In 2020, working from home became much more common than ever. While the pandemic is less dangerous now, working from home is still common. There seems to be a permanent shift towards remote working that will not end the pandemic.
The shift to more work online is very positive. Employees can avoid long trips to work for which they are not paid. Employers can save on expensive office space. Remote work can also help people find work in areas with high unemployment.
People organize virtual events to countless reasons – they are not just for remote workers. You can hold a virtual event to provide information and sell a product. People also sell tickets to virtual events that function as classes or seminars. There are also virtual social events, recruitment events, fundraising events, and more.
Remote work requires software and hardware to host virtual events. People need computers, cameras and microphones that are up to the task. You also need virtual event software that has the features you want and is easy for everyone to use.
Tips for holding a virtual event
Before you can think of what virtual event software to use, you need to know how to run an event. Don’t rush into it without reading a bit and planning first.
If you’ve ever participated in a poorly organized virtual event, you know how bad these events can go. Don’t be the one running an event that falls apart. Having a plan, being familiar with the software, and knowing what can go wrong is the best way to make your event run smoothly.
Set specific and time-based goals instead of imprecise
A vague plan is hardly a plan at all. Know how long each part of your event will last in minutes, not roughly. Rehearse what you are going to say first. Otherwise, your event may take too long. One of the easiest ways to spoil an event is to run out of time long before it ends.
Make sure the event is a good time for everyone
Different countries have different time zones and different holidays. People have different hours. Tell your employees / participants when the event is more than a little bit in advance so they can schedule a time for it. Otherwise, many people may not show up.
Don’t be afraid to kick some people out
Some people will show up at your virtual event just to be as disruptive and cause as much trouble as possible. If your event is open to the public, chances are you will face rioters. Give them a warning and then kick them out. Don’t let them ruin your event.
If you have a large event with hundreds of people, you may need a few moderators to help you keep an eye on the crowd. If your event is large, open to the public, and free, you can expect rioters. You may not be able to deal with all of them yourself if there are too many people there.
Get the audience involved
The last thing you want to do is bore your audience. If you stand there and lecture for an hour or more, most people will get bored and not pay much attention.
This is bad if you are talking to employees and much worse if you are trying to sell a product. Even if you can entertain an audience, that might not be good enough on its own.
Have a backup plan if there are technical problems
Technical problems can ruin your entire event or make many people unable to participate. Sometimes you can save an event by switching to another platform. You should also be familiar with the software before you start to avoid technical problems.
Use a good virtual event management platform
Not all virtual event platforms are as good as the others. Some event platforms lack important features, are unnecessarily difficult to use, or are buggy. Using poor-quality software that causes problems for you and your workers can hurt your business.
What are the best virtual event platforms?
BigMarker, Hopin, HeySummit, vFairs, Eventtia, GotoWebinar, and SpotMe are excellent platforms for organizing virtual events. All of these platforms work properly and do not have serious flaws that make them inferior options.
BigMarker is one of the most popular options. It is what large companies like Google use when they organize virtual events with their employees. It’s a bit pricey ($ 80 to over $ 300 per month), but it’s feature-rich and easy to use.
GotoWebinar is best for large virtual conferences with 1000 or 2000 people. HeySummit might be the best option if you want something that is as user-friendly as possible. It works for people who don’t like to learn new technology.
There’s also Hopin (good if you want to add polls and interactivity), SpotMe (great if you need a lot of two-way communication, but expensive), and vFairs (great detailed reports during the event). Any of the platforms we recommend is good, with different platforms being better for different people.
Eventtia can be the best platform for virtual events
Eventtia is an extremely complete virtual events platform with all the essential features. It is also easy for people to use, even if they are somewhat tech-averse. If you’re not sure which platform to use, try Eventtia first.
More than anything, Eventtia is easy to use for the person organizing the event. Some virtual event platforms make it easy for participants to use, but difficult for the administrator to use.
This is not the case here; there is a single dashboard that gives you most of the information and options. You won’t have to search through many different menus to find what you are looking for.
Eventtia also has great virtual networking tools to help your event participants communicate with each other while the event is taking place. Eventtia also works well on mobile devices and helps you market events. Eventtia also allows you to test the software for free.
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George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism