The meeting calendar does not stop for COVID.
Until March 2020, conferences often involved travelling overseas and preparing for days of in-person discussion around the latest scientific developments and networking with peers. But the emergence of COVID-19 has forced things to change. As we enter 2021, the ‘virtual event’ continues to be the new normal—so how can we optimise the attendee experience?
1. The platform
Whilst there are many meeting platforms available, selecting the right one is vitally important. It not only needs to be easy to navigate, but it should also offer audience engagement tools. Standard platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams and WebEx offer host sharing, polling and Q&A features beneficial for smaller meetings. In contrast, live-streaming platforms, like SpotMe, offer the whole event package with audience engagement features, event notifications and an activity feed, which allows for social networking. Selecting the right platform is the right place to start as this will influence other decisions when planning the event.
2. Key to engagement
No one wants to sit at their computer screen listening passively to presentations for prolonged periods of time. Attendees will switch off (literally) and your carefully-prepared content will be wasted. Engaging the audience is crucial, whether this is achieved with small breakout rooms or live voting and Q&A. Ensuring the audience is listening and involved is a critical factor for success. Make sure you foreground the aspects of your content that will resonate the most with your target audience, encourage attendees to use features such as chat windows and polls to keep them ‘active’, and don’t forget to ask for feedback.
3. Preparation is key
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail…
Your virtual event has two equally-important components: the content and the technology. Setting clear communications objectives, and creating a detailed agenda to deliver these objectives, is crucial. A useful way of ensuring that your content is clear and memorable to potential attendees is by selecting a vivid, memorable theme to be carried across all forms of communication (presentations and promotional materials). Consistency and repetition will make it obvious what your event offers in a ‘noisy’ digital environment.
The other important aspect is technology; this can be as unpredictable as last year was. From rogue mute buttons to poor WiFi connections, technology can surprise us. It is always best to create ‘what if?’ scenarios as part of your planning: What if one of the speakers loses internet connectivity mid-presentation? What if the presentation freezes and you cannot progress slides? Planning for the unexpected as much as possible will ensure the event runs smoothly on the day. Finally, having at least one full rehearsal before the event is a must. Don’t think ‘It will be fine on the night’.
4. Promoting the event
Everyone knows how crowded inboxes can get, and how weary many of us are of Zoom calls. However: you would not be running your event if it did not offer value to attendees. Cut through the noise with a bold creative and a multichannel marketing strategy that highlights ‘what’s in it for them’ if they come along. Combining email campaigns, blog posts and social media marketing gives you the opportunity to build pre-event excitement over time. And don’t forget post-event communications—you can distribute additional information and resources, and gain valuable insights from your audience feedback, to help you make your future events even more successful.
Conclusion
Virtual events can be as effective as in-person, if executed correctly. As the number of virtual events increases, it is important to create a positive, organised and informative environment for your audience. Through careful preparation, including technology considerations, audience engagement and creative marketing, you can bring the event to life, virtually.
If you are interested in our virtual event services, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
By Kate Adcock
