Remember These 5 Tips when Hosting Virtual Events 

If you’re considering hosting virtual events for your side business or everyday work, you’re really no different than millions of other people. COVID-19 has caused a shift int the thought processes and general mindsets both for marketers and for business owners. As we come up with ways to keep consumers connected and engaged in a socially distant world, the idea of hosting virtual events seems to keep popping up.

Hosting virtual events isn’t all that difficult. Consider these 5 tips to help you effectively make the most out of the technology, tools and resources available to you. Before you host your virtual event, make sure you’re fully prepared for what’s to come.

#1. Choose Shorter Event Formats 

While you may have had long events planned for in-person conferences or networking, that’s probably not going to work as well now that you’re shifting to a virtual event.

Consider hosting virtual events that are under 30 minutes total length to capture and maintain the attention span of an online audience.

This is not to say that your audience won’t be paying attention after 30 minutes, but a shorter duration virtual event is likely to generate more buzz than something overly long. 

#2. Host Interactive Sessions with Face-to-Face Attendee Visuals 

Attendees are more likely to enjoy an interactive session if they can see who they are interactive with. Something as simple as a picture-in-picture view in which each attendee can see who they are chatting with will go a long way in keeping attendees engaged during interactive sessions.

Talk with your virtual event production company about the steps needed and the technology to make this happen. 

#3. Test Venue Backgrounds Before the Live Event 

Just because your speakers and members of the virtual event will not be in public with a massive audience does not in any way mean that you can forego testing.

Make sure you have tested venue backgrounds and you’re aware of the chosen costume or clothing for each speaker before the event recording takes place.

This is not the time to find out that a presenter has chosen not to wear pants or is blending in with the background chosen before the film date. Hosting virtual events is much like hosting in person events when it comes to appropriate attire. 

#4. Focus Heavily on Engagement 

Just as you would focus on the engagement of attendees when you host a live event, hosting virtual events requires special care to ensure all attendees are satisfied with the opportunities to engage along the way.

The more diversified the engagement opportunities are, the greater the chance will be for all attendees to interact in some way. 

Consider the following engagement opportunities: 

-Quizzes and surveys 

-Live polls 

-Session video previews 

-Chat rooms 

-Post session Q&A panels 

#5. Diversify Content to Engage the Audience & Hold Attention 

When hosting virtual events, it’s important to keep attendees engaged and doing this requires a wide array of unique content in order to help them adhere to the type and format of content being delivered.

The following types of content are both attention grabbers and attention holders for these types of virtual events: 

-Case Studies and thought leadership pieces. 

–Research based content that is academically founded. 

-Past or present client based content that offers insight. 

-White papers, videos or shareable online content. 

-Product training or guided content that helps attendees understand sponsors and the offering provided. 

Need help creating any of these types of content for your next big virtual event? Whether you’re totally new to hosting virtual events, or this is something you’ve longed to do, Beverly Boy Productions can help!

Give us a call for information about virtual event productions and the services aimed at helping you deliver virtual events.