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.
A1. The most important factors would be event dates and refundable expenses. There’s a possibility that large events could be banned through 2021. If your on the near side of that time line you probably want to cancel early and get more money back than risk it all. #ContentChat
— GreenRope (@GreenRope) April 6, 2020
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.
1A. #contentChat
First we have to own that virtual events will never replace offline conferences…But they can include many aspects & when done right can deliver value that isn’t possible offline!
So we must redefine what success of a #virtualevent looks like! https://t.co/MvxhaAAemN
— Brian Fanzo (@iSocialFanz) April 6, 2020
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.
A1a: Like most things, whether you should cancel, reschedule, or take your event virtual depends on the event goals and its audience.
If your event is time-bound, like the Cherry Blossom Festival, you are faced with transforming it into a virtual event or canceling. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Expert (@SFerika) April 6, 2020
I’m always about asking the audience, so perhaps a survey of interest for a virtual event – along with questions around preference of length, cost for virtual-only, etc. – would be helpful. From those responses, determine the value of the event.
— Erin Schroeder (@erinbschroeder) April 6, 2020
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.
A1: An event w/ hands on components (workshops, prototyping, sketching) is primed for a reschedule. But any event that relies on brainstorming, group thinking, or other sharing can surely be virtual. Zoom breakout rooms are your friend, but up the # of facilitators! #ContentChat
— Rachel Wendte (@rkwendte) April 6, 2020
A1) A big part is if their audience will get the same kind of benefit as the original in-person event. Events that pride themselves on workshops and speakers could translate relatively well online, but others that are big on networking/hands-on might want to hold off #contentchat
— OnePitch (@onepitchsaas) April 6, 2020
And there are plenty of content types to explore that can create an engaging and interactive online event experience.
1B. #ContentChat
Some of the criteria that I believe you must think about it is how can we use a collaboration of content mediums
Live Video
Produced Video
Audio content
PDF’s
Chats
Forum based conversationsIt’s not about one tool more a collaboration!
— Brian Fanzo (@iSocialFanz) April 6, 2020
A1: To begin, they have to evaluate whether the information they will share can be effectively communicated via virtual means.
They should be thinking about the quality of information via all delivery methods, but I digress…#ContentChat
— THE Gary J. Nix 🌹100🌟: people seem to know me? (@Mr_McFly) April 6, 2020
When planning your event, ask yourself these questions: What are the goal(s) of the event?
A1: Great place to start is to evaluate the goals of the live event. Is it networking? Lead gen? Thought leadership/awareness? Start there & then evaluate what you can (or should) replicate virtually. #ContentChat
— Justin Robbins (@justinmrobbins) April 6, 2020
A1c: If your event is about fostering personal connections, involves a lot of proprietary information not intended for sharing publicly, or your audience doesn’t have a broadband connection and solid home computer setup, you may want to cancel. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Expert (@SFerika) April 6, 2020
How much interaction do we want during the event, and can we manage this online?
A1.
I’m thinking, how much interaction does the client want?
My training / speaking is highly interactive with constant questions and feedback from the group. This leads to a feel of ‘discussion’ vs ‘Training’, which the audence would miss is everything was virtual.#ContentChat— Bruce Mayhew (@BMCtrainercoach) April 6, 2020
A1: I’d rather see the workshops and interactive elements get translated to virtual. It’s hard to sit through most speeches IRL. I can’t imagine you’d get great engagement online. #ContentChat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) April 6, 2020
How will we keep an online audience focused? This could involve exploring different session lengths and the way you deliver the content.
I believe it also has to include a change in how this information is provided…
60 minute keynotes & 90 minute workshops work great offline!
Online the audience is much more distracted so must get creative with times & style of content! #contentChat
— Brian Fanzo (@iSocialFanz) April 6, 2020
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.
A1) Virtual is a great way to gather. The biggest questions for the company would be A. Timeliness – if you wait to do the conference in person, does it still have the same meaning? B. Does it still have meaning online or does it work better face to face?
— SooktonSays (@SooktonSays) April 6, 2020
Great point around timing-based events. I’m working with a farm that does a sunflower maze each year. Planting timing is off. Opening timing is off. People being together in the maze is off. So, now I’m wondering if a drone tour through the maze could be cool? #contentchat
— Diana Richardson🍷 (@DianaRich013) April 6, 2020
Yes!!! I created a full video with my @GoPro 360 camera today and testing ways I can leverage tools like this to really provide value and not just vanity! #ContentChat pic.twitter.com/MuS4A1qoBj
— Brian Fanzo (@iSocialFanz) April 6, 2020
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.
A1: determine if a live audience would add value. Sponsors would love the leadflow, but the audience? Ask them! Either way, hire and expert recordist and plan to record all sessions for later playback, and market THAT. #contentchat
— Ed Alexander (@fanfoundry) April 6, 2020
