It’s official, virtual events are here to stay. Hosting a virtual event offers unparalleled benefits, which is why more than 80% of business owners plan to host such events in the future. Whether it’s boosting brand visibility, driving lead generation, or generating new revenue streams, the virtual experience provides many opportunities for growth and networking.
If you aim to enhance your presence and create excitement among peers and your target audience, virtual events are the ideal choice. According to a study by Vfairs, 93.2% of respondents considered their virtual event successful in terms of attendance, and 77.2% of people surveyed prefer virtual events because they are easy to attend. They have become essential in the business world, providing a platform for networking, learning, and development. This guide gives you clear steps to plan your own successful virtual event.
Understanding the Basics of Virtual Event Planning
Online event planning goes beyond simply scheduling a video call; it involves strategic planning, knowing your audience well, and presenting captivating content.
Essential Considerations:
- Know what you want to achieve: Having clear goals will help you plan better.
- Understand Your Audience: Customize your event to match what your target audience likes and requires.
- Choose the Right Platform: Pick a platform that perfectly aligns with your event’s needs.
Why Are Virtual Events Popular?
Virtual events have become popular due to their ability to facilitate participation from diverse geographic locations, thereby reducing travel expenses and logistical complexities. Moreover, they are environmentally friendly and leverage innovative technology for immersive experiences, making them a preferred choice over in-person events for many organizations and attendees.
Entrepreneurs were asked in a survey why they prefer hosting virtual events. Here’s what they said:
- 77.2% chose ease of attendance.
- 64.9% said global reach.
- 47.4% said they would consider virtual events due to their affordability.
The rise of virtual events has revolutionized how businesses connect, engage, and thrive in today’s digital landscape. Let’s explore some successful virtual events that showcase the immense value and benefits they offer, leading to a growing preference among business owners.
1. GAN Angel Investing Winter Summit 2023
The GAN Angel Investing Winter Summit 2023, hosted as a virtual conference by ibentos, witnessed significant success with a high turnout of global angel investors and startups. The event featured engaging keynote speeches, insightful panel discussions, and valuable networking opportunities that fostered potential collaborations and investments.
Attendees praised the event for its organization, content quality, and the showcase of innovative technologies and investment prospects. This event contributed significantly to business growth, client acquisition, and revenue generation for Georgian Angel Network.
Read case study here: GAN Angel Investing Winter Summit 2023
2. SBC Digital Summit
SBC, a betting and gaming industry news, media, and events company, transformed their approach with the SBC Digital Summit. This virtual event maintained its core goal of industry networking and knowledge sharing but in an immersive virtual space resembling a physical conference.
The event’s central hub, The Lobby, facilitated access to different areas. Attendees could join live sessions in the Auditorium or watch previous ones on-demand. The Product Showcase introduced new products, and the Networking Lounge encouraged professional connections via chat.
3. Bharat Parv 2021
The virtual technology showcased at Bharat Parv 2021 marked a significant milestone, celebrating India’s first-ever Virtual Republic Day with ibentos leading the way. The event demonstrated the power of virtual platforms in bringing people together despite physical distances, fostering cultural exchange, and promoting national pride. Through immersive experiences, interactive exhibits, and engaging activities, attendees experienced a unique blend of tradition and modernity.
This innovative approach not only garnered widespread acclaim and participation but also generated substantial revenue through sponsorships, ticket sales, and partnerships, solidifying its position as a leader in virtual event technology and cultural celebrations.
Read case study here: Bharat Parv 2021
4. MarTech Alliance
MarTech Alliance, a marketing tech company, now focuses mainly on online events. One of these is the MarTechFest Dial Up, their virtual version of the MarTechFest Global conference in London. The event featured 30 speakers across 30 days, offering fireside chats, Q&A sessions, masterclasses, and other engaging content. Attendees could access sessions live or on-demand for added flexibility.
To enhance audience interaction, MarTechFest implemented a reward points system, allowing participants to unlock future events, win merchandise, and more. They also incorporated workout and meditation sessions to promote wellness, especially during times when physical activity is limited. This initiative received positive feedback for addressing health and engagement simultaneously.
These successful virtual events illustrate the diverse benefits and capabilities of virtual platforms, from global reach and cost savings to enhanced engagement and innovative features. As businesses continue to navigate the evolving landscape, virtual events emerge as a preferred choice for connecting with audiences, driving growth, and achieving strategic objectives.
Benefits of Hosting Virtual Events
To show why a carefully planned virtual event is important, you should first understand its benefits. Hosting one lets you engage with your audience and customers globally, without having to be onsite. This can help grow your brand and establish you as an expert in your industry.
Hosting events remotely lets you reach a bigger audience, saving time and money as you don’t need to rent a venue or arrange transportation for guests, speakers, or attendees. It also allows you to collaborate with people from various places simultaneously, making it more convenient than in-person events.
How do you plan a virtual event?
Planning a virtual event involves many similar steps as an in-person event. However, what sets it apart is how you research your audience, select the event type, choose the hosting platform, and pick the right virtual event technology to manage everything from start to finish. Here are some virtual event tips.
Step 1: Understand Your Virtual Audience
Your virtual event audience may differ from your in-person one, given its global accessibility. Create attendee profiles keeping this in mind. Focus on solving one main problem for them. Also, invite speakers who couldn’t usually attend physical events. Provide digital resources like workbooks and templates to enhance value for your target attendees.
