How to virtualize an event for 2021

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Virtual events are here to stay. Therefore, it's essential that organizers begin to consider the best platform to offer a unique experience to customers and attendees. For years, companies, brands, associations, and institutions have relied on the success of attendance-based events with on-site attendees. This trend, however, is changing thanks to new technologies for virtual events, such as well-equipped platforms for live streaming and video conferencing: just a few examples .

The current COVID-19 situation has accelerated these changes, preventing a large number of events from taking place in real-life venues and forcing many organizations to make drastic changes overnight.

Organizers look for new tools
Many of them even plan to use this format well into 2021, such as the giant Microsoft, which issued a statement announcing that its events, both internal and external, will be virtual until June of next year. In this context, it's clear that organizers are venezuela mobile database looking for new tools to compensate for cancellations, increasing their virtual offerings and webinars by 72% (for now) since the serious health situation we are experiencing began. The growing virtual events market is forecast to grow 23% from 2020 to 2027.

Today, events, whether in real or virtual spaces, are a great tool for generating leads, branding, and revenue. With 81% of marketers using this technology and confident in the high returns they produce as an excellent B2B tactic, events are here to stay. Whether you've tried them or not, knowing how to run a virtual event effectively will undoubtedly become a key strategy for businesses across all sectors to reach and engage their customers in 2021.

The obvious difference between a real event and a virtual one is that it will be held on screens, viewable from different browsers, computers, or mobile apps. Although at first glance, these platforms may seem more limited than an event where attendees can move freely, it is still possible to offer an engaging and successful experience by choosing the optimal platforms and channels.


Before the event: What technology is available to us and how can we take advantage of it?
Quick setup: Creating a dedicated event microsite is very important , but given the current situation, demands, and requirements, organizers must be prepared to create it in days or hours, especially when we have planned an in-person event that needs to quickly transition to a virtual format. This is more practical and efficient to achieve through a content management system ( CMS) .
Event page manager in one place: It's smart to design and build this specific page or site from the same CMS. This way, you can always leverage the development work and look and feel of what's already been done and apply it to the new microsite.
Facilitate integration and migration: As we mentioned before, when a microsite is built on the same CMS as the "parent website," faster content migration is possible.
A wonderful visual experience: The user experience must be organic, fluid, and memorable. It's crucial that this experience extends beyond just the LIVE event itself, but also extends to the experience before, during, and after the event. During the attendee's "journey," it's important to ensure the creation of content strategies that generate engagement at every stage.
Achieving a positive ROI through a broader approach: Of course, these microsites must be aligned with SEO and user experience (UX) strategies as part of a broader marketing approach. In some cases, it may be beneficial to create a different design and style to make the event stand out as a unique, independent unit.
During the event: the visual and virtual experience
Once the microsite and pre-event tactics have been implemented, the organizer, with attendees already "in their pocket," must be able to offer a unique digital experience with an impact beyond the LIVE event.

To engage and maintain attendee interest, it's important to properly manage workflows . It's critical for organizers to control these work patterns and the technical tasks that will be performed during the LIVE event. Of course, it's important to conduct rehearsals with the selected platforms and have a backup plan.

It's essential to measure the live performance of the event's execution and development, and troubleshoot issues. The content, planned in advance, must be relevant, rich, and engaging, regardless of the nature of the event: educational, artistic, musical, corporate event, awards ceremony, etc.