Virtual events are no doubt here to stay.
Virtual events, as opposed to the traditional in-person gatherings, allow for businesses of all types and sizes to organize events on a global scale and provide a direct one-to-one measurement.
What should your virtual event strategy in 2022 look like?
It’s becoming apparent that more and more businesses are leveraging virtual events to supplement their in-person events, but does that mean everyone should plan a virtual event strategy?
Not necessarily.
Nevertheless, it’s getting much easier to plan and carry out a virtual event. It deals with everything from planning, sponsorships, software, to promoting your event and coordinating an events team.
How long does it take to plan a virtual event?
Whether you’re transitioning a prior in-person event to an online one or you’re launching a virtual event from scratch, you need to take time for your initial strategy development.
Allow time to define the goal of your event. Not all physical activities transition well online — nor should they. Determine how and what you expect the experience to be like and what you’re trying to achieve for your attendees.
What’s the best virtual event software?
Virtual event software is a means that enables you to create a long-form online event experience with live or recorded sessions and the ability to engage with other “attendees” virtually.
Each virtual event platform has its level of customization and feature sets, but some typical features you’ll find are
- Virtual lobbies,
- User Polls,
- Sponsor areas and ads,
- Public and private chats, and
- Reporting on user engagement metrics.
There are so many virtual event platforms out there; ones that only provide live streaming, or only on-demand recordings, softwares that are extremely niche and only work for a specific industry, and others.
It’s essential to do your research and find what fits perfectly with what you need.
Virtual Event Sponsorships
The fact is that virtual events are where everyone’s awareness is right now. With their huge, active audiences, virtual event sponsorships have turned into one of the most productive ways to drive awareness and generate leads for businesses of all sizes.
Virtual event promotion strategy
If you’re thinking of how different it is to promote a virtual event versus a person event, the answer is honestly… not very. That said, there are some points you should have in mind, particularly given today’s climate.
- Make your virtual event branding memorable
- Develop a multi-faceted marketing plan (website, email marketing, social media, partnerships, paid media, and so on)
- Create a dedicated website or landing page for your event
- Send out a save the date email for your event
- Build and launch a social media plan
- Disclose your agenda or event programming
- Find your event ambassadors and use your speakers to market your event
- Continue promoting even on the day of your event