Nearly 30% of all events worldwide went hybrid last year, and the shift toward virtual is only growing. But how do you make sure your virtual event isn’t just another online meeting?
Simple: by following the right virtual event best practices.
Whether you’re aiming for higher engagement or seamless execution, this guide is packed with everything you need for a successful virtual event. From choosing the right platform to keeping your audience hooked, we’ll walk you through the best practices for success.
If you’re ready to make your next event one to remember, this virtual event guide is just what you need!
Types of Virtual Events
Virtual events are a powerful way to connect people from around the globe without the hassle of travel or logistics.
With the right planning, they can be as impactful as in-person gatherings, offering flexibility and a wide range of opportunities. Let’s explore the 5 main types of virtual events and how they can enhance your event strategy.
Webinars:
Educational or training sessions with a live speaker and interactive Q&A, allowing participants to learn from anywhere.
Virtual Conferences:
Multi-session events with keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities, all held online.
Hybrid Events:
A blend of in-person and virtual attendance, offering both live and remote participants the same experience.
Hands-on learning experiences conducted online, often with interactive exercises and real-time feedback. Incorporating these into your event plan is a step toward virtual event success.
10 Virtual Event Best Practices For Success
In today’s digital landscape, hosting a successful virtual event is both an art and a science. With the right virtual events best practices, you can create an engaging and memorable experience that keeps your audience hooked.
Dive into these 10 essential tips to elevate your virtual events and ensure your attendees leave wanting more!
1. Choose Customized Virtual Event Platforms
When you’re planning virtual events, one key decision you have to make is selecting the right virtual event management software. While many pre-built platforms like Zoom are available, creating a customized virtual event platform offers tons of flexibility and exciting features like registration management, live polls, and more.
A custom solution gives you the opportunity to integrate all the features you want. Plus, you can innovate with unique elements and optimize the platform for your audience’s needs.
Quick Stat:90% of event professionals believe that the right technology can have a positive impact on the success of their events.
If you're hosting a virtual event like a product demo or webinar, custom software could enable you to implement advanced features. These include (but are not limited to) AI event planning for networking, personalized attendee dashboards, interactive 3D environments, etc.
By developing your own virtual event platform, you can create an experience that truly stands out, ensuring long-term success for your virtual events.
2. Focus on Audience Engagement
One of the biggest challenges when you run a virtual event is constant audience engagement. Without the physical interaction of in-person events, it's easy for attendees to lose focus. To combat this, incorporate interactive elements like live polls, quizzes, or even gamification to hold their attention.
Pro Tip: Set up breakout rooms for small group discussions or offer live Q&A sessions to make the experience more interactive.
During a virtual conference, you can have a dedicated session for networking or small group discussions in breakout rooms. This has become a staple for events like WebSummit, where thousands of attendees are given the opportunity to meet in smaller, more focused groups.
Planning virtual events with such interactive tools can greatly improve engagement and participation.
3. Prioritize Pre-event Communication
Good communication is key to virtual event planning. Send reminders leading up to the event, provide detailed instructions on how to join, and share an agenda so participants know what to expect.
This minimizes confusion and helps ensure that more attendees show up on time.
Quick Stat: Attendees are 60% more likely to come to your event if there is effective pre-event communication.
If you’re hosting a product launch or hosting a virtual conference, sending out regular updates via email or even SMS can help ensure everyone is well-prepared. It's similar to how companies like Apple keep their audience informed before a product launch, ensuring that the hype and participation remain high.
4. Test Everything Before the Event
One of the most crucial best practices for virtual events is testing. Make sure to test your tech setup before the event goes live – this includes your internet connection, video/audio quality, and any interactive tools you'll be using.
The last thing you want is a technical glitch to ruin your event.
Pro Tip: Run a rehearsal with all the speakers or moderators to ensure everyone is comfortable with the technology.
Major virtual events, like Salesforce’s Dreamforce, often conduct several dry runs to ensure a flawless delivery.
