Preparation is key to putting on a high-quality virtual event.

Why? Because in-person events can use smoke and mirrors to make an event feel compelling even with sub-par content. For example:

• In-person events get people excited to attend as they look forward to heading off to special destinations and enjoying face-to-face networking.
• People are naturally more engaged when attending events, meetings, and conferences face-to-face.

With virtual events, on the other hand, you have to rely purely on high-quality content to keep users engaged, interested, and focused.

In this article, we’ll break down 10 sure-fire ways to create content that sets you up to host a great virtual event.

Setting clear goals is crucial for any successful high-quality virtual event. Well-planned goals keep you focused on what’s most important throughout your planning phase.

Define your objective: Ask yourself; ‘What do I plan to accomplish through my event?’

• Is it to generate leads?
• Inform your audience?
• Increase awareness of a product or brand?
• Encourage networking?
• Something else?

Set goals: Once you’ve identified your objectives, break them down into specific goals. For example, if your objective is to educate or inform, decide which main points you want to stand out and set up a Q&A as a review.

Consider your target audience: Keep your target audience in mind when setting goals. Understand their needs and preferences, then align your goals with their expectations. This will help you deliver the most valuable information possible.

Most platforms will probably work OK. But why settle for OK when the RIGHT platform will greatly bump up the quality of your virtual event?

What to Consider:

• Reliability and user-friendliness: You want attendees to have a seamless experience. Think about who your audience will be and choose a platform that is going to be reliable and user-friendly.
• Platform features: Evaluate the features of various platforms and how they align with your event goals.
• Customization options: Will you want to showcase your brand or logo? Look for a platform that allows you to customize the event with your branding and event theme.

Choosing a platform isn’t always easy. But knowing what to look for is the first step in choosing a high-quality virtual event platform.

Like telling the punchline of a joke, the timing of your event is everything.

Why it’s important: Setting a proper date and time for your virtual event will significantly impact the number of people who attend and how excited they are to be there.

• Availability: Figure out when your audience prefers to be online. For example, would weekdays or weekends be more convenient for your attendees?
• Consider time zones: If your event caters to a global audience, find a time that allows the most amount of people to attend in every relevant time zone.
• Account for potential scheduling conflicts: Research other events or conferences happening around the same time to limit competition.

Imagine you put on the world’s best virtual event but no one knew about it. How successful could it really be?

You can’t expect people to show up to your event just because you’ve worked hard to set it up. Promoting your event is absolutely crucial for success.

Some effective strategies to market and promote your event:

• Social Media Promotion: Create dedicated event pages or profiles across social media platforms. Regularly share engaging content to build anticipation. Encourage attendees and partners to share event-related posts and use event-specific hashtags.
• Email Campaigns: Utilize email marketing to reach your target audience directly. Highlight the value of attending your event and include key event details, agenda highlights, and registration links.
• Content Marketing: Create informative content related to your event’s topic or theme. This could include blog posts, articles, videos, or podcasts that build anticipation for the event.

When promoting, focus on keeping your message tailored to your target audience and explain why they will benefit from attending.

Putting on a virtual event without an agenda is like setting off on a road trip without Google Maps. You might arrive in one piece but the journey will be painful.

“Figuring out an event as you go” will end up wasting a lot of time and energy. You likely won’t accomplish everything you had hoped for and your attendees will sense the lack of planning.

A well-structured and engaging agenda is the backbone of a successful virtual event.

• It sets the tone
• Keeps attendees engaged
• And ensures a smooth flow of activities

How to create a high-quality agenda:

1. Understand its importance: A clear and organized agenda helps attendees understand the event’s purpose and helps them follow along during sessions. It also provides you structure and ensures that your event stays on track.
2. Create a balanced mix: Create a variety of session formats to appeal to different learning styles and preferences such as keynote presentations, panel discussions, and interactive workshops.

Also try to incorporate opportunities for audience participation, such as Q&A sessions, polls, or breakout rooms for smaller group discussions.

Like having a celebrity at your party, hosting keynote speakers can make your virtual event more attractive. The expertise, credibility, and unique perspectives they bring to the table is sure to draw a larger audience.

