to online competitions, the opportunities given by the internet are endless. You can find activities that are compatible with the type of event you are hosting or you can even create your own. Use the resources provided in a virtual event to its full potential and create a memorable event for your attendees.
By utilizing the internet to its full potential, you can create an exciting, memorable, and successful virtual event. This Coronavirus pandemic has had a large negative impact on the event industry, but it may also give us a clue as to the future of this industry. As more of the world gets connected through the internet, virtual events will become more and more mainstream. Virtual events will just become increasingly popular as time moves on and it is important for us to adapt for the future.