If you’re hosting a smaller event, a simple rehearsal where you test the internet speed, the video quality, and the platform tools can save you from any embarrassing technical difficulties on the big day.
5. Track and Measure Success
After you host a virtual event, it's essential to measure its success. Use the data provided by your virtual event management software to assess how many people attended, how engaged they were, and what their feedback was.
You can use this information to improve your future events.
Quick Stat:89% of event organizers measure the success of virtual events through attendee satisfaction surveys.
For example, if you're running a virtual job fair, you could look at how many attendees joined, how many stayed until the end, and how many engaged with the job postings or networking features.
If attendance dropped off halfway through, it might indicate that your content or session length needs adjustment.
6. Offer On-Demand Content
Not everyone can attend the live version of your event, which is why offering on-demand content is one of the virtual event best practices. Allow attendees to rewatch sessions they missed or revisit key points from the live event.
This not only enhances the virtual event experience but also increases the value of your event as participants can engage at their own pace.
Pro Tip: Include timestamps or summaries to help people quickly find the parts that interest them.
Platforms like YouTube and Vimeo make it easy to host replays of live events. Conferences like TEDx often offer on-demand videos of their sessions, so even if someone missed the live event, they can still access valuable insights later.
This approach can also extend the life and reach of your event.
7. Create a Strong Event Agenda
Important virtual event best practices include creating a detailed, well-organized agenda. A clear schedule helps participants understand what will happen and when, ensuring they don’t miss key sessions.
An agenda also sets the tone, giving the audience clear expectations about the flow and structure of the event. Be sure to build in enough breaks, especially for longer events, as virtual fatigue is a real concern.
Pro Tip: Make your event agenda easy to follow and include session descriptions. This keeps attendees engaged and helps them plan their participation effectively.
For instance, if you're hosting a virtual conference, you can organize your agenda into sessions that cater to different audience segments. TEDx conferences, for example, follow strict timelines, ensuring that sessions start and end on time, keeping the audience engaged throughout.
8. Market Your Virtual Event Effectively
Even the best-planned virtual event will fail without effective promotion. Whether you're hosting a virtual conference or a webinar, marketing plays a critical role in attracting attendees. Promote your event across multiple channels – social media, email campaigns, and even partnerships with influencers or other businesses.
Be sure to include clear calls to action (CTAs) that encourage registrations and engagement.
Pro Tip: Use countdowns, giveaways, or early-bird pricing to create a sense of urgency and boost registrations.
When you look at large virtual conferences like Adobe MAX or HubSpot’s INBOUND, they start promoting their events months in advance, using targeted ads, email campaigns, and social media teasers.
For smaller events, leveraging LinkedIn and email newsletters can be a great way to boost sign-ups. You can also create special landing pages with all the necessary information, simplifying the registration process.
9. Provide Clear Instructions for Attendees
One overlooked aspect of hosting virtual eventsis ensuring that all attendees know how to join and participate. Clear instructions should be sent ahead of time, detailing everything from the technical requirements to how the event will work.
This includes step-by-step guides on accessing the event, troubleshooting tips, and guidelines for participation, such as how to use interactive features like polls and Q&A sessions.
Quick Stat: Providing attendees with a detailed FAQ section alongside the event instructions can greatly enhance their experience.
If you’re hosting virtual events like a product launch or a virtual trade show, you could send out tutorial videos or provide a downloadable PDF with step-by-step instructions. This helps attendees feel confident about joining, and they’re less likely to miss out due to technical difficulties.
For example, how to host a virtual event online becomes much simpler when attendees are equipped with the right resources ahead of time.
10. Offer Networking Opportunities
It’s not easy to recreate social interactions that occur naturally in-person. To overcome this, it’s important to create opportunities for networking. Set up virtual lounges, breakout rooms, or even speed networking sessions where attendees can engage with each other in smaller groups.
Networking is a major draw for attendees, so this can significantly enhance their overall virtual event experience.
Pro Tip: Use AI-powered matchmaking tools that can help attendees connect with those who share similar interests or goals.
