In this blog, we will take you through a guide that will help you understand virtual events and conferences better.
It’s been more than two years since the world has changed for us. Virtual events have become our thing since then, and physical and live events have become a thing of the past. Online events come with several advantages and have several benefits for both the organizers and the attendees. Virtual events have taken over by storm, and we believe that it is going to stay this way in coming years as well.
In this blog, we will take you through a guide that will help you understand virtual events and conferences better.
Virtual events can be simply defined as events hosted on web platforms, unlike physical events. You can say that virtual events are the replication of physical events. The only difference between virtual events and physical events is that of the medium of hosting. Apart from it, nothing is different, and they are as real as physical events. The organizers can host virtual product launches, virtual conferences, virtual meet-ups, and basically all kinds of events existing in the physical world.
What are the elements of a virtual event?
The first and foremost crucial element of virtual events has and will always be the content. Content is the king, and there is nothing that can ever compensate for content. Hence, no matter what, never ever compromise with the quality of the content. Moreover, there are several elements and factors that make a virtual event what they are. These elements are audience engagement, data, and high event-production quality. Not to mention, the speakers and moderators who communicate with the audience play a crucial role in deciding the success of the event.
Apart from it, one of the most crucial factors that make the execution of virtual events possible is virtual event platforms. Several advanced virtual platforms come with tools like breakout rooms, audience interactivity tools, and other top-notch features that make it possible for the organizers to give reality to their ideas in the best possible way.
What are the types of virtual events?
Though there are several types of virtual events, some of the most popular ones are:
Virtual Conferences:
Like their physical counterparts, virtual conferences are the official gatherings of professionals to discuss a particular topic and agenda. A virtual conference is a large-scale event that comprises several elements such as keynote sessions, audience-interaction sessions, Q&A sessions, and much more. The duration of conferences can vary depending on the kind, scale, and the number of participants. It means that a conference can either be one day long or can extend up to one week. Also, since virtual conferences do not require the attendees to travel and spend money, the organizers can host even a month-long conference.
Webinars:
Another most popular type of virtual event is webinars. They are the web version of seminars. Webinars are one of the most tried and tested methods of delivering content to the audience. Not only this, webinars are quick to host and consume less time than regular virtual conferences and events. Webinars are generally live and hence, allow the attendees to interact with each other in the most seamless and efficient manner.
Online Workshops:
Online workshops allow the organizers to deliver knowledge and inculcate a skill set in the participants. An online workshop generally includes Q&A sessions where the instructor solves the queries of the participants. Moreover, there are several online meeting platforms that come with tools such as screen sharing and breakout rooms, which allow the speakers to share the content effectively and efficiently. These events are popular among students, where the students can attend classes, practice exercises, and even write mock tests without any hassle.
Virtual Community Meet-ups:
The next most popular types of virtual event are the community meet ups. These events are informal and allow one to connect with people and make life-like and effective connections. They resemble social media communities a lot, but the key difference between them is that virtual community meet-ups happen in real-time, and hence, they are more effective.
Though one might think that the common difference between virtual and real events is that of the medium, there are several other factors that make them different from each other. One such factor is networking. There is one common misconception that virtual events are not interactive and do not allow the attendees to communicate with each other and make bonds. However, there is a reason we called it a misconception. Virtual event platforms are engaging as their physical counterparts. One might get attracted to the bright-eyed locations and assume that physical events would help them more in creating connections and bonds.
But, let us share with you that virtual events provide as many opportunities for the attendees to interact with each other as physical events. But, it is not as easy as one might think. Virtual events require the organizers to think outside the box and leverage an advanced online event platform to execute the event of your choice and dreams.
What are the Key Performance Indicators You Can Use to Measure the Success of the Virtual Event?
Here are some factors to consider to measure the success of the virtual event.
Brand Recognition:
One of the factors that you can use to measure the success of your event is brand recognition. You can refer to the people’s mentions, social media coverage, PR coverage, etc. for the same.
Lead Generation:
See how many leads have been generated through the virtual event. Also, if you are an event hosting organization, your KPI can be calculated by the revenue you, your exhibitors, and your sponsors have generated.
Great Brand Exposure Among Various Speakers and Exhibitors:
The next way you can refer to measure your event success is by referring to the number of speakers and brands who want to collaborate with you in the near future. You can always rely on this method, as it is an instant method to measure your event’s success.
In the blog above, we have tried to address some of the least talked about yet significant elements of virtual events and conferences. We hope it will help you understand virtual events in detail.