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April 6, 2020 Content Chat Recap: How Innovative Companies Are Reinventing Virtual Events

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As businesses and society continue to grapple with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is clear that the world will never operate the way it once did. The events industry, in particular, is in turmoil, with decades-old institutions like the Churchill Club ending their events series, and companies are facing tough decisions on how to navigate events in a socially distanced world.

This week, the #ContentChat community was joined by Brian Fanzo (@iSocialFanz), a digital futurist keynote speaker, to explore the shifting events landscape. Read the full recap below, which includes advice on how to decide if your event should go virtual, the tools you need to successfully run an online event, and the trends that will define this new era of events.

Q1: Many conference and event organizers are having to decide if they should cancel, reschedule, or take their upcoming events virtual. What criteria can they use to evaluate if a virtual event would be a good fit?

In-person events will almost certainly be nonexistent through 2020, likely stretching well into 2021. You should not plan to host an in-person event for at least another 9 months, pending ongoing guidance from public health officials.

This is an opportunity to reassess the value of your event and see how you can reinvent that experience virtually. This pressure to innovate and redesign event experiences will shape the next era of events.

For any event to be successful, it has to provide value to its audience. As such, one way to assess whether your event should go virtual is by surveying your prospective attendees to assess their needs and interests.

Events with a heavy networking focus will be trickier (but not impossible) to replicate digitally, but more traditional event components like keynotes, panel discussions, and even brainstorming can be handled online.

And there are plenty of content types to explore that can create an engaging and interactive online event experience.

When planning your event, ask yourself these questions: What are the goal(s) of the event?

How much interaction do we want during the event, and can we manage this online?

How will we keep an online audience focused? This could involve exploring different session lengths and the way you deliver the content.

How important is the timing of this event? If the topic can wait until after the virus is contained and there is significant value in holding the event in person, consider postponing.

Do we have the capability to record and post sessions afterward? This can greatly extend the value of your event because you can couple those recordings with blog posts and social media content following the event.

Q2: What are some key differences between the agendas and content for in-person events versus engaging virtual events?

As mentioned in the answers to Q1, online event attendees can easily become distracted with the whole internet just a click away. Virtual events must be designed with this fact in mind.

Networking is one of the main components of in-person events that can be missing from online events. Think through ways that you can replicate a networking experience online.

Brian and the community share advice and considerations for building engaging virtual events:

Q3: Let’s get inspired—what are some examples of some innovative, successful virtual events we can all learn from and why?

Check out these virtual events that our community recommends. What innovative virtual events (or event components) have you seen?

Q4: What are some up-and-coming trends event organizers should be aware of and consider incorporating into their virtual events?

Digital events are perfect for blending multiple tools like live streaming, messaging platforms, social media, and more to deliver a robust and engaging experience. The switch to digital also makes it easier to collaborate with other partners or peers for the event, since no travel is needed.

To encourage participation, directly ask your audience questions and request their response in a designated event messaging area. Or, consider polling your audience members to keep them engaged. Whatever participation strategy you try, sprinkle in those moments throughout the presentation instead of waiting until the end (when the audience may have already checked out).

This new way of structuring events may feel uncomfortable, especially if you are unsure how to execute certain ideas. That is OK. Seek advice from other professionals that are passionate about building digital experiences. It is better to try something new that your audience will like than avoid executing on an idea simply because you are unfamiliar with it.

Q5: What are some tired virtual event tropes and tactics that we all need to say goodbye to?

Marketers may approach online events like a webinar, which is a misguided approach. Engaging online events should feature more than audio talking over a slide—show video of the host and speaker(s) and enable the audience to ask questions and participate as possible.

Online event emcees/hosts should be skilled at authentically engaging the audience and encouraging participation.

In-person events were often regarded for their entertainment and sense of spectacle. Online events should try to instill a similar sense of amusement.

One creative online event idea: Send attendees a meal or some other treat.

Q6: What is some of the most exciting and interesting virtual event technology that you’ve worked with?

Brian shares some tools to try to create, present, and record your online event, as well as collaboration/community engagement options. Have you tried any of these?

VR could have great applications for the online event space, but there are currently some limitations with the technology. We’ll see if any companies overcome these hurdles during this new wave of events.

Q7: What does the future of business networking look like through the lens of virtual events?

Traditionally, large companies ruled the event landscape because of their vast resources and connections. This shift to virtual events can level the playing field in terms of the resources needed to host an event.

The rise of virtual events calls for more structure than before, especially in facilitating chat and networking opportunities and forums.

Hosts, moderators, and event ambassadors will play a critical role in both promoting the event and facilitating the sessions.

There will be a learning curve for many event attendees (and organizers), as well as an adjustment to the new online event culture. Organizers should be ready to provide thorough details and FAQs on how to navigate the event experience, and a code of conduct should be enforced to correct and educate any misbehaving attendees.

Q8: What other tips do you have for creating compelling virtual events?

Start by defining your goals, and build off of those to design the event experience.

It is easy for virtual event attendees to get distracted. Mix up your content types and encourage audience participation throughout each session to keep their focus.

Technical risk is high, so practice transitions ahead of time and have a backup plan in case certain capabilities crash during the event.

And if you’re nervous about online events, start small. You’re bound to make mistakes, each of which you can grow from. Try new ideas. Learn from your failures. As long as you’re focused on providing the best experience for your audience, you are bound to find new and exciting ways to strengthen your relationship with them.

 

About Alek Irvin

Alek Irvin is a content marketing professional with a rich history in social media management, executive thought leadership development, and media relations. As a consultant at Erika Heald Marketing Consulting, he creates human-focused content and thought leadership platforms that help brand leaders connect and engage with their communities. Alek has worked with a range of startups and Fortune 500 companies across the B2B technology and consumer spaces, including IBM, Dell Technologies, Hitch Works, Emtrain, Integrate, and Frameable. Connect with him on Twitter @AlekIrvin.

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