Large-scale events like WebSummit have integrated AI-driven networking features, allowing attendees to set up virtual meetings based on their interests. If you’re planning virtual events, you can implement similar strategies.
By integrating these virtual event best practices into your planning process, you can ensure that your virtual events are not only successful but memorable and engaging for everyone involved.
In-Person Events vs Virtual Events
In-person events have been the traditional choice for networking and business gatherings, but virtual events are quickly gaining popularity due to their flexibility and broader reach.
One key difference is that in-person events often require significant logistics, including venue rentals, travel, and catering. Virtual events, on the other hand, eliminate these costs and allow attendees to participate from anywhere in the world. This accessibility is a game-changer.
While face-to-face interactions are valuable, virtual events offer features that enhance engagement in new ways, like live polls, Q&A sessions, and even personalized breakout rooms.
Virtual events also allow organizers to gather data and measure virtual event success more effectively. You can track metrics like session attendance, engagement, and even how long attendees stayed at specific sessions.
The future of event management clearly points toward hybrid and fully virtual formats as these platforms continue to evolve.
Custom Event Management Software: Best Option for Virtual Events
While off-the-shelf platforms offer standard features, a custom solution allows you to tailor every aspect of your event.
From registration processes to audience engagement tools, you can integrate the specific functionalities you need and even innovate with new features that enhance the overall virtual event experience.
Understanding what a virtual event is and following the right virtual events best practices can make all the difference in delivering a successful experience. From choosing the right platform to engaging your audience, each step in your virtual event planning guide plays a crucial role.
Whether you're looking for tips for virtual events or learning how to host a virtual conference, it’s clear that virtual events offer unique advantages like flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and broader reach.
However, to truly stand out and maximize these benefits, custom solutions are the way forward. A custom event management software gives you full control to design and innovate, ensuring your event aligns perfectly with your goals.
For those who want to host virtual events that leave a lasting impression, a tailored solution is your best option. Contact us today to get started on your custom solution!
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Nearly 30% of all events worldwide went hybrid last year, and the shift toward virtual is only growing. But how do you make sure your virtual event isn’t just another online meeting?
Simple: by following the right virtual event best practices.
Whether you’re aiming for higher engagement or seamless execution, this guide is packed with everything you need for a successful virtual event. From choosing the right platform to keeping your audience hooked, we’ll walk you through the best practices for success.
If you’re ready to make your next event one to remember, this virtual event guide is just what you need!
Types of Virtual Events
Virtual events are a powerful way to connect people from around the globe without the hassle of travel or logistics.
With the right planning, they can be as impactful as in-person gatherings, offering flexibility and a wide range of opportunities. Let’s explore the 5 main types of virtual events and how they can enhance your event strategy.
Webinars:
Educational or training sessions with a live speaker and interactive Q&A, allowing participants to learn from anywhere.
Virtual Conferences:
Multi-session events with keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities, all held online.
Hybrid Events:
A blend of in-person and virtual attendance, offering both live and remote participants the same experience.
Hands-on learning experiences conducted online, often with interactive exercises and real-time feedback. Incorporating these into your event plan is a step toward virtual event success.
10 Virtual Event Best Practices For Success
In today’s digital landscape, hosting a successful virtual event is both an art and a science. With the right virtual events best practices, you can create an engaging and memorable experience that keeps your audience hooked.
Dive into these 10 essential tips to elevate your virtual events and ensure your attendees leave wanting more!
1. Choose Customized Virtual Event Platforms
When you’re planning virtual events, one key decision you have to make is selecting the right virtual event management software. While many pre-built platforms like Zoom are available, creating a customized virtual event platform offers tons of flexibility and exciting features like registration management, live polls, and more.
A custom solution gives you the opportunity to integrate all the features you want. Plus, you can innovate with unique elements and optimize the platform for your audience’s needs.
Quick Stat:90% of event professionals believe that the right technology can have a positive impact on the success of their events.
