It’s no secret that COVID-19 catalyzed the rise of virtual events. Learning to maximize event platform potential and harness this energy is becoming essential to growth for many businesses.
Many are hesitant about switching their event to a virtual space, but going online doesn’t mean you have to compromise. Online events are not synonymous with sacrifice, so be assured that equal quality and content is possible when bringing an event from real life to virtual life. The internet presents many unique opportunities that can be capitalized upon to produce an event that surpasses expectations.
Getting Started
Marketing and promoting for your event will be one of the most instrumental parts of its success. Utilizing relevant social media to increase awareness will draw attention to your platform and alert users about the opportunity to attend, all while increasing traffic to your page. Consider posting a TikTok video with information about the event.
If you have a contact list and aren’t sure what to do with it, consider partnering with a company to maximize your email marketing potential. Alloire uses Klaviyo to ensure that our email marketing is relevant, purposeful, and optimized for specific audiences.
“We are passionate about helping customers grow their business through owned marketing — by taking an empathetic and iterative approach to emails, we make sure to get the right email in the customer’s inbox at just the right moment.” -Indy, Alloire’s Klaviyo expert
Here’s Why Your Event Belongs Online
- You should move your event online because others aren’t. Competitors hesitant to provide an online format are opening up the market for your domination. Take advantage of this situation and provide a service that others aren’t.
- Going virtual means your team will be able to focus more on the actual event and less on irrelevant details. Instead of worrying about venue problems or scheduling issues, your team can dedicate themselves solely to producing an unforgettable event.
- Due to their centralized nature and large planning capacity, online events typically require a smaller staff. Less planning, fewer expenses, and reducing stress are all great reasons to make the switch to virtual.
- COVID-19 has significantly reduced travel and there’s no telling when that’ll change. Moving your event online means that you can increase both your audience and frequency. Without the need to travel, attendees can tune in from around the world.
- Virtual events are better for the planet. At Alloire, we believe in sustainability and protecting the environment, so each of our events reflects the joint commitment to being responsible citizens of the earth. Less planes, fewer cars, and a little more virtual commuting are excellent ways to lessen impact.
- Gathering data, tracking attendees, and getting their feedback can be challenging, but this struggle is eliminated with virtual events. Integrating feedback opportunities and surveys is simple; from registration to presenter feedback, the opportunities for analytics are endless.
- There are many opportunities to increase inclusivity. Closed captions are an excellent way to provide for a wide variety of attendees and ensure that everyone has access to the same information.
Incorporating Interaction
As the shift to increased technology use and reliance on screens continues, we understand that preserving our humanity is important. If you’re worried about losing interaction potential, know that there are many ways to incorporate engagement and keep people interested, even when they’re thousands of miles apart.
Creating a hashtag and broadcasting a live Twitter feed are excellent ways to encourage participation, while gaining feedback about the event. If you’re incorporating Twitter, then consider adding in breaks where users can post their remarks and read through the feed. Virtual lobbies are an excellent resource to encourage networking and incorporate an aspect of in person events.
Creating a unique, captivating virtual event requires creativity. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and incorporate components you may not be able to otherwise. One event even had a latte artist create portraits of attendees.
Tools
There are so many different tools available to ensure the success of your online event. From attendee organization to technical support, incorporating the right methods is essential in creating an event that looks effortless.
When selecting a platform, make sure it complements your other forms of technology and provides a smooth experience for both the presenters and the audience. Ensuring that the platform has ample security is a necessary part of selecting the right host.
If you’re looking for a one-time experience that leaves your attendees wanting more, consider a live event with an engaging speaker, advertising opportunities, and moments to generate leads. If you’re looking to produce an event that’ll stand the test of time and be available with the click of a button, recording may be the best option.
Whether an event is live, recorded, or a hybrid of the two will determine which platform is best. Zoom, BlueJeans, Cisco Webex, and Periscope are all popular means of delivering events to a wide variety of audiences. If you’re wanting to invite your social media audience and capitalize on the easy access, consider YouTube Live or Facebook Live.
Ready to Learn More?
With the shift to online events has come many questions about the future of business. Learning how to evolve and effectively implement new strategies is challenging, so Alloire is collaborating with companies to ensure their events represent the strategic, bold approach we believe in.
Syracuse Area Health – Strasburger Orthopaedics needed to provide a way to share information and important details about the groundbreaking NAVIO◊ robotics surgical system, so Alloire coordinated a NAVIO◊ Webinar where Dr. Scott Strasburger could be connected with local individuals seeking partial or total knee replacement surgery. Utilizing the online format made this opportunity more accessible and provided their practice with relevant audience outreach. If you’re ready to unlock the potential of online events, reach out to Alloire and learn more about what our collaboration could mean for your company.
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