A common misconception about online events is that they lack the impact of live events. But that is far from the truth. Since ProSpeakers.com a Virtual Speakers Agency was impacted by the shut of live events in March, we’ve been dedicated to becoming an expert in providing keynote speakers and celebrities for virtual and online events. We worked with many companies over the last 6 months —and we’ve learned a lot. One thing in particular: Arguably the most difficult part of the transition to virtual events is navigating the technology.
To help, and having worked with the top Virtual Platforms here are some lessons learned and best practices for conquering the Virtual and online events world:
- Your website is the key landing page for potential clients.
It should have a clear placement advertising for your virtual event and Virtual Keynote Speaker that links to the registration page. Your website needs to updated internally so that new information about the event can be changed quickly. Otherwise, you will need to make your website designer aware of any updates so that they have time to program them. - Registration software, such as Eventbrite or Bizzabo, are an excellent tools for audience capture for Online events.
The registration process should be as seamless as possible; being able to easily add the event to your calendar through the registration software can increase viewership immensely. When choosing your registration software, think about what kind of data will be useful to you. You can gather important information such as audience demographics, mailing addresses for gifting, and most importantly, email addresses. - Utilize email marketing tools.
Most registration software will send a confirmation email, but with people going to their inboxes for updates more and more, it’s important to send your attendees content-rich emails to market your event.
According to Mikey Singer, President of MKEM – Many of your subscribers will view emails on mobile devices, so choose a platform that has a good mix between template management and HTML flexibility. Great email marketing tools allow you to segment your lists at very granular levels.
- Choosing the right Virtual Event Platform (VEP) and streaming software is difficult, but not impossible.
Now this is where it really gets tricky. With thousands of options and seemingly more popping up each day, it’s almost impossible to choose a virtual event platform. You should consider whether you want your content to be pre-recorded or livestreamed, or a combination of the two.
You will also need to strongly consider your target audience when choosing a VEP and streaming software. For instance, if the audience strictly uses Zoom, why should they be forced to download and adopt a new software? It’s not always necessary to look for different platforms. Conversely, if we are planning a virtual gala for thousands of industry professionals, we might want to do more of a visually and sonically enhanced one-way broadcast via Vimeo, YouTube, or even Twitch. You could also layer in other apps for breakout rooms such as Hopin or Rally.
Take a tip from Theresa Darmody, a global event planner with Eventmark Inc , who suggests, “When considering the virtual event platform, remember that, like an in-person event, this is now your venue, your entertainment, and guest experience. That ‘wow moment’ when you walk into a grand event space can still be had with a smooth check-in and a beautifully prepared platform.”
- When choosing a virtual event platform, pay close attention to engagement tools.
Q&As, polls, interactive games—all of these are imperative to your success. I’m sure you’ve heard of “Zoom fatigue” at this point, so think of engagement tools as a cup of coffee. Keeping the audience engaged is the difference between just another webinar and a memorable event. Make sure the tools are easy and seamless to use and leave out engagement tools that don’t make sense in what you’re trying to accomplish.
At ProSpeakers.com we would love to partner with you on your next Virtual Event.
