Are you planning a virtual conference in 2021 but don’t know where to start? Our guide covers the best practices and things to look out for to make your event a success.
We’re all missing live events and the buzz that comes from the foyer. But while that door is temporarily closed to us, another medium of bringing people together has emerged, in the form of virtual conferences.
Engagement between brands and audiences has never been so paramount – but how do we go about maintaining our connections in a rapidly expanding online world?
WHY CONSIDER HOLDING A VIRTUAL CONFERENCE?
Deciding to host a virtual conference needn’t be a daunting task. In a time of unprecedented physical isolation, now more than ever businesses and brands need to turn to the online world to increase exposure and engagement with their audiences, in a cost-effective way.
THE BENEFITS OF VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
- Costs and growth - Going virtual reduces expenditure on costly overheads such as travel and accommodation and refocuses your budget on achieving strategic goals.
- Outreach - The best virtual conference providers offer specialist broadcast capabilities designed to help extend your outreach to global audiences and engage with those who may have previously faced geographical, financial or social barriers in accessing events. At Bespoke Digital, we can integrate additional benefits using online conference tools such as paid ticketing, online retail and networking, which encourage valuable revenue streams.
- Relationships - Giving both you and your attendees the opportunity to network during this difficult time encourages inclusivity and valuable engagement with your brand. Attendees have the prospect of forming valuable connections that transcend the parameters of your event.
- Community and inspiration - Inspiration found from encouraging interaction generates community and growth in the industry. The breakthrough of tomorrow could be born from your event today!
TIPS FOR HOSTING A VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
In a lot of ways, planning a virtual conference involves a lot of the same elements as the traditional format; the quality and complexity of your event do not need to be compromised by going virtual.
Here are five important common factors to consider when holding a virtual conference:
1. PURPOSE & THEME
In the same way, you would any event, you should decide on a clear theme and purpose. What do you want to take away from holding a virtual conference, and in turn what do you want your guests to gain from attending?
We can help you to achieve both outcomes through strategically planning your design, scripting your content and shaping online interaction.
2. PEOPLE & CONTENT
Pairing people with content is a vital feature of any online conference. This keeps attendees interested and will stop them from wandering off to make a cup of tea or inspecting the contents of the fridge for lunch.
Know your attendees. We can then help by implementing a combination of online conference tools to help you build a dynamic programme.
Our highly experienced team are on hand to provide speaker coaching and on the day show calling to ensure a totally polished delivery by your speakers.
3. INTERACTION & PLATFORM
Once you have decided on your content, we recommend mixing up the delivery between pre-recorded and live broadcast.
This will allow you to emulate the engagement characteristics of an in-person conference such as lectures & interactive Q&As. The market has exploded with platforms that allow varying levels of personalisation and interactivity.
Our dedicated skilled team is on hand to advise which platform would be best suited to host each element of your conference.
4. EVENT LEGACY & SOCIAL MEDIA
When orchestrating interaction, the conference timetable is only part of the puzzle.
Using a platform that supports social media integration allows you to pre-register attendees, and share content to generate buzz about your event.
Social media interaction encourages conversation and networking that transcend the confines of the event day.
Translate that post-event buzz into engagement with future projects, events and revenue streaming subscriptions.
5. LOCATION EXPERIENCE
An important consideration is whether you’re equipped to broadcast your content and deliver your aims and objectives confidently.
There are a few options to explore, whether you prefer to broadcast completely remotely, or if you are happy to travel.
A professional broadcast at a minimum requires speakers to have a strong internet connection and well-lit neutral environment.
Having an unprofessional background can draw attention from the speaker and their message.
The following are options for broadcasting virtual conference speaker content:
Streaming from home
Having an uncluttered background and your lighting and camera positioned correctly will make all the difference to speaker presentations. A strong internet connection is, of course, essential.
Streaming from our Broadcast Studios
Streaming from Bespoke Digital’s own fully-fledged, professional broadcast studios will ensure your speaker broadcasts are of outstanding quality.
With travel for filming permitted under government guidelines, we’d be delighted to welcome you to our fully-equipped studio, providing broadcast-quality cameras, studio lighting, professional audio and covid-secure live streaming capabilities.
Using green screen technology and remote conference tools, we can stream feeds from anywhere in the world – your audience would never know your speakers are not in the same room!
Mobile broadcast
Not only do we have a permanent studio, but we’re also able to bring our technology to you. For those who are unable to travel, we can set up our broadcast studio in a location of your choice!
Whether that’s a familiar backdrop of your office buildings or choosing to stream from a wonderful events venue, it’s a perfect way of adding to the experience of your virtual event.
Our team is here to guide you with a wealth of knowledge of striking event venues to suit your purpose and theme.