Times may be abnormal at the moment, but many businesses still continue to run as normally as they can. Many employers are adapting to working from home and trying to achieve the same work ethic as if they were in the office.
You can still hold meetings, catch up with colleagues and even host events, from the comfort of your own home.
Not sure how? We’ve created this guide on how to host a virtual event, so you can stay connected with businesses and achieve your business goals as normal.
What is a Virtual Event?
Whether you’re located minutes or hours away from other businesses, virtual events help bring you all together across the internet.
This can be in the form of a video conference, presentation or a live video broadcast.
It’s really easy, and as long as you’re connected to the internet, you’re all good to go!
Why Should You Try a Virtual Event?
A virtual event may seem like a lot of effort for something you’ve never tried and where you can’t get the main benefit of building relationships face-to-face, but there are actually many benefits to an online event.
By primarily relying on the internet, your marketing and set-up costs are extremely low, and in some cases, completely free.
Acquiring leads and building your customer database is just as successful online, as attendees can submit their details through the platform you use.
How to Host an Event
Step 1 – Promote your Event
The same marketing concepts apply, even for online events.
Using social media, paid advertising and email marketing to promote your event will work just as well as if it was a physical event, and sometimes, even better. Your audience can be broader in terms of location because you have no travel costs or time.
Social media use has shot up over the past few weeks and it’s easy to see why when this is the easiest way to connect, recommend and share. However, this does also mean that feeds are a lot more saturated and you’ll need to ensure your posts stand out.
Focus on how your event will not only help individuals and businesses now, but also when things return to normal.
Step 2 – Choose your Streaming Platform
In the current age of digital, there are so many platforms that offer live broadcasting and allow other attendees to join in.
Depending on your primary target audience, it’s important to determine which platform is going to acquire the most leads and interest.
Here are some of the main broadcasting platforms you can use:
- Facebook Live Broadcast – If social media users are your main target, this could be perfect for you. Followers of your brand and, when marketed in the right way, members of the public, can tune into your event too. Attendees can engage with you in the comments and react to your content. A key benefit of using Facebook is that your live stream is saved as a video post, so people can watch it whenever it’s convenient for them.
- Microsoft Teams – This platform is great for slightly smaller events and allows multiple users to be shown on screen, which is great when hosting an event with other members of your team. Viewers can engage and share their contact information using the chat feature.
- Instagram TV (IGTV) – This is not only ideal for the event itself but also for promoting the event and uploading teasers, during the run-up to your event. You can upload content of up to 60 minutes long, but this is better for short and snappy broadcasts.
- Work Cast – Ideal for open days and exhibitions, this software steers away from social media and broadcasts your event to over 1 million viewers, spanning across 20 countries. If you’re looking to host a large scale event, this could be for you.
Step 3 – What to Include During your Event?
You want your virtual event to be just as engaging as the standard. To encourage the most engagement from your viewers it’s important to structure your event correctly.
Writing a script could bring the structure you need to keep the broadcast running smoothly and stay on topic. For some, this is too structured, and people prefer to lead the way through improvise, but this is a matter of preference.
Question and answer sessions are great for creating conversation with your viewers and also makes them feel as informed as if they were there with you.
Including giveaways and competitions are both great ways to keep spirits high and finish the event off with a buzz. Relate these to your services as much as possible but also make them appealing to your audience.
Virtual events can be just as successful as a standard exhibition, so why not try one of your own? If you’re looking to continue acquiring business leads through this period of isolation, why not host your very own virtual event.
For more information on the services we offer that could help with your event, contact our team at 200m2 here.
