Virtual events aren't new in the event industry, but the global pandemic has accelerated its popularity. Though this acceleration happened out of necessity, it has brought many new possibilities to event planners, agencies, internal event organisers, and meeting planners alike.
The learning curve can be steep, but many events companies, including Pigeonhole Live, are keen to help and support event planners transition their events to an online platform.
Here's our take on a beginners' guide to virtual events, accompanied with a compilation of our best articles on the topic.
What are the benefits of running a virtual event?
Even if you are running a virtual event out of necessity, virtual events can provide new opportunities to event planners.
- Virtual events give you greater audience reach
- Virtual events have low marketing and operating cost
- Virtual events are easier to manage
- Virtual events can improve your brand strategy
- Virtual events give you fast and valuable data for your next move
Read our article on the topic to find out more: Top 5 Benefits of Hosting A Virtual Event
What kind of virtual event could I run?
This could possibly be the most confusing part of virtual events - the wide range of event types. Here's a list of the usual types of virtual events being run at the moment:
- Webinars
- Webcast
- Livestreams
- Virtual fireside chats
- Virtual conferences/summits
- Internal town halls
Want to find out more about these events? Read: A Beginner's Guide to Types of Virtual Events in 2020
What kind of event tech could I use for my event?
There is a wide variety of event tech available to event planners. They include (but are not limited to):
- Event planning and management platforms
- Event registration and guest management platforms
- Audience engagement tools
- Video Solutions
- Business networking apps
- Event app-building software or customisable event apps
Read on to find out more: The Ultimate Guide to Event Management Software for Virtual Events
Pigeonhole Live is a great tool to use to engage your virtual audience, with our wide range of interactive elements like Live Q&As, Polls, Word Clouds, and Quizzes. But we also work with many great event tech companies to ensure that all our platforms work in sync with each other, bringing you the best event solution possible.
You can find out more about our partners in event registration, video solutions, business networking, and more. All our integrations are available for free for all Pigeonhole Live users till the end of the year.
How do I ensure that my virtual event is a success?
There are some differences between the metrics of success of a virtual event and an in-person event. The good news is that in a virtual event, you will have more access to data that will give you greater insights to how well your event went, and how to improve on the next one.
Here's a handy guide to 14 KPIs to measure the success of your virtual event: 14 KPIs to Measure the Success of Your Virtual Event
How can I use Pigeonhole Live in my virtual event?
Great question! Pigeonhole Live is an adaptable and customisable tool that could fit in any part of your virtual event. To give you a taste, we compiled ten ways you could use Pigeonhole Live in your virtual events.
Or if you're interested in a more tailored approach to your audience engagement, reach out to us and let us know! Our team will be happy to collaborate with you on an optimal solution for your next event.
What's next for virtual events?
There's no doubt that the events industry is undergoing serious disruption right now. Online may be going strong now, but there will be a merge between online and offline experiences to bring the rise of hybrid events.
We elaborate more on this here: What the Future of Events Look Like in 2020 and Beyond
Other resources to help you run an amazing event:
- 4 Agenda Templates to Kickstart Your First Webinar
- How to Moderate Employee Questions With Transparency
- Panel Discussions: What Are They and How to Succeed at Them
- Collecting Event Feedback? Here Are 4 Things You Should Be Doing
- 5 Key Traits of a Moderator That Every Event Planner Should Know
- 5 Essential Tips to Craft an Effective Survey
- 7 Tips On How To Organise A Great Networking Event
- 8 Ways to Make Your Town Hall Meeting an Engaging Company Event