If you're hosting a virtual event like a product demo or webinar, custom software could enable you to implement advanced features. These include (but are not limited to) AI event planning for networking, personalized attendee dashboards, interactive 3D environments, etc.
By developing your own virtual event platform, you can create an experience that truly stands out, ensuring long-term success for your virtual events.
2. Focus on Audience Engagement
One of the biggest challenges when you run a virtual event is constant audience engagement. Without the physical interaction of in-person events, it's easy for attendees to lose focus. To combat this, incorporate interactive elements like live polls, quizzes, or even gamification to hold their attention.
Pro Tip: Set up breakout rooms for small group discussions or offer live Q&A sessions to make the experience more interactive.
During a virtual conference, you can have a dedicated session for networking or small group discussions in breakout rooms. This has become a staple for events like WebSummit, where thousands of attendees are given the opportunity to meet in smaller, more focused groups.
Planning virtual events with such interactive tools can greatly improve engagement and participation.
3. Prioritize Pre-event Communication
Good communication is key to virtual event planning. Send reminders leading up to the event, provide detailed instructions on how to join, and share an agenda so participants know what to expect.
This minimizes confusion and helps ensure that more attendees show up on time.
Quick Stat: Attendees are 60% more likely to come to your event if there is effective pre-event communication.
If you’re hosting a product launch or hosting a virtual conference, sending out regular updates via email or even SMS can help ensure everyone is well-prepared. It's similar to how companies like Apple keep their audience informed before a product launch, ensuring that the hype and participation remain high.
4. Test Everything Before the Event
One of the most crucial best practices for virtual events is testing. Make sure to test your tech setup before the event goes live – this includes your internet connection, video/audio quality, and any interactive tools you'll be using.
The last thing you want is a technical glitch to ruin your event.
Pro Tip: Run a rehearsal with all the speakers or moderators to ensure everyone is comfortable with the technology.
Major virtual events, like Salesforce’s Dreamforce, often conduct several dry runs to ensure a flawless delivery.
If you’re hosting a smaller event, a simple rehearsal where you test the internet speed, the video quality, and the platform tools can save you from any embarrassing technical difficulties on the big day.
5. Track and Measure Success
After you host a virtual event, it's essential to measure its success. Use the data provided by your virtual event management software to assess how many people attended, how engaged they were, and what their feedback was.
You can use this information to improve your future events.
Quick Stat:89% of event organizers measure the success of virtual events through attendee satisfaction surveys.
For example, if you're running a virtual job fair, you could look at how many attendees joined, how many stayed until the end, and how many engaged with the job postings or networking features.
If attendance dropped off halfway through, it might indicate that your content or session length needs adjustment.
6. Offer On-Demand Content
Not everyone can attend the live version of your event, which is why offering on-demand content is one of the virtual event best practices. Allow attendees to rewatch sessions they missed or revisit key points from the live event.
This not only enhances the virtual event experience but also increases the value of your event as participants can engage at their own pace.
Pro Tip: Include timestamps or summaries to help people quickly find the parts that interest them.
Platforms like YouTube and Vimeo make it easy to host replays of live events. Conferences like TEDx often offer on-demand videos of their sessions, so even if someone missed the live event, they can still access valuable insights later.
This approach can also extend the life and reach of your event.
7. Create a Strong Event Agenda
Important virtual event best practices include creating a detailed, well-organized agenda. A clear schedule helps participants understand what will happen and when, ensuring they don’t miss key sessions.
An agenda also sets the tone, giving the audience clear expectations about the flow and structure of the event. Be sure to build in enough breaks, especially for longer events, as virtual fatigue is a real concern.
Pro Tip: Make your event agenda easy to follow and include session descriptions. This keeps attendees engaged and helps them plan their participation effectively.
For instance, if you're hosting a virtual conference, you can organize your agenda into sessions that cater to different audience segments. TEDx conferences, for example, follow strict timelines, ensuring that sessions start and end on time, keeping the audience engaged throughout.
