Virtual events are becoming more popular as a way to connect with your audience, but they aren't going to replace live-in-person meetings anytime soon. These types of events allow you to engage with people across the globe while still being able to interact with them in real time. But what are some trends we should expect from virtual events over the next few years? Here's my list:
1. Live-streaming
Live-streaming is the most popular form of virtual events, and for good reason: it's a great way to reach a global audience. Live-streaming can be leveraged in many different ways, but its benefits are most pronounced when you're looking to connect with new audiences or promote your brand on social media channels like Facebook and YouTube.
Live-streamed events include anything from concerts to conferences--and even weddings! When done well, live-streamed content can help you build credibility as an expert in your field while also boosting engagement on social media.
2. Instant feedback
Real-time feedback can be used to improve the event experience and make sure it's a success. For example, if you're running an event that requires attendees to complete a survey, you can use this information to adjust your agenda or even change the venue for future events. Feedback is also important because it gives you insight into what your audience wants from future events.
If you want to get real-time feedback from your audience during a virtual event, consider using tools such as Poll Everywhere or Google Forms that allow attendees to answer questions using their phones or computers (the latter being more useful if there are technical difficulties). You could also ask people what they think about certain topics during breaks in between sessions--or even after each session ends--to gauge how well everything went overall.
3. The rise of the virtual event host
There are many different types of virtual event hosts, but the most common is the one who acts as the main facilitator for a session. As such, he or she will typically be tasked with making sure that all participants have what they need to participate in an ideal manner. This may include providing technical assistance if there are any problems during the session and answering questions from other participants about how best to use their tools during live interactions.
A great example of this kind of role is seen in our own work at [company name]. Our host team works closely together throughout each event we produce so that everyone involved knows exactly where they should be at any given time--and what their responsibilities are within those roles!
4. Virtual reality
VR is an exciting new way to engage your audience with interactive and personalized experiences -- but it won't replace in-person meetings anytime soon. While virtual reality (VR) has been around for decades, it's only recently become accessible enough to be used as a tool by marketers looking to create immersive experiences for their customers.
While VR can be used to create a more immersive experience for your audience, there are some limitations that you should consider before investing in this technology:
- Cost - Most VR devices require expensive hardware and software, making them prohibitively expensive for many businesses who want to experiment with the technology but don't have the resources or budget for such an investment.
- Motion sickness - The biggest downside of using VR is its tendency to cause motion sickness among users; if your potential customers get sick from watching videos on their mobile phone or playing video games at home, then chances are good they'll also experience discomfort when using headsets like Oculus Rift or HTC Vive.
- Limited availability - Not everyone has accessed these devices yet--or even knows how much fun they can be!
5. Telepresence robots
Telepresence robots are a great way to bring virtual events to life. They can be used to connect remote attendees, or for one-on-one meetings, but they're also becoming more affordable and easier to use.
Some of the most innovative uses of telepresence robots include:
- An employee who works remotely in Africa uses a robot to attend an all-hands meeting with his colleagues at headquarters in San Francisco, CA.
- A salesperson uses her robot during customer pitches, so she doesn't have to travel across town just for one meeting with clients or prospects (or even further).
- A doctor uses a telemedicine app on her phone that allows patients from around the world who don't live near hospitals where doctors normally work together remotely through video chat sessions hosted by Google Hangouts On Air--a feature that lets anyone broadcast live video streams anywhere on earth using only their smartphone (and gives them unlimited storage space).
6. Virtual event software
The virtual event software market is booming, as more and more companies are looking to make their events as convenient and efficient as possible. From planning tools to registration systems, there's a wide variety of options available for running your next conference or webinar from home.
Virtual event software can help you plan, execute and measure the results of your event--saving time in the process by eliminating manual processes such as emailing attendees with updates or updating spreadsheets after each session has ended. With these tools at hand, you'll be able to focus on creating engaging content while letting an automated system handle all the behind-the-scenes work required to make sure everything runs smoothly during the actual event day itself!
Virtual events are an exciting new way to engage your audience with interactive and personalized experiences
Virtual events are an exciting new way to engage your audience with interactive and personalized experiences -- but they won't replace in-person meetings anytime soon.
Virtual conferences and virtual meetings have been around for a while now, but these events have seen rapid growth over the past few years. Virtual events are becoming increasingly popular because they allow businesses to connect with their customers on a global scale without requiring any travel time or expenses. This means that companies can reach out to more people than ever before, even if you don't live anywhere near them!
Conclusion
I know what you're thinking: "Virtual events are cool, but I still prefer to meet in person." That's understandable! Nothing beats the energy and excitement of an in-person meeting. However, if you're looking for ways to engage your audience--and keep them engaged throughout the year--virtual events are worth considering. They can provide a more personalized experience than traditional conferences, while keeping costs down by eliminating travel costs (and lost productivity).