What you can do:

• Determine the key topics of your event and identify speakers who are experts in those areas (think industry leaders).
• Reach out to potential speakers with an invitation that highlights the reasons why they should participate in your event.
• Promote keynote speakers by showcasing them on your agenda. Highlight their achievements, expertise, and the valuable insights they will bring to the event.
• Collaborate with them to discuss what topics you would like them to cover but don’t micromanage. Give them the flexibility to bring in their own unique perspective.
• Do a test run to ensure they are comfortable with the virtual event platform and any technical aspects involved.

After it’s all said and done, don’t forget to follow up with speakers to thank them for supporting your event.

Are you ever surprised at the amount of names that roll on the screen after a movie? While you might have only seen a few faces on screen, ending credits are proof that it takes a team to pull off something big.

While you won’t need a crew of makeup artists and CGI experts, assembling a reliable team for your virtual event is crucial to make it a seamless experience for both organizers and attendees.

What to do: Delegate tasks to individuals who can handle different aspects of the event such as managing logistics, technical aspects, and attendee support.

• Moderators are responsible for facilitating sessions, managing Q&A sessions, and ensuring smooth transitions between speakers.
• Technical support professionals handle any technical issues that arise during the event, troubleshoot problems, and assist attendees who might face technical difficulties.
• A support team provides live assistance to attendees, answering questions and addressing concerns throughout the event.

Whether your event is big or small, it’s important to recognize that you only have 2 arms and can’t handle everything yourself. This is true for both before and during the big event.

Bonus tip: Make sure your team knows what they’re doing. A team of experts will put on a better event than a fresh group of interns.

Gamification is used by every large successful company out there to foster healthy competition and encourage participation. By making your virtual event more interactive and enjoyable, you boost attendee engagement and gain more return on your investment.

 Consider the following ideas:

• Virtual scavenger hunts encourage attendees to explore the event platform, search for hidden items, or complete challenges.
• Polls make the audience feel that their opinion is valued, encouraging participation. It also gives you reliable feedback.
• Quizzes can be used during sessions to gauge audience understanding.
• Leaderboards can encourage friendly competition by showcasing attendee achievements.

Whatever gamification elements you decide to implement, make sure to keep it light-hearted and remember to align them with your event’s theme and objectives.

Even with thorough planning, things can always go wrong. It’s essential to be prepared for unexpected technical issues or disruptions that may arise during your virtual event.

How you can prepare:

• Develop contingency plans: Discuss backup strategies to address potential technical issues or disruptions. Identify potential risks and devise solutions ahead of time to minimize their impact on your event.
• Double-up on connections: Have redundant internet connections in place to ensure your meeting doesn’t drop out. Consider using a backup Wi-Fi connection, mobile hotspot, or alternative internet service provider as a fail-safe measure.
• Create a guide: Develop a troubleshooting guide or FAQs for both attendees and your team. Include step-by-step instructions for joining the event, accessing features, and troubleshooting common technical issues.
• Put a team on standby: Designate specific team members responsible for technical support and ensure attendees have easy access to channels for reporting issues.

The post-event phase is crucial for evaluating the success of your virtual event. It allows you to:

• Understand how well you reached your goals
• Assess attendee engagement
• Identify strengths and weaknesses.

Try this:

1. Use post-event surveys, polls, or feedback forms to gather feedback from attendees. These can help you understand their overall experience, satisfaction levels, and areas of improvement.
2. Utilize event analytics and metrics if they are provided by your virtual event platform. These are used to assess attendance rates, session popularity, engagement levels, and other relevant data.
3. Identify areas where you can improve. Take what you’ve learned from this event to make your next one even better.

The key to putting on a high-quality event isn’t a mystery. True, it requires hard work but it’s worth it.

With a little planning, attention to detail, and by following the 10 steps outlined in this article, you can create an event that makes attendees excited to hit the “I’m going” button on your next virtual event Evite.

It can feel overwhelming to handle all that goes into creating a high-quality event. But you’re not alone. Virtual Velocity has helped countless companies of all sizes resolve their issues and make their event the best they could be.

Are you unsure of how to pull off your next event by yourself? Would you like professional advice on how to resolve any issues that you might encounter? Shoot us a message. We’ll be sure to give you guidance that’s both practical and within your budget.