Thanks to the impact of COVID-19, virtual events are becoming the new norm even more quickly than they were before, and they’re up by 1,000% (Forbes). You’ve probably spent your evenings meeting up for virtual happy hours with your coworkers, virtual game nights with your friends, and virtual events hosted by the places that you used to hang out in person. Thinking back to the time you’ve spent virtually lately, has it felt fun and engaging, and worth the extra screen-time?

If you’re planning your own virtual event, you don’t want others to feel obligated to suffer through a lame time just for your sake. We’ve got plenty of tips to help ensure that your virtual event won’t suck!

Pre-Record Elements

While going entirely live is fun and exciting, it can have drawbacks as well. There’s no second take on a completely live stream, and you may miss something important that you want to address at your virtual event. If you’re able, try to pre-record some elements that you want to include during your event. By pre-recording, you can lower the chance of errors, even if you’re a pro with plenty of live streaming experience. As a bonus, by using some pre-recorded material you’ll give the whole event a more polished and professional feel – and give yourself a breather during the live segments as well.

Plan Ahead

It seems like simple advice, but a plan is crucial to any event, and especially important in a virtual event. Make a plan for everyone included in the event so that each person’s role is clear during the livestream. A plan helps you keep everyone on the same schedule during the event so that it can run smoothly. Ensure that everyone has an assigned role as well, from the moderator to the master of ceremonies. A simple outline of your plan can help you stay on task during the live event so that each person can refer to the schedule and anticipate what is coming next. A plan also allows for…

Engagement

When you’ve got a planned out schedule, you can fill it with opportunities for engagement and interaction. Your audience will be engaged because they’re invested in seeing the outcomes of your engagement. A simple way to create opportunities for engagement is by asking viewers to submit questions through comments or a chat box – and people will often stick around throughout the event to see their questions (and others!) get answered. It helps if you have a dedicated moderator assigned to the task of fielding those questions as they come in. Almost all of the online live steaming platforms include interactive features, so use them! Try out polls and quizzes, and encourage your viewers to share the event on social media. Keep your audience engaged by asking questions, taking requests and suggestions – or just giving everyone a shout-out as they join the event. When your event is over, don’t be afraid to ask your audience for feedback.

Our whole world is moving more into the virtual world as we make changes due to COVID, but it doesn’t mean we can’t stay connected to each other. Hosting a great virtual event can help you, and your business and brand, stand out against everyone else.

If you need help planning the best virtual event, contact us! We can help you throughout the entire process, from the creative plan to pre-recording and live streaming. We look forward to making your virtual event a success. You can check out some virtual events that we’ve hosted here.