Step 2: Select a Virtual Event Format
Decide whether to go with live streams, pre-recorded sessions, or a mix of both. Live streams work well for interactive events like conferences or workshops with Q&A sessions. Pre-recorded sessions allow attendees to watch at their convenience or save the content for later viewing.
Step 3: Get the Right virtual event technology
Having the right virtual event technology is essential for planning, executing, and evaluating your event’s success. Once you’ve defined your goals, use a virtual event tech to execute the plan. Choose a virtual event platform depending on the type of event you want and your chosen key performance indicators (KPIs).
Emerging Virtual Event Trends in 2024
Virtual event statistics indicate continuous growth over time. Organizers are already exploring various virtual event ideas and opportunities, leading to the emergence of several trends this year.
1. Event Mobile Apps
As per surveys, hybrid events are emerging as the future norm. Consequently, the technology supporting in-person events is evolving. A significant trend this year is the rise of event mobile apps, making any event hybrid-capable.
These apps offer attendees access to event content anytime, anywhere. They are becoming crucial for communication and networking during in-person events, facilitating connections between in-person and virtual attendees.
2. In-House Virtual Events
With virtual events becoming more accessible, companies are now using them for internal purposes too. From training workshops to onboarding sessions, organizations are increasingly opting for virtual formats. This trend is driving the development of solutions like virtual training weeks and company gatherings.
3. Moving To the Metaverse
Big companies such as Apple and Meta are exploring the metaverse. This technology is revolutionizing various industries, including the event sector. ibentos is leading the way with custom avatars, inclusivity, and interactive features for virtual attendees. As the metaverse becomes more mainstream, virtual events may start incorporating this cutting-edge technology.
4. AI & Machine Learning
Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and generative AI (Gen AI) are prevalent in today’s tech landscape. Their integration into virtual events is inevitable, revolutionizing how businesses engage with audiences. These technologies power data collection and reporting, enabling companies to gather vast amounts of information from virtual events. Gen AI, with its ability to create and innovate autonomously, adds a layer of creativity and efficiency to event planning and execution.
Overall, AI, ML, and Gen AI are driving forces behind the evolution of virtual events, making them more interactive, personalized, and impactful for businesses and their audiences alike. Below are some practical tips for using AI to improve virtual events for participants and streamline the management process behind the scenes.
- Facilitate Networking through AI: Use AI-powered matchmaking algorithms to suggest relevant connections and facilitate networking among attendees based on their interests, industry, and goals.
- Personalized Content Recommendations: Leverage AI to analyze attendee preferences and behaviors, offering personalized content recommendations such as session suggestions, workshops, and networking opportunities.
- Real-time Insights: Utilize AI analytics to gather real-time insights on attendee engagement, feedback, and interaction patterns, allowing organizers to make data-driven decisions and improve event experiences.
- AI-enabled Chatbots: Implement AI-powered chatbots to provide instant support, answer queries, and guide attendees throughout the virtual event, enhancing user experience and reducing manual workload.
- Enhanced Virtual Experiences: Use AI technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to create immersive and interactive experiences, such as virtual booths, product demos, and gamification elements.
These pointers highlight the practical applications of AI in virtual events, focusing on networking facilitation, personalized experiences, data analytics, automated support, and enhanced engagement opportunities.
5. On-Demand Content
On-demand content is set to rise, as it offers viewers the flexibility to access it at their convenience, catering well to global audiences in various time zones. Companies can increase engagement by keeping recorded live events online for extended periods. This trend towards on-demand and downloadable content is expected to grow in the coming year, offering significant benefits to the virtual event industry.
Joining this trend sooner rather than later is advisable to stay ahead in this evolving landscape.
The Right Virtual Event Hosting Platform for You
When you have a well-thought-out plan and execute your virtual event effectively, you pave the way for success. Choosing the right virtual event platform is key to producing high-quality content and measuring performance accurately, setting the stage for future improvements.
Explore options that fit your budget, goals, objectives, and preferred virtual event formats with ibentos. Our platform makes hosting virtual events effortlessly, enabling you to engage with your audience in innovative ways. Here’s what our top clients and customers have to say about the successful virtual events they hosted with us.
I would like to express the gratitude from the University of Sydney for the cooperation regarding the development of our virtual event. The entire team executed the job. Harpreet, Jaspinder and the development team did a very professional job. The final product virtual event platform was great to work on and easy to update, manage and run the event.
Nishant Jadhav
Sr. Regional Manager
University of Sydney
Constant innovation in creating user experience and value driven backend for the clients are the two USP’s of ‘ibentos’. We truly enjoy the spirit of ‘ibentos’ to deliver beyond expectations.
Vivek Shukla
Director & CEO
Afairs Exhibitions & Media Pvt. Ltd
With all my gratitude, I sincerely thank team ibentos for the wonderful execution of our event. Greatly impressed by the timely support, unique idea, beautiful look & feel.
Subhendu Bal
President, IAI & Chief Actuary & Chief Risk Officer
SBI Life Insurance Co. Ltd.
We never heard a “NO” from Ibentos be it platform experience or customer relationship. They are a team of highly creative and tech-savvy individuals who have exceeded all our expectations.
Arun Yellamaty
Founder
Youngistan Foundation (NGO)
Read more testimonial here: https://ibentos.com/client-feedback/
These insights represent just a fraction of the valuable feedback shared by our esteemed customers. Want to discover how ibentos can elevate your virtual events? Schedule a demo today!
Source: https://ibentos.com/blogs/virtual-event-planning-101-a-step-by-step-guide-for-success/
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