Best ways to run a successful virtual event

Do you want to host a virtual event to build, grow, and scale your online business? It’s an extremely clever marketing strategy if you want to see big results FAST. There’s no other way to gain so much momentum and engagement in such a short amount of time.

Some of the best virtual events are successful due to tons of planning and hard work. So much hard work goes into them behind the scenes that not many people see. But what goes into hosting a virtual event? How do I know my event will be good? What is a virtual event? Continue reading for your guide to hosting the perfect virtual event.

To start, a virtual event is a meeting through an online program. Programs such as zoom or face time. It is any organized meet-up that takes place online rather than in a physical location. These events can range from small question-and-answer sessions to large-scale conferences with thousands of attendees. Even a live-streamed feed of a solo cup pyramid can be considered as a virtual event.

Here’s a rundown of the different kinds of online business events your company can host. There are a variety of ways to host a virtual event. Here’s a round-up of the different formats along with some of the best virtual events platforms you can use.

Webinars

Normally a webinar is an online presentation held in real-time. But webinars can also be shared and viewed after the presentation too. Usually, a presenter will share the screen to go through slides or demos, while narrating. Participants can ask questions by voice or through a chat feed if the platform and presenter allows. It’s like a one-off workshop or class that happens in real-time.

Webinar platform options include:

6connex: Available on any browser or device, with no download required. Features include flexible registration, social media integration, and real-time analytics.
Crowdcast: Can be joined through a single URL. Tools include built-in registration forms, analytics, replays, and more.

Demio:

Allows for pre-recorded or live webinars—or a mix of both. Includes private chat, interactive polls, call-to-action-buttons, and other features.

Livestorm:

On-demand webinars from Livestorm include integrations with Google Analytics, Slack, and various engagement tools.

WebinarNinja:

No need to download software for this platform, which offers paid and free events, 1,000+ app integrations, and even Facebook Pixel ad tracking.

Zoom:

Zoom chat is as of right now, one of the most popular forms of virtual meetings. You can have one host, group chats, and even offers on special breakout rooms. Plans cover from 100 to 10,000 view-only attendees. It enables you to virtually interact with co-workers when in-person meetings aren’t possible, and it has been hugely successful for social events, too.

What’s the difference between a virtual event and a webinar?

Rather than single sessions offering value, a virtual summit pools together the best content from many experts in a given field. For most virtual events, there will be several sessions per day for several days in a row (e.g. 3-7 days.)

It gives your audience incredible value, your speaker’s exposure, and a platform to share their message and you build your audience and authority.

It is truly a WIN-WIN-WIN situation.
Build A Large And Engaged Audience FAST Hosting a virtual event is the fastest way that I know of to build an engaged audience and get your first 1,000 true fans.

Let’s look at how it compares to some of the more traditional methods of growing an audience and email list.
How to run a virtual event? Running a virtual event is a far more complex job than it looks if you’re looking for cutting-edge results.

You have to plan everything from its infrastructure to each of the topics covered during the event. Next, check out the step-by-step process on how to run a virtual event.

Create a plan for the event

What subject matter will you be addressing at the event? What is the purpose of the event? Your type of virtual event will it be? These questions will give you a fair understanding of what this experience will be like and how it may best be approached. From these simple questions, you can develop solid planning skills, which should include some guidelines, such as:

Time duration;

which platforms it will be streamed on;

how people will participate;

possibilities of interaction;

which topics will be covered;

who will host the event? Firstly, any and all details need to be thought of in advance, both technical and strategic aspects. Once this is done, the chances of success on the day of the event will be terrific!

Set up your infrastructure

Setting up the entire infrastructure is essential. To host a virtual event, you must have adequate, quality equipment set up for a high-quality transmission. Among the main concerns, the focus should be on:

high-quality, fast internet connection speed;
appropriate venue to hold the event;
broadcasting equipment (cameras, microphones, teleprompters, computers, etc.);
streaming platform.
Choose a streaming platform
The streaming platform is the main tool that makes everything happen. So choose one that fits best with different types of virtual events. Think about features that you will need to create the perfect experience and check which platforms can provide them.

Before the event, run a private test, limiting access to the session. This should be performed while simultaneously simulating interactions and everything that may happen during the event. Performing this practice test will guarantee that you have made the right choice!

Promote the event

Promoting your event is extremely essential for a successful event. Using your main channels to talk about and inform the audience regarding the date, time, and other related details. This is an essential step not to forget when planning out your event.

The more effort you exert in promoting the event, the higher your chances that people will attend.
Use social media pages, send email releases, and post descriptions of the event on your website homepage.
Select the channels which receive the most visits from your audience to promote the event. This will ensure that news of the event will reach the largest possible audience.