We have all probably attended more Zoom/GoToMeeting/MSTeams etc meetings, and other events and webinars in the last 3 months then we ever had previously, with face-to-face meetings and events an absolute ‘no-no’.
We are hearing more about the possibilities presented by virtual events – online conferences, exhibitions and tradeshows – the possibilities are almost endless with the technologies available today.
We thought it would be a good idea to just weigh up the pros and cons of running virtual events – see what we came up with! Can you think of anything to add?
Pros
- Cost-effective: Savings on venue costs, catering, accommodation/travel etc
- Environmentally friendly: Because virtual events take away the need for people to travel to venues, as well as saving them money, this also reduces the impact on the environment
- Scalable: Physical venues have a limit to the number of people they can accommodate, whereas virtual events make it much easier to scale (technology allowing), meaning you can potentially host more people
- Engaging: Virtual events can offer tools such as polls, Q&A, live chat, downloadable resources etc, so your attendees can fully engage with your content.
- Resilient: Virtual events are less likely to be affected by circumstances such as the weather or a global pandemic, so there is less risk involved
- Audience intelligence: You can easily see stats like how many people participated in a particular presentation, how long they stayed, or how many/what types of questions were asked. This will help you to understand your audience but also to adapt your content to what’s working and what’s not
Cons of virtual events
- Lack of networking opportunities: While there are lots of opportunities for attendees to engage with speakers and content, it’s trickier for them to properly interact with one another, and with sponsors and exhibitors.
This is where I think the human interaction need in many of us comes in – and why we think live events will live on! There is a need in us for face-to-face interaction with others. For networking and building relationships, you can’t beat the human side. - Lack of Focus: When your attendees are physically at an event, sitting in on sessions in person, there are fewer potential distractions than when they are Attendees attending a virtual event from the office or their home. There is also the potential that, as they are not as invested (have not travelled to the venue and may not be as ’unavailable’ to colleagues as if they were actually at an event, with phone off etc), there is more chance that they maybe ‘dip in and out’ of the event, not be as focused, and get caught up with doing something else. I know I have had all good intentions of joining various events and webinars and not ended up sitting through the entire event
- No escape from cabin fever! An event offers the chance for someone to escape from the office – if it’s in an appealing location, even better! Virtual events obviously don’t offer this change of scenery
- Can limit audience: If your prospective attendees aren’t all that tech savvy, a virtual event may turn them off – something to consider depending on your audience.
Can you think of anything else?
There is then of course the halfway-house option of hybrid events which encompass both live events with a virtual element, in some ways the best of both worlds, and catering for those who want to get out and about and those who are more cautious about travelling and meeting face-to-face. We are likely to see more of these types of events over the coming months.