Virtual events have been taking the world by storm ever since government restrictions due to Covid-19 came into effect. Many poetry events, and creative events in general made the move to host online events which was a great way to keep the arts and culture community alive. However, many online events were also plagued with technical difficulties and clashing with other events which made it difficult to keep up with what creative organisations had to offer.
A large amount of people working from home meant that even the most technophobic people became familiar with platforms such as Microsoft teams, Zoom, and Huddle to join meetings and launch webinars. The increase in the use of these platforms forced people to be more open to virtual events. Some people even come to prefer virtual events due to the convenience, affordability, and comfort of being in their own home. Now that the UK is allowing live events under Covid-19 guidelines, many people are eager to go out and enjoy what they have been missing for so long. Others may not be as comfortable, and that means that there remains a market for virtual events to continue even though the pandemic has vastly improved.
Avoid Technical Difficulties
Even though virtual events are often living in the shadow of their in-person counterpart, you can still make it a special one to remember. To have a fantastic virtual event, it must run smoothly without the technical failures that we have been accustomed to in the past. That includes awkward fumbling and messing up of the content, and slides, as well as connectivity problems, lagging and faulty plug-ins. These bugs are a nightmare and especially for our next point. Unfortunately, some technical difficulties can’t be avoided when hosting live events even if everything runs smoothly on your end. The participants of your virtual event may have issues on their end that might be out of your control.
Pace Yourself
Focusing on the flow and pace of an event can be a good way to make your virtual event entertaining instead of a drag. Things to bear in mind for this are quick and easy registration and login as well as breaking down lengthy content into digestible chunks. Another great way to manage the pace of your virtual event is by having a short break in the middle which will allow your virtual attendees to take a time out before enjoying the rest of the show.
Add Something Different
Hosting a virtual event is your chance to step out of your comfort zone without all eyes of a live audience on you. Make it fun and unique by adding extra dimensions and dynamic aspects such as games, music, and videos to keep the virtual energy alive. Engagement is a major factor in the success of a virtual event. One of the major drawbacks mentioned earlier in this article is the missing social element, and encouraging users to interact with each other to make them feel involved.
Choose A Reliable Streaming Service
If you want to reach a larger audience with your virtual event then using a streaming service that is connected to your host platform is a great way to do it. It may sound complicated, but that is far from the case. Your choice of streaming platform can make or break a virtual event and there are a few things to bear in mind when deciding which one to go for.
- The service must be reliable and stable with good connection.
- Are the additional features of the platform needed for your event?
- Choose a streaming platform that is suitable for your specific event.
Different types of events may require a different platform to reach your target audience. General webinars, promos, launches and streams work best on a popular streaming platform like restream – a streaming hub, which broadcasts to 30+ platforms. Events such as workshops, conferences, online fairs and meetings, may be better suited to a more advanced alternative platform, like Accelevents that includes many specific features like multiple virtual spaces, and event management that improve the user experience by making the event seem more professional, while also, ensuring the proceedings run smoothly and without hitch.
Wordplay & Flow 