Hosting Virtual Events: Popular Tips to Help you Ace it

In 1993, someone forayed into previously uncharted territory: They hosted the very first live stream in the world. Yep, even though virtual events seem like a recent phenomenon, brought further into the spotlight due to the coronavirus pandemic, the concept has been around for nearly three decades. But the current push virtual events have received understandable -- after all, most of the world now has access to the practically limitless number of means, including devices, software, and apps, to help them host their mini virtual events of sorts. This popularity has also led companies from across the broad spectrum of industries all over the world to look at them in a new light — as a rather convenient means of reaching a much, much bigger set of audiences and engaging them in an improved manner.

And their use is not limited to just virtual tours; today, companies are using them to host even some of the biggest conferences online. It is not merely about the expedience and practicality, but also about a world of other benefits. For starters, hosting a virtual event with the help of virtual event software allows companies to bring down their costs by a mind-boggling quantum. Then there’s also the reduction in the carbon footprint, yet another crucial consideration as the world becomes more conscious about factors that affect the climate. There is also the obvious benefit — you can reach audiences all over the world, instead of being limited to just one geographical region.

Suffice it to say, no matter how much some quarters of the market may resist them, virtual events remain an exciting and advantageous proposition. So, if you too intend to embrace virtual events, here are some tips that will help you make the most of them.

1. Strategize:  No matter the scale of the event; it would be sinful to dive into it without a proper plan and strategy. By the way, that’s true for all occasions and most things in life. With virtual events — if you intend to host one, make sure to start planning for it as soon as possible. And when you do, be sure to cover substantial aspects such as will it be alive or on-demand event, will you charge for attending the event, how will you enable registration and more.
2. Time it well: Just because it is a virtual event, doesn’t mean you can organize it whenever you fancy. No, sir, you still need to figure out the most appropriate date AND time and ensure it does not clash with a holiday or even an event hosted by a contemporary in the market. And when you are figuring this out, please don’t forget to factor in different time zones if you have a global audience base.
3. Engage in advance: When we say engage in advance, we don’t mean tell your target audience about the event in advance. You must also communicate with them before the event happens and use this opportunity to tell them what they can expect from the event if they need to prepare for it, and more.
4. Brace for tech issues: You know how even the most well planned physical events tend to experience some problems, sometimes owing to tech glitches or some such. That stands true for virtual events as well. For example, the internet connection, a foundational element of practical activities, can often be unstable. So could you test it and test it will? Another valuable tip is to keep copies of important files and presentations handy, lest the original file experiences an issue during the event.
5. Engage attendees for feedback: The ability to glean value from a virtual event doesn’t end with the game. So, be sure to send surveys, questionnaires, and more post the occasion to collect data that can be used to deliver better experiences in the future.

Besides these best practices, be also sure to integrate an online event app in your strategy to achieve the best results.