Top tips for hosting virtual events

(Posted on 10/03/21)

Whether you’re looking to organise a smaller, more personal virtual event, or provide a digital replacement for one of the largest live trade shows in the calendar year, you’ll want to provide an online event which attracts the right audience and drives results for your business.

Here are our top tips to consider when hosting a virtual event:

 

Great expectations

It goes without saying that a virtual event is never going to be the same as a live event. The hum and bustle of the crowds and the spontaneity of conversations that comes with being face-to-face in person, is something which is still on hold for the foreseeable future. So, it is important to set and manage expectations of what the virtual event will be like and entail for the attendee.

 

Go ‘all in’

For any virtual event to be a success, it has to be a fully tied-together experience, even though people are ‘attending’ virtually from home. A seamless and engaging agenda and providing the best guest speakers for an authentic experience, will encourage engagement and key shares to wider networks.

 

Going digital

Whereas before, the build-up, news from the live event, and the post-event roundup would be done via online platforms, such as through social media and the event website, now ALL the content for the show will be digital, including the show itself. From quote snippets by key speakers on social media, to blog posts, recordings, and infographics, this micro-content can then be engaged with and shared more easily by the virtual attendees, especially after the virtual event as it can be readily available for weeks and months after. This vital information exchange of bite-size content will therefore be relevant, and not just for those who attended. Whereas a live event can sometimes create a closed-off clique of ‘you had to be there’.

 

Let’s talk about you

Virtual events can also act as the perfect platform for attendees to discuss and share information and stories, such as in real-time through hosted chat rooms, or as part of a virtual networking meet-and-greet ‘happy hour’, where they can bring a drink and ‘socialise’ through the screen.

 

Keep them coming back for more

Providing fun and interactive entertainment which adds to the event theme will also make for a memorable experience. One interesting example included hosting a virtual dinner party, as led by Host of Top Chef Canada and Author of Eating Out Loud, Eden Grinshpan. Through the live demonstration to the digital audience of how to cook a variety of tasty dishes, the message for the event was clear and engaging: “We’ll bring the recipes, you bring the wine.”

 

The best team for the job

We have organised all types of events, including staff and customer conferences and exhibitions, corporate, community and fundraising events and award ceremonies, and can help you take that next step into the virtual events world too. Get in touch with our team today to discuss your requirements.