Crealanta Magazine

How do you host virtual conference best practices

Jun 9, 2022

Thanks to all of the firsthand experiences, knowledge and expansion of resource Event professionals are now finding themselves in a better position to host better virtual conferences than ever before. How do you move from planning a routine virtual conference to planning something more engaging, memorable, and exciting for the attendees you are inviting?

In this post, we'll dive into what makes a successful virtual conference and what you can do to create an excellent one. From rethinking event content and the technology used to align with critical business goals, we'll guide you through the steps to create your most memorable virtual event.

In this article

What is an online gathering?

A virtual conference is an online conference that has numerous sessions and activities focused on an idea or theme. Multiple sessions expand on the event theme and tell a story. From networking to speakers, a virtual conference aims to make guests feel involved by providing more in depth information about the subject matter.

Virtual conferences are commonly considered to be webinars. However, it is important to recognize that both are fundamentally different event types.

Virtual conferences aim to immerse viewers while offering them the opportunity to choose what they would like to do to the event.

One example of this is the custom-made schedule tracks. With custom schedule tracks, participants have the choice to create their own single or multi-day agenda of events. The attendees can pick from several different lineup options or choose their own adventure with a DIY plan.

Virtual conferences also aim to increase engagement levels with a variety of devices. This can look like polling and live Q&As or chat. It could also be an event app with community functions, as well as the ability to chat in a 1:1 manner.

There are pros and cons to hosting a virtual conference

Are you unsure of how to organize virtual conferences and if this is the best type of event for your brand?

Let's get real. There are numerous benefits to hosting a virtual conference however, there are some negatives. Start by taking the following positives into consideration before you begin planning your virtual conference strategy:

 Virtual conference pros

  • Flexible hosting
  • Global reach
  • Large speaker pool
  • Evergreen content
  • Specific information and metrics
  • An increase in the number of event participants
  • Fewer logistics

And with a virtual conference platform that collects engagement data each minute, you have more insight into the experience of the attendees available to you. The data you collect will help take better judgments andalso figure out how to host better virtual conferences.

 Cons virtual for a conference

  • A lesser chance of engagement when In comparison to events in person
  • Human contact/connection is absent
  • Sponsorship opportunities are limited.
  • More technical requirements
  • Data collection that is excessive

The human connection as well as casual encounters make up a significant element of any event. While we've made every effort to replicate human connections online however, there's no substitute for getting to be with someone real-life. It's a fact that sponsors know as it could to make it harder to convince them when in-person gatherings come back.

As well as finding times to meet attendees at events Virtual conferences need more planning and technology which requires time and funds to set up.

Additionally, virtual conferences produce plenty of data. Although more data gathering can provide better transparency and insights into the extent to which you've achieved your goals or achieved measurable results, it's equally important that you understand how to interpret the data as well as audit it for data hygieneand utilize information to make informed your decisions. Knowing which virtual conference strategies and KPIs you're targeting ahead of time will help you get the most out each hosted event.

5 key virtual conference performance indicators

What information will you require, in the end?

When you are planning your strategy to host virtual conferences, you want to consider your most important performance indicators, also known as KPIs. These performance indicators can assist you to determine the best places to put your funds and time as well as let you know how well you're doing. If you've ever held a virtual conference in the past, that's great! The previous events could serve as a benchmark.

If, however, you're beginning from scratch and require assistance in figuring out how you can hold a virtual meeting, do not fret! There are a few important performance indicators you should consider tracking at your next event.

Registration of attendees in comparison to. attendance

Satisfaction of the attendees

Content engagement

If you have a crowd that is eager connecting with expert speakers as well as each other, be sure that you make the most of the many benefits your online platform can offer. For a great way to kick off the celebration, create environments that can improve the live and replay experiences by making it necessary for guests to take action.

Polling, chat, and Q&A typically get the job done However, your plan should really focus on setting the stage for networking also. Conferences are often where business relationships and new possibilities are created. Therefore, make sure to create virtual spaces that support those conversations by engaging events and features.

