{"id":7631,"date":"2020-04-07T17:20:56","date_gmt":"2020-04-07T21:20:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/?p=7631"},"modified":"2021-03-10T11:46:27","modified_gmt":"2021-03-10T16:46:27","slug":"virtual-event-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/originals\/virtual-event-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Get the Most Out of Your Virtual Event"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 4<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>\n

So, your big event got cancelled? And with it went all those opportunities to grow your brand and make meaningful connections? We hear you. It happened to us, too. Our big event got pushed to next year<\/a>. It happened to lots and lots of good companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But rather than just admit defeat and take the easy way out, brands are replacing these immersive real-life experiences with immersive digital ones. They\u2019re pivoting and figuring out how to provide similar value and comparable connectivity while maintaining social distance<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, on one hand, an event is still an event, even if it\u2019s virtual. And marketing is still marketing, even if it\u2019s online. The core remains the same, which means that marketers can carry over many (but not all) of the skills and principles they previously used. In fact, a virtual event might be the perfect time for marketers to show what they know about marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think this is the time to shine, as a marketer,\u201d says Som Puangladda, VP of global marketing at GumGum, a computer vision company. \u201cYou\u2019re able to show if you can do more with less. How can you find creative ways to succeed? We\u2019re so reliant on in-person experiences, and no one thought the day would come where that was taken away from us.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But as we mentioned earlier, there are some meaningful differences that event organizers should account for. Here are some tips for hosting powerful virtual events that engage your audience without ever having anyone set foot in a conference hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Invest in Quality<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t leave the fate of your virtual event to shoddy technology. Make sure speakers have proper microphones, because those AirPods aren\u2019t gonna cut it. If you\u2019re streaming video (and you should be), use a high-quality camera. Have speakers find a spot with really good natural light, or have them invest in a couple lights to brighten up the scene. Make sure anyone who\u2019s on-screen positions their camera at the right angle\u2014you don\u2019t want to be staring up a speaker\u2019s nose for 45 minutes. In short, plan ahead and don\u2019t skimp on the tech. If the technology works great, no one will notice it, and that\u2019s the point. The last thing you want people to say and they\u2019re closing their computer screens is, <\/em>well, that was great, but the stream kept cutting out.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Create an Immersive Environment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Like an in-person event, imagine the entire event from the perspective of your attendee. This online experience is still an experience, and it\u2019s important to give your attendees a good one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cExperiential is a tactic,\u201d says Jeff Bardin, experiential account director at creative agency Giant Spoon. \u201cIf you create something that is smart and innovative and bring it online, you can still capture hearts and minds.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you think about the event in totality, you can zero in on specific moments that have a chance to be really meaningful. Note these opportunities for intentionally-crafted moments, and deliver on them. The ultimate focus should be upgrading the experience for the attendee in every possible way. How can we improve the log-in experience? How can we better introduce speakers and breakout sessions? How can we do something powerful during downtime? How can we do something awesome with our post-event recap? Leave no stone unturned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And more broadly, every piece of the virtual event environment should have a consistent visual identity. Just because the event is online doesn\u2019t mean that branding is no longer important! <\/p>\n\n\n\n