Five Different Types of Virtual Events You Should Host and Why

Virtual events have been taking the world by storm, and it’s easy to see why. Attendees and organizers can connect from anywhere around the world without the barriers of time, distance, and unexpected circumstances getting in the way.

Virtual events provide countless benefits to both organizers and attendees, such as:

• Reduced costs for organizers
• Increased attendance rates
• Increased flexibility for attendees
• Advanced analytics
• Global reach
• More flexibility

Zoom meetings are usually the first thing that come to someone’s mind when they think of virtual events. But we’re here to tell you that virtual events can be so much more.

Virtual events are as dynamic as the companies that use them. Are you planning a company meeting? Are you setting up a training seminar, fundraiser, workshop, marketing event or something else? No matter what your agenda is, there is a virtual event that can be set up to fit your specific needs.

This article will explore 5 popular types of virtual events as well as the benefits they provide to both attendees and organizers.

What They Are

Webinars are a form of online meeting that provide an opportunity for marketers to educate their attendees about a certain product or service that they are promoting. Webinars are incredibly versatile and can be used for a number of purposes – from training sessions, to product launches, to internal meetings.

They can be hosted by one or more speakers who give a presentation and share information with attendees through video, slides, and Q&A.

Why You Should Use Them

In the past, webinars were frequently bland, with little to no interactivity, branding, or production quality. They resembled more of an online broadcast than a lively meeting.

As technology and expectations have improved, so has the quality of webinars. Modern webinars can be a multi-person discussion, feature product demos, and give users the ability to create content and utilize other software.

All of this translates into higher engagement.

One of the greatest things about Webinars is their simplicity. By simply logging on and giving a little bit of time, anyone can be a part of your program. This makes hosting webinars one of the most practical ways to reach out to prospects and clients around the world and increase brand awareness.

What They Are

A virtual conference is typically a multi-day event and more involved than webinars and simple virtual meetings. Virtual conferences, like in-person conferences, are live events with complex agendas such as:

• Keynotes
• Sessions
• Breakouts
• Discussions
• Trainings
• Demos
• Industry trends

Why You Should Use Them

In-person events are generally more effective when it comes to networking and lead capture. Virtual conferences, however, still provide a TON of benefits that in-person conferences do not.

For example, keynotes can be watched in real-time and attendees can create their own agenda by viewing relevant, on-demand content.

Another strength of virtual conferences is their ability to increase learning and networking between participants.

Virtual conferences offer multi-session content that will maximize an attendees opportunity to learn more about their industry and be at the forefront of new developments. They also offer various engagement tools and provide a fantastic opportunity to collaborate.

What They Are

Hybrid meetings (including hybrid conferences and workshops) bring together two distinct audiences by combining the flexibility of virtual events with the power of meeting face to face.

In a sense, hybrid events offer the best of both worlds.

Keep in mind that hybrid events do require a higher-quality video production to guarantee virtual attendees are given the same experience as those attending in-person. So be sure to talk to your production support team to make sure they have the right tools to put on a successful hybrid event.

Why You Should Use Them

The versatility of hybrid events are endless.

Hybrid events are a single event that allows everyone to attend no matter where they are. They bring together those who are unable to attend the event physically to participate, learn, and interact with those attending in person.

Hybrid production services cover events of all types and sizes, including:

• Town halls
• Sales kick-offs
• eLearning
• Webinars
• Company Wide events
• Livestreaming
• Department meetings
• Conferences

As we continue to navigate through an ever changing and unpredictable world, hybrid events with two distinct audiences – in-person and virtual – have become more popular.

With a proper production support team, and the right technologies in place, you can successfully offer attendees and sponsors equally engaging opportunities, blending the benefits of in-person and virtual events to create a unique experience through hybrid events.

What They Are

Since the pandemic, career experts estimate that virtual job recruiting will continue to increase.

Virtual job fairs function similar to in-person job fairs. They encourage job seekers to visit several rooms while recruiters can personally meet candidates to have interactive discussions, review qualifications, exchange resumes and contact information.

Why You Should Use Them

Virtual job fairs offer several benefits, such as:

• No setup
• Accelerated hiring
• Increased scope of potential candidates
• Reduced travel time

Virtual job fairs allow job seekers to search for job opportunities all around the world. In addition, recruiters are no longer limited to basing a person’s qualifications strictly on their resumes.

Meeting candidates face to face allows managers to get a better understanding of a person’s capabilities, get a feel for how they will fit into the company’s work culture, and ultimately allow them to hire candidates on the spot.

What They Are

A virtual trade show is exactly what it sounds like – an event that brings what you’d normally see on a show floor to the screen.

With the help of the right production support team, virtual trade shows have everything that an in-person trade show would. Visitors can interact with exhibitor booths and sponsors, create appointments, explore virtual auditoriums and backstages, and network with other registered attendees.

Why You Should Use Them

• A broader audience reach – Virtual trade shows are often cheaper to attend and more accessible than their in person counterpart. This results in significantly higher attendance numbers. An increased attendance equals more visibility and leads for your sponsors.
• More exhibitor visibility – We’ve all seen it; exhibitors arriving early and scrambling to get the best location at a trade show. Location is fundamental to success at a trade show because location equals visibility. Virtual trade shows change that by creating more “space” for exhibitors to be easily seen and interact with attendees.

Our world has graduated past simple 1:1 video conferences. Businesses can bring any kind of meeting they would have in person to the digital space. Your events then become:

• Cheaper
• More Flexible
• Easier to access

Before you send out the invitation to your next virtual event, make sure you’ve thought it through.

Virtual events require more than using a video conferencing platform. Like in-person events, you need the right tools, equipment, and specialists to help you promote, manage, and pull off your virtual event.

From marketing to boosting engagement to keeping your event on track despite unforeseen interruptions, the right virtual production and audio company can be the unsung hero of your next virtual event.

Are you serious about making your next virtual event a success? Let Virtual Velocity’s team of expert consultants in audio and video production spaces help you. Give us a call and tell us about your needs. We will provide you with practical advice on the spot, free of charge.