Create leads to sponsor

As if getting more creative when planning your events year after year wasn't enough stress already, virtual conferences force attendees to think outside of the norm when it comes to sponsorships also.

Virtual booths and sponsored events are among the most popular choices. However, if you want to increase the visibility of your sponsorship, you'll need to include innovative moments in between workshops. This can look like interstitials, which are bite-size videos that help you shift from one workshop into the next. It is also possible to offer virtual swag bags that include the sponsorship options that require participation.

Whichever you pick your sponsorship options, they should contain an action that guides each guest towards becoming a marketing qualified lead (MQL). So, just because an attendee was able to watch the event live on television doesn't mean they are an MQL. In fact, you'll need pick KPIs that are representative of what quality MQL means for your event , and then go to the next step.

Revenue

In the conclusion of the day It's all about the ROI or return on investment. Once all the work is done, you'll have to show that your virtual conference generated a profit. Since you're hosting a virtual event instead of physically held ones, you are already eliminating travel, catering, and vendor booth costs. But, you'll probably swap these items in exchange for more important additions like audiovisual and production teams. This is not even including your brand new virtual platform software subscription.

If you can keep your word the full extent of your advertising pledges, your attendees are sure to be delighted when they pay for another ticket next year too. All of this to say, don't shirk away from this aspect of your virtual conference planning. It might be the biggest KPI booster you have.

8 best virtual conference practices

Are you ready to launch your virtual conference? Here's a checklist of our best methods to get you started on the best virtual conference you've ever had.

1. Select your tech

For a successful virtual event, you'll need examine your equipment and equipment to ensure that everything is in place for you for live streaming. There are a variety of applications that will help you live stream your virtual event, but you'll need to consider how your experience will appear and feel for the audience. For help in selecting the most appropriate virtual platform consider putting yourself in the position of the participants.

 Ask yourself the following questions:

  • What do you envision as an experience that is top-of-the-line?
  • What does your event content appear to be?
  • How do attendees interact with speakers and each other?
  • How should sponsors access the event?
  • How easy is it for speakers to join the sessions of their guests?

Apart from taking your thoughts from the perspective of your viewers Additionally, you need tools that aid in planning and holding a virtual conference easier for your team.
We suggest looking for features like:

  • Registration of attendees and trackers
  • Registration for events and branding customizing tools
  • An easy-to-access and centralized virtual platform hub
  • Audience engagement options (think polls, surveys, chat and Q&A.)
  • Browser-based production tool
  • Storage or media libraries
  • On-demand viewing

2. Take into consideration the conference format

Since then, many virtual conferences have even been pre-recorded as opposed to live. Even though pre-recorded conferences might not have been a mainstay in the past, they have now become a preferred method that has been a huge success for event professionals. Participants are more able to attend your event when they're feeling up to it, leading to better quality experience and increased engagement from both participants.

The point is that what was successful a year or two before may not work this year with regard to length of session.

3. Choose your conference content

We've recently seen an rise in the number of pre-recorded video recordings made specifically for virtual conference. This is for good reason- they add a nice touch to your scheduled programming and provide plenty of chances to revisit the video after the conference is over, and they may even offer more opportunities to express yourself creatively as live video does.

There's a catch: videos for conference content takes the time and money to create. But, we are certain that video content is the right method to choose in selecting your conference content. Offering a range of methods to display event content with slideshows, graphics or videos, live speakers, and interstitial content will create a dynamic and exciting experiences instead of an image that is static or a slideshow.

Even though tools such as traditional slides are great for informative sessions, at the very least we can tell that videos hold the attention of viewers longer due to their run time. Additionally, they allow you to convey more data than a single PDF could ever provide on its own. Not to mention the fact that videos can provide a showcase of the most exciting speakers, your best all-time clients, and your most trusted partners with a level of detail unlike an infographic.

If you're not certain take a look at the audience's habits and apply that data to choose the conference content that is best for them.

4. Upgrade interaction (for attendees & sponsors)

So you have Chatbox. Great! Attendees can submit questions via Q&A. Wonderful! But do the attendees connect to one another? Are they interacting with the sponsors? Or even better is it that attendees from home are part of the conference online?

