4 mistakes to avoid with your virtual events

7 October, 2020

With virtual events becoming commonplace until in-person events can resume, careful planning and execution is vital to ensure you’re keeping stakeholders engaged at the same standard as you normally would. Virtual events bring new challenges so we’ve identified 4 mistakes you should avoid doing with your next virtual event:

1. Cramming in a full day of events

In-person events often require a full-day or multi-day commitment from attendees who may have to travel, so event organisers often plan a jam-packed event schedule to minimise the amount of time needed.

Attendees at virtual events do not need to travel or even take a day off work, therefore it is no longer necessary to fit as many sessions into one day. You can easily avoid fatiguing your attendees with a full day of sessions by spacing out webinars, speaker engagements and networking opportunities across a few days. Similarly, make sure to vary the presentation formats to ensure attendees don’t feel like they’re watching the same session time after time.

2. Treating a virtual event the same as an in-person event

Hosting a virtual event is not the same as hosting an in-person event. What may work for one format may not work for the other, so it’s important to design for online attention. Plan sessions with highly engaging visuals and audio, make sure your presenters are enthusiastic and carefully consider how your content will be received by someone sitting at home on their couch or in a small group in an office.

3. Thinking technology before content

It is important to have great production with high quality broadcasting technology, but this shouldn’t be the first step of your design process. If your content is not strong, no amount of production can save it. Technology should come after planning out your format and audience experience.

4. Trying to do it on your own

Just like you need a team to host an in-preson event, you need a team to execute a virtual event too. Although it may seem like a simpler project, there are unique personnel demands such as film crew, broadcast platform support and sometimes moderators. To avoid an organisational nightmare, enlist the help of professional event managers. They are experts in identifying and coordinating the team needed to host an incredible and memorable virtual event.

Have a chat with us about your upcoming virtual events on +61 399 495 900.