SCALABILITY
The first reason virtual events have sustained popularity is because of their scalability. In-person events are always confined to venue capacity and take much more on-site event management to ensure all the moving parts are taken care of. With virtual events, you have more time and freedom to create content and collateral. The virtual event platforms take care of the logistics for you, along with tracking your audience. So you get everything you need for analysis without doing the extra work. It becomes accessible to deep dive into the event KPIs. These insights can also be fed into future marketing campaigns making them more efficient and relatable. It’s also considerably cheaper to host a virtual event since needing more tickets or space won’t cost you in the long run. The goal of building brand awareness, generating business leads, and increasing customer loyalty, to name a few, will always be relevant. And the more scalable events are, the easier it gets to achieve these goals (Hubilo).
ATTENDANCE
The second reason virtual events have stood the test of time is attendance. In-person events rely on the people who have the means and time to attend conferences and trade shows, leaving a large population out of the action. Going virtual breaks down those prohibitive barriers. You’re essentially bringing your event to the homes and offices of anybody interested. They also offer more flexibility in time commitment (guidebook.com). Virtual events continued to make sure that we could connect globally. They take away geographical, financial, and visa restrictions. Nothing prevents people from disadvantaged backgrounds from attending international meetups any longer. Overall virtual events are more convenient. From audience members to event planners to keynote speakers, everyone finds virtual events more convenient to schedule and attend than in-person events. However, keep in mind that having events with hybrid models, allowing a small portion of attendees to be in person while the remainder can be at home, will be increasing soon as people begin to get vaccinated.
CONTENT
The third reason virtual and hybrid events are here to stay is the ability to provide more engaging content. One major attraction of in-person events is the opportunity to see live demonstrations. Even though your attendees won’t physically interact with your solutions, create a virtual demo experience that includes audience engagement opportunities. You can make a virtual event engaging by constantly providing your audience with things to do (markletic.com). Provide interactive elements so that your audience feels incredibly involved in your virtual event. You can also add fun experiences like a virtual photo booth and swag gift bags. Your content is arguably even more important at a hybrid event. Not only do your in-person attendees have to be engaged, but your virtual attendees should also be involved throughout the event.
The pandemic may seem like it’s here to stay, but you can leverage your online presence to benefit your business. Use scalability, attendance, and content creation to your advantage and host a virtual event. Virtual events can be a massive game-changer for your business. Don’t let it overwhelm or intimidate you, instead look at it as a new way for growth and an intelligent mentality toward a more significant ROI. Marketing trends change constantly, and moving into the virtual sphere is just another trend to jump on before you get left behind.
Manifested Events has a history of producing flawless events that create ever-lasting memories. We are skilled in planning content, managing attendee engagement, and collecting data for virtual events that suit your organization’s business needs. We also specialize in less formal events like workshops and multi-day conferences. Ring in the new year with Manifested Events; we know you’ll enjoy your virtual event so much, you’ll already be thinking of the next one.