8. Market Your Virtual Event Effectively
Even the best-planned virtual event will fail without effective promotion. Whether you're hosting a virtual conference or a webinar, marketing plays a critical role in attracting attendees. Promote your event across multiple channels – social media, email campaigns, and even partnerships with influencers or other businesses.
Be sure to include clear calls to action (CTAs) that encourage registrations and engagement.
Pro Tip: Use countdowns, giveaways, or early-bird pricing to create a sense of urgency and boost registrations.
When you look at large virtual conferences like Adobe MAX or HubSpot’s INBOUND, they start promoting their events months in advance, using targeted ads, email campaigns, and social media teasers.
For smaller events, leveraging LinkedIn and email newsletters can be a great way to boost sign-ups. You can also create special landing pages with all the necessary information, simplifying the registration process.
9. Provide Clear Instructions for Attendees
One overlooked aspect of hosting virtual eventsis ensuring that all attendees know how to join and participate. Clear instructions should be sent ahead of time, detailing everything from the technical requirements to how the event will work.
This includes step-by-step guides on accessing the event, troubleshooting tips, and guidelines for participation, such as how to use interactive features like polls and Q&A sessions.
Quick Stat: Providing attendees with a detailed FAQ section alongside the event instructions can greatly enhance their experience.
If you’re hosting virtual events like a product launch or a virtual trade show, you could send out tutorial videos or provide a downloadable PDF with step-by-step instructions. This helps attendees feel confident about joining, and they’re less likely to miss out due to technical difficulties.
For example, how to host a virtual event online becomes much simpler when attendees are equipped with the right resources ahead of time.
10. Offer Networking Opportunities
It’s not easy to recreate social interactions that occur naturally in-person. To overcome this, it’s important to create opportunities for networking. Set up virtual lounges, breakout rooms, or even speed networking sessions where attendees can engage with each other in smaller groups.
Networking is a major draw for attendees, so this can significantly enhance their overall virtual event experience.
Pro Tip: Use AI-powered matchmaking tools that can help attendees connect with those who share similar interests or goals.
Large-scale events like WebSummit have integrated AI-driven networking features, allowing attendees to set up virtual meetings based on their interests. If you’re planning virtual events, you can implement similar strategies.
By integrating these virtual event best practices into your planning process, you can ensure that your virtual events are not only successful but memorable and engaging for everyone involved.
In-Person Events vs Virtual Events
In-person events have been the traditional choice for networking and business gatherings, but virtual events are quickly gaining popularity due to their flexibility and broader reach.
One key difference is that in-person events often require significant logistics, including venue rentals, travel, and catering. Virtual events, on the other hand, eliminate these costs and allow attendees to participate from anywhere in the world. This accessibility is a game-changer.
While face-to-face interactions are valuable, virtual events offer features that enhance engagement in new ways, like live polls, Q&A sessions, and even personalized breakout rooms.
Virtual events also allow organizers to gather data and measure virtual event success more effectively. You can track metrics like session attendance, engagement, and even how long attendees stayed at specific sessions.
The future of event management clearly points toward hybrid and fully virtual formats as these platforms continue to evolve.
Custom Event Management Software: Best Option for Virtual Events
While off-the-shelf platforms offer standard features, a custom solution allows you to tailor every aspect of your event.
From registration processes to audience engagement tools, you can integrate the specific functionalities you need and even innovate with new features that enhance the overall virtual event experience.
Understanding what a virtual event is and following the right virtual events best practices can make all the difference in delivering a successful experience. From choosing the right platform to engaging your audience, each step in your virtual event planning guide plays a crucial role.
Whether you're looking for tips for virtual events or learning how to host a virtual conference, it’s clear that virtual events offer unique advantages like flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and broader reach.
However, to truly stand out and maximize these benefits, custom solutions are the way forward. A custom event management software gives you full control to design and innovate, ensuring your event aligns perfectly with your goals.
For those who want to host virtual events that leave a lasting impression, a tailored solution is your best option. Contact us today to get started on your custom solution!
