Tips For Hosting A Successful Virtual Events

There are numerous virtual events going on at any given moment and this means that you are competing for people’s attention and time. This implies that for your event to be successful, it has to offer tangible benefits to the participants. Making your event relevant means making sure that it solves a specific problem for participants or helps them in some other way. Sometimes virtual events can be very relevant and beneficial to participants but this is not communicated adequately. Ensure that any promotional material that goes out is brief and to the point, clearly stating the benefits to participants of the event.

Multi-camera angles, interactive tools, and custom motion graphics can level up your virtual event broadcast. When you hire a professional video production crew, you can engage with audiences on Twitch, Facebook, or YouTube flawlessly. In addition, your team members do not overwork themselves in terms of virtual event preparation and execution. A professional video production company can build a custom set, film from artful angles, stream to popular webinar platforms, allow you to answer questions in real-time, and edit your video into a long-term piece of content.

When it comes to timing, the key factor here is how long you can hold people’s attention. Virtual events are different from physical meetings in two key ways. The first is that participants must stare at a computer screen which is different than if they were in a room looking at a speaker. The second is that, given that they are in a remote location, the chances of being distracted are higher than if they were in an auditorium. These factors mean that you should not let your virtual event go on for hours and hours without doing things to keep it interesting. Think about adding in entertainment or fun segments between sessions. If possible, keep the entire program to less than an hour. This will help viewership.

While this is standard for physical events, it is probably even more relevant when it comes to online events. You must remember that it is easier for an online audience to leave a meeting than their physical counterparts. What this means is that a speaker has very little room to take and hold the audiences’ attention. Not only must they rehearse their delivery, but it might also be important to script common questions and rehearse answers to them. You also want to make sure your speakers are familiar with the technical side of the production, so they are prepared should any issues arise. This is why a rehearsal is important.  

Another common mistake here is to assume that offline speaking skills can be transferred to online speaking. Regardless of their experience, ensure that you prep all your speakers adequately.