To really immerse your audience and increase participation, make it a priority to invite interested participants to the screen. Provide them with the opportunity to contribute to your gathering in the same manner as they would for an interactive Q&A event in person. It enhances the chat experience and promotes real networking capabilities.

One way to make participation, particularly for sponsors, is to design some digital breakout areas which attendees can use throughout the occasion. Not only do they help individuals connect one-on-one, but breakout spaces are also able to be sponsored as well as run or attended by your sponsors, which helps them increase the visibility of their brand.

In a nutshell, do the best you can to open spaces and let attendees decide how they want to participate.

5. Look for speakers that are of good quality.

In a close and intimate perspective of the speakers in a live conference, charisma and confidence is the key to maintaining that good ol' participation. It's possible to have an excellent speaker from a business with an impressive name, but if they can't present a captivating session then you'll miss your target audience.

In many cases, event professionals work together with the speakers to create their own virtual media. They work closely, providing answers in a timely manner, making revision requests, providing the best speaker experience and getting the speakers prepared for the big ceremony.

If you choose to go online The hope is that your conference will create an experience that is consistent across all speakers no matter how diverse their subject matter. Much like watching back-to-back reports or watching a film featuring scene after scene virtual conferences should bring every speaker's content together into one coherent story. And instead of being a lecture hall's length away from the presenter on stage, the narrative can now be seen front and center on a computer screen. This means that every detail will be on screen. Your team's responsibility is creating each element every second, in order that everything is put together in a beautiful way.

All that to say that if you're trying to create the line-up of your ideal audience You'll require the best device to simplify the process. This includes sending out offers review presentations, managing all of your attendees, and everything in between. Another reason why you need get an online platform that offers streamlined workflows and task automatization. This way you and your team are able to concentrate on centralizing speaker communications, making sure all your attendees and materials are at their best and offer the highest quality content experience possible within the virtual conference.

6. Invest in event support

This might come as surprise to some but virtual conferences are not only a simple plug-andplay event. They often require a professional team for remote speakers to be supported as well as attendee bandwidth. They also run as a television show could. How do you know if you'll require a team of producers? Ask yourself:

  •   Do I plan to add video in the course of or in between sessions?  
  •   Do I have remote speakers that are sharing a presentation?  
  •   Do I have plans to mix pre-recorded and live video?  
  •   Do I plan to play music, or incorporate images of any type on my display?  
  •   Do I need microphones? More than one camera? A teleprompter?
  •   Do I require someone on standby to troubleshoot streaming?  

If you answered yes to these simple questions We strongly recommend you invest in an event team that can help you set up, troubleshoot as well as rehearse and backup every element of your event's technology.

7. Make sure to follow up with feedback

The event ended and the audience seemed to be enjoying the show. What next?

In order to ask more questions, you should focus on learning about the event's attendees, vendors and the overall experience of sponsors and opinions about the occasion. To make feedback actionable, we suggest moving away from feelings-based questions (ex. "Did you like the experience?") and leaning into practical, nitty-gritty details of how the experience went for them.

Event planners are also encouraged to inquire about what could be improved. Experienced event professionals, we may naturally resist altering the program due to our own personal reasons. With virtual conferences, as well as the contemporary unique profile of attendee taking action on feedback is crucial. Use feedback as an opportunity to open yourself up to changes and discover new avenues for growth, and kindly listen to the suggestions of event attendees to make the event better the next time.

8. Make use of content that you can repurpose with on-demand streaming

In order to make your experience with on-demand improved, think about using your online content as a supplement or launch advertising campaigns. This includes gated ebooks, white papers, cases studies, highlights and case studies along with tips and tricks videos on LinkedIn, quotes for next year's event website, and so much more.

Is it worth sharing? Take a look at your data for your virtual event as well as feedback from attendees. In a comparison the two sources of data will give an amazing picture of what worked in your event, as well as what your audiences truly loved.

Perhaps you will even be inspired to create a whole new conference based upon these topics alone!