{"id":7697,"date":"2020-04-13T16:11:25","date_gmt":"2020-04-13T20:11:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/?p=7697"},"modified":"2021-03-10T11:46:26","modified_gmt":"2021-03-10T16:46:26","slug":"virtual-events-shift-marketing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/originals\/virtual-events-shift-marketing\/","title":{"rendered":"What the Shift to Virtual Events Means for Marketers"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>\n

Your company\u2019s event? Cancelled. That three-day conference in Vegas? Cancelled. Any sort of physical social activity whatsoever? Cancelled. Still, the show must go on<\/a>, even if we can\u2019t really leave the house. So that means most marketers still have to find a way to do their jobs. What can they expect from virtual events in the marketing landscape over the next few months?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Work don\u2019t stop<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Things are changing, yes, but for most, marketing is still marketing. And events are still events, even if they happen on the computer instead of a convention center. \u201cI think the boxes we check for an in-person experience will be somewhat different when we do virtual experiences, but not dramatically so,\u201d says Jeff Bardin, vice president and experiential account director at creative agency Giant Spoon. \u201cYou still need to create a user journey online. It\u2019s just a different kind of immersion.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So in a way, the essence of a virtual event is no different than that of an in-person event\u2014it\u2019s an occasion to network, exchange ideas, and celebrate a specific community. Though the attendee will experience a virtual event differently, they\u2019ll gather the same insights and come out with the same takeaways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doing more with less… <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s one area that will change: you\u2019ll probably be on a more restricted budget. At this point, most companies are trying to make every dollar count. But on the other hand, spending for virtual events won\u2019t come with the usual large costs. No spaces need to be reserved, no booze served, no food purchased, no entertainment booked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe entertainment piece (of event planning) has gone from 100 percent of a focus to about 10 percent,\u201d says Som Puangladda, VP of global marketing for GumGum. \u201cThere are no drinks, decorations, or in-person small-talk conversations. But there are ways you can get creative to make sure people have fun. We\u2019re speaking to a DJ who usually spins at our summer events in New York, and we were thinking about having him on to play some music for our virtual events.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, Eventbrite suggests<\/a> adding a game component to some sections of the event. Toss in a jigsaw puzzle, a crossword, a riddle, or a memory game to keep attendees engaged between sessions!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026But there are new benefits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With this new virtual shift comes a world of new benefits for marketers looking to host events. First of all, your event is no longer constrained by its location, and your list of attendees is no longer constrained by the list of people who live close by or can afford to travel for the given set of dates. Geography is no longer a consideration, and the potential of an interconnected audience for worldwide events is massive. Interested in an upcoming marketing event in Singapore? Previously, you couldn\u2019t even give it thought. That\u2019s still the same now, because attending doesn\u2019t require much more than the energy it takes to pop open your laptop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, virtual events are highly scalable. No more concern about your on-site team\u2019s ability to build up, host, and take down physical event spaces. Once you\u2019ve got your technological infrastructure in place, your team can host event after event without carrying a single thing off a U-Haul truck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, digital events are more accessible, during the event and after it. At a virtual event, you can use existing digital tactics to allow for real-time engagement with your crowd. And after the event, it\u2019s easier than ever to upload keynotes and breakouts for those who couldn\u2019t attend on the day of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n