Why are virtual conferences important?

In a world that is increasingly digitized, it is no surprise that conferences are going virtual. I write this having missed out on an annual industry event last week and attending only part of another one this week.

There was a massive difference between the two. The first had no virtual element of it's conference. Although I wanted to see some of the speakers or content sessions, I couldn't.

The second however, was recording every session in person. So although I could make half the days, I couldn't make every session or, when there was a clash, I couldn't put myself in two places. So by recording both sessions and launching a virtual playlist from the conference in a few weeks time, I can attend every session I wanted. Brilliant.

What is the meaning of virtual conference?

So I'm pretty sure I laid it out above, but for those not in the know, a virtual conference is an event that you can attend without being there in person. The sessions are either recorded or live-streamed and you can watch them back at a later date or, if it's a live-stream, in real time. Simple right?

A virtual conference is an online event that allows participants to connect with each other and engage in live or pre-recorded sessions from the comfort of their own homes or office spaces. While there are many benefits to attending in-person conferences, there are also several advantages to participating in virtual conferences.

Why are virtual conferences important?

For me, it makes more events more accessible. With new routines at home it means childcare considerations come into more play than ever before. If I'm in London, can I make it back home in-time, two hours away? Will that be a waste of a day if I can't only make a few sessions?

Virtual events are cost effective

One of the biggest advantages of virtual conferences is that they are cost-effective. With travel and accommodation costs no longer an issue, more people are able to participate which leads to a larger and more diverse audience. Additionally, conference organizers can save on venue and AV costs if they are recording completely remotely. All you really need is a quality studio to record in to deliver A-grade content.

Virtual events are convenient

Another great advantage of virtual conferences is convenience. Unlike in-person events which often require participants to take time out of their busy schedules or family commitments to travel to distant locations, virtual conferences can be accessed from anywhere in the world at any time. This makes it much easier for busy professionals to participate.

A virtual event is eco-friendly

In addition to being cost and time-effective, virtual conferences are also eco-friendly. With participants no longer having to travel long distances to attend conferences, there is a significant reduction in carbon emissions. It doesn't stop there either. There are countless benefits to the additional waste created around in-person events from discarded coffee cups to conference swag, by not being in person, you are reducing general event waste.

Virtual event platforms make events accessible to everyone

One of the most important advantages of virtual conferences is that they are accessible to everyone, regardless of location, physical ability, or financial situation. By removing barriers such as travel costs and distance, virtual conferences make it possible for anyone with an internet connection to participate.

So you know some of the reasons that virtual conferences are important, but how do they work?

How does a virtual conference work?

There are a number of features that go into delivering a great virtual conference and we share some of them below.

The right event platform or virtual conference platform

If you engage the right event technology partner or virtual event platform, it should take care of a lot of the heavy lifting for you. There are a myriad of features in the platform alone that you should be looking out for namely: how easy is it to access, does it offer audio, video and transcription, are the videos easily searchable, are there any interactive features such as q a sessions so if you're presenting live, you can interact with the audience live too.

The best virtual event platform

There's lots to consider and this topic is worthy of another article itself. Watch out for our upcoming feature on virtual conference platforms.

You will also need to take into consideration a number of other elements to host a virtual conference if you really want to increase engagement at your event or for your sponsors and exhibitors too.

Great Speakers

It sounds obvious but to really engage your audience and pull in the crowd you need great speakers. Not just well known names, but those very knowledgeable on their subject. not generic nonsense. Just like creating great copy, you need to understand what your audience wants and who they want to hear from.

Live, recorded or recorded live

Decisions decisions decisions. Decide if you're doing live or recordings or live-recordings.

You need to be prepared with this plan as you build out your immersive virtual conference programme as if you pre-recorded your breakout sessions, for example, you are more in control of the audio and video quality. If you are live-streaming , you need to account for potential disruptions that might happen during the live and if you're recording live to share later, consider editing costs to tighten up your video to create better engagement.

Doing a live-recording is a happy medium as it offers you more control and if something happens, you can always edit out the disruption in post-production. If you go with just recordings, then you need to consider how you will be simulating the feeling of an in-person event and make a more interactive virtual environment.

What do you need to consider when choosing your lights, cameras and audio for a virtual conference?

As we alluded to in the last point, if you're recording in a live environment, you need to consider the quality of the cameras and audio recording equipment you're going to deploy. If you're doing a mix of recorded and live, then again, it's important to choose the right equipment for each situation

For example, if you're doing a lot of live streaming, you need to make sure your internet connection can handle it and that you have good quality equipment that won't let you down

The last thing you want is for your virtual conference to be plagued by technical issues so consider investing in good quality lights, cameras and microphones.

What are the disadvantages of a virtual conference?

As many benefits as there are pro virtual events and conferences, there are, of course, some disadvantages to virtual conferences.

One of the biggest is the lack of networking opportunities or rather the feeling of not being able to network as effectively as you would in person. Lack of face to face interaction is often sited as the reason why some people choose not to attend virtual events but there are workarounds

For example, if you're using a virtual platform with breakout rooms, you can still have smaller networking sessions virtually that enable smaller groups to interact with each other.

Find a virtual event host

You should consider your virtual event host very carefully. A lot of hosts thrive off the in-person atmosphere with a different sort of crowd interaction and so on. It's harder to feel the same when staring into a camera without many people around so your event host needs to be comfortable with the format and be able to adjust their style to work virtually.

Make sure your chosen host is comfortable working solo or with a smaller team if that's what you're planning on doing

Are you considering hosting a virtual conference?

As the world becomes more digitized, it is clear that traditional in-person events will have to adapt or risk becoming obsolete. Virtual conferences offer a number of advantages over their in-person counterparts, including cost savings, convenience, accessibility, and eco-friendliness. If you're looking for a more sustainable and inclusive way to connect with others in your industry, a virtual conference might be just what you're looking for.

Hybrid events - our favourite kind of event

We love the opportunity to attend in person if we're able to. We love the option to attend a virtual or online events platform if that's the method of choice that week or month and the marketing and business opportunities available.

There are a lot of considerations when deciding which to go to, so offering a hybrid version of your next event gets our vote.