It is evidently clear that since the 2020 pandemic, the event industry has experienced an upsurge in the virtual component of the events, the virtual events. As events hosted on a virtual event platform which is broadcasted throughout the world via the internet are virtual events and since the past year the competition in the market has increased, which is a good thing because now the event planners have abundant options to choose from and select the right platform that complements their format of event.
Virtual events are essentially the same as any event, events are to keep the audience engaged and encourage them to participate. Attendee’s engagement is the most significant aim of any event and thus it is necessary to select the right platform that will offer the correct set of tools and features that will help you achieve attendee’s involvement. A virtual event requires management, technical assistance, security, and broadcast/stream service; all these features are factors which will help you determine which virtual platform suits your event best. Without further ado, let us take a look at some of these factors and help you select the right virtual event platform for your next event to be successful.
What to look for when selecting a Virtual Platform?
Every platform is different as their orientation differs. Finding the right virtual event platform that has the expertise which is in favour of your event is the goal over here. While looking for your specific needs it is also important to keep an eye out for the platform offers generally, better features and tools automatically makes a platform favourable. The key is ‘efficiency’ and ‘ease of use’. The following are the factors:
Customisation
An event is incomplete without specific customisation. The ability to tailor your event is of prime importance as it defines what you are representing. Some common areas for customisation are virtual booths, web rooms/meeting halls, registration centres, and interactive websites. You may add several features to smoothen the attendee’s experience, but remember don’t make it chaotic by adding more than enough features. Such customisation features which can be leveraged by you and the attendees is essential for their engagement.
Abundant Virtual Rooms
Depending upon the scale of your event, you will have to consult the platform operators regarding its strength. An event has several rooms and activity centres which require abundant room to operate in. Some of the essential rooms are, theatres (Audio/Video centres), Auditorium, lobby, exhibition hall, lounges, conference rooms, and sponsor rooms. Having all these rooms available is essential because all activities cannot take place in a single room, neither in traditional nor in virtual events.
Broadcasting and Streaming Facility
One of the key aspects of a virtual event is that it can be witnessed on a global scale. People can attend the event without leaving the comfort of their own home. Essentially the event takes place online, over the internet, thus it requires a bandwidth to operate on. The platform must provide seamless video and audio transmission over the internet, any lags and stutters may prove to be harmful for your attendee’s engagement. Once the internet connectivity is proved stable look out for additional features the platform provides such as Q&A sessions, feedback sessions, and word from the sponsors. All these features help to increase attendee’s engagement as the participation will increase. Q&A sessions can be used to encourage the attendees in dwelling even more in the event and feedback sessions are essentially free event advice which is beneficial for future events.
Communication Facility
As mentioned above the platform must have broadcasting capability to incorporate features such Q&A sessions, feedback sessions etc. These are means of communication between the organiser and the attendees. By leveraging such features, the host can interact with the attendees and the attendees can interact with each other, essentially recreating traditional event experience which is significant for attendees engagement. Some other communication facilities which you may incorporate in your event ( that the platform should provide) are as follows; Group chat (for the attendees to interact with each other), message tool, lie polls, surveys, and feedback.
Social Media Wall
Social media is a great source of promotion and spreading the word around. Inclusion of hashtags with your event and incorporating creative photo booths in your event will encourage your attendees to take selfies and share them on their social media platform by also using hashtags. Hashtags are one of the best proven ways to spread awareness about your event. Such awareness also invites networking opportunities and takes your event on an even bigger global scale.
Record and analysis
Unarguably the best way to understand the success of an event is via audience feedback. Determining their satisfaction level will provide a great deal of information that can be leveraged the next time you host an event. A platform providing live analysis with a digital footprint will help you understand the action of your attendees and help you determine what attracted them the most. A record feature for the event will help revisit segments of your event; you may also upload the recorded event on your website for the attendees to check it out again or for potential attendees who couldn’t make it. The ability to make the event content available on demand is never a bad thing to have, as it invites new audiences to witness what you have to offer.
Over to You
It is blatantly clear that the trend has shifted to virtual events. Since the pandemic organisers have started opting for a virtual platform to host their events and make them available on a global scale. However, every platform is different and has different areas of expertise, thus it is important to go through available options and select the right platform that will work best in your favour. This is essential because the number of virtual platforms have increased quite a lot in the past year, amidst the pandemic. The above-mentioned factors are significant when choosing the right platform for your event. Analyse with your options and select the platform that complements your format of event the best. When all these factors are considered and the right platform is chosen, the probability of a successful event increases.
