One of the positives that has come from those pandemic years is that the virtual world has really stepped up it’s game. Things that people thought they would always be doing ‘in person’, like attending meetings and events, have become do-able online – and have become just as professional as they were in person. Some of the biggest and most glamorous events can be hosted online, running live for everyone to join in.
You’ll see that companies are creating their own videos and sharing them on all their social platforms, hosting virtual events, webinars and social media ‘lives’.
They are constantly evolving too, as virtual events are always shifting and changing; adapting as technology improves. The beauty of them means you no longer have to leave home to attend an event, as the whole point is that not everyone is there physically. They are still just as interactive, and they can actually attract more people as no one has to leave the comfort of their homes to attend.
If you have to plan a live event online, remember that there are two ways to do this. One is to host an event that can be completely virtual, with everybody connecting via the internet in their own private space. Or, you can plan a face to face event while streaming virtual seminars, tutorials , live streams or showcases as you please. Either way,
Your live event can feature webcasts, virtual meetings, webinars, conferences, online trade shows, networking events and more – it’s totally up to you. You can adapt as you please.
Here are some tips when it comes to running your own:
Tailor towards your target audience
If you’re working for a beauty or fashion company for example, and you want your virtual attendees to be highly interested in these areas, you will need to market your event to reach those who work in these industries or are invested in them as part of their lifestyles.
Nail your target audience down first, working out where they ‘hang out’ online, what social media accounts they follow, what content they consume, what they need to learn, and what they will benefit from your event. When you have fully understood your event audience, you can use this information wisely to target the perfect event attendee.
Choose the right tech
You have to consider the right platform for hosting your virtual event, working out which one works best for your audience. If the platform the event is hosted on means lots of extra downloading for people, and they aren’t a tech savvy group, you may find it puts people off. Ask yourself the following:
- Does your audience find it easy to navigate new technology?
- What social media platforms does your target audience use daily?
- What features will you need to use to help make everything run smooth?
- Will your event benefit from audience engagement technology?
- How important is the backdrop and visual elements?
If you have the time, you can always trial by using a free social media platform, and run a simple live stream for on Facebook Live, Instagram or LinkedIn. You can run these on the months leading up to a ‘bigger’ live event, testing out how they work and the audiences you can reach. Then, when it comes to running your big event, you may want to look at a tech platform that allows multiple streams, networking, polling and Q&A and more.
Your big event will benefit from having a choice of stages and sessions to join, with networking opportunities via instant chat, live pols, live Q&A sessions and more. It’s also worth weighing up how to ticket the event and monetise. There are sites like Eventbrite who can help with ticket sales, too.
Understand live streaming
You want to make sure the live streaming of your event is seamless, as it will capture audio and video in real-time. Your live event videos and audio will be transmitted over the internet to your viewers. It may require a combination of professional equipment and software, and depending on the video and audio levels involved, you may need a team of skilled technicians to work on the live streaming too.
If the event you are running is wide scale, reaching thousands of people or is for a corporate company, it could be worth looking at outsourcing to a company to help. Especially if budgets allow, getting help from a virtual event production company could be the missing part to making your event a real hit.
You will sometimes need the expertise, trained experts and the right resources to handle all aspects of your live streaming. Its surprising what goes into it, from setups and quality of the streaming, to live production and technical support.
Pick the right suppliers
If your budget is low, you may not need to use any external suppliers. But if your event is big and you want it to make an impact, choosing suppliers which complement your brand or company, or even the topic you are discussing, can be a big win. There are so many amazing virtual event suppliers out there who can make it their mission to add something special to your virtual event, to make it memorable and unique.
It could be gift boxes to arrive the day before the event, or branded merchandise to make your audience feel part of a group. Or, it could be suppliers who provide expert virtual quizzes, or even event catering that can be delivered to the homes. There are many food and drink events that rely on these, and it’s in these cases that picking the right suppliers is essential.
Get the correct time and date
This is such a simple one, but a real key factor when it comes to planning a live virtual event. If you’re targeting women, it’s no good hosting it splat bang during the typical bedtimes for children, as most mums will be heavily involved in bedtime routines. This could make 6.30pm-8pm a real no go. Again, nail down your target audience, and understand what they are doing at what times of the day. You need to find their sweet spot, when they have enough focus and concentration, yet it needs to not clash with things like work.
Live events across the virtual world are only looking to increase, as the world is quickly becoming very reliant on being online at all times.
Leave a Reply