The online format of events has firmly entered our lives in recent years. Virtual events can be held in any format, moreover, they help to expand the geography of guests.
Online meetings do not require large investments and allow simultaneous collaboration with partners from different countries. For participants, the main advantages of such formats are the opportunity to ask the speaker a question and to rewatch the recording after the broadcast ends in order to better absorb the knowledge gained.The list of types of online events is virtually unlimited: it includes both large-scale events such as conferences, concerts or sports broadcasts, and narrowly focused events such as master classes or trainings. The most popular are webinars, conferences, exhibitions, team building activities, presentations, games and virtual competitions.
Formulating the concept
Defining goals
This may include: increasing brand awareness, presenting new products, training, collecting leads for sales, expanding the audience, organizing networking, increasing audience loyalty, and so on. Define the final performance indicators of the event objectives and the timeframe within which the result must be achieved. For example, if the goal is to attract social media followers, determine the specific number of new users needed.
Choosing a topic
The focus of the event should be interesting and useful for participants. A specific topic will make it possible to build a logical narrative structure, attract experts as speakers and turn viewers into a target audience or potential clients.
Identifying key features
The characteristic features of an event include its format, number of participants, duration and venue. This will help determine in advance the amount of resources needed to hold the event and ensure quality technical support. It is also important to indicate how open the broadcast is: it may be available to everyone or have restricted access with prior registration.
Program Development
A successful event is built on a rich program, interesting speakers, and engaging content. That's why the first step is to develop a scenario that defines the order of presentations, the display of presentations, and possible activities to engage participants: music breaks, voting, the host's speech, and so on. Pay attention to alternating live content and pre-recorded presentations: viewers usually value live broadcasts more.
Moderation is also important so that spammers don't crash the broadcast during the online event. In addition, moderators will help speakers or viewers understand the platform's tools: start recording or screen sharing, ask a question, leave a comment in the chat, run a poll or vote, and much more.
Preparing for the Event
This stage includes checking the technical aspects of the event. Make sure your internet connection is working properly, turn off unnecessary devices and programs that may overload the network, as well as sound and notifications on your device. Test your camera, microphone, and screen sharing, and check for background noise and other issues.
You can also gather the experts before the event to rehearse the scenario, make adjustments to the program, explain the technical nuances of the online platform, or announce any changes. This will help speakers adapt to the conditions and deliver a better performance to the viewers.
Planning will help avoid delays and errors in the event, which will strengthen the company's image and increase audience trust. If you don't have enough experience in holding online events, contact “Aventura”. The specialists will ensure high-quality organization of a virtual event thanks to their experience, professional equipment, and the qualifications of their employees.
Technical support
Before holding the event, it is important to organize participant registration. Data collection can be done by filling out a form on the event website or on social media. Decide in advance what information about guests you will need so you do not make the form too long: people do not want to spend a lot of time writing detailed answers.
The choice of platform depends on how many tools you need. Some platforms offer a limited list of features, while others offer an expanded list of options, sometimes even going beyond ordinary video conferencing. Gamification, access on request, interactive features and other add-ons can be turned to the event's advantage: engage participants, demonstrate technical sophistication, reinforce the company's image and ensure comfort for viewers and speakers. You can also set up broadcasting on several channels: the company website, a streaming platform and social media.
Another advantage of an online meeting can be networking: create a general chat for event participants in a messenger, social network or dedicated service. This way you can engage viewers, ask them questions, monitor feedback, suggest topics for discussion, and so on. Don't forget to set communication rules and introduce hashtags for easily finding relevant information.
If your task is to adapt a regular event to an online format, you need to consider several factors:
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the number of cameras;
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lighting capabilities;
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the area of the room;
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the number of speakers on camera;
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the appearance of the background and the overall broadcast image.
Attracting Attendees
Effective event promotion involves creating a target audience profile and selecting the appropriate information dissemination channels. These include email newsletters, social media content, collaboration with bloggers, targeted and contextual advertising, media, and other marketing tools. It is also important to consider the design of materials: they should reflect the brand's corporate identity and the event's status, as well as convey the necessary information about the time, name, format, speakers, and venue of the event.
If you need high attendance, it is better to start attracting attendees in advance. Regular reminders about the event will help reach a wide audience and help potential attendees not to forget about the event. You can also maintain attention to news about the event through a phased reveal of details, holding a live contest, or a long giveaway of invitations, gifts from sponsors, and other presents.
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