Are you ready to jump into the exciting world of virtual events?
You’ve come to the right place!
Our team at We & Goliath has planned many successful online conferences and summits over the years.
We want to share our best tips and help you host an amazing virtual event.
Get set for a complete guide to online event planning.
This blog will cover everything you need to know, from setting goals to measuring success.
You’ll find real examples, helpful strategies, and easy tips to use.
Our clients have seen great results:
- 60%+ increase in audience engagement
- Over $1 million in revenue generated
So grab a notepad and let’s get started on your virtual event journey!
One Event. Two Experiences.
Skillfully engage both your in-person and online attendees through our cutting-edge hybrid event production services.
Set Crystal Clear Objectives
Before you dive into planning mode, take a step back.Â
Bring your team together and decide on your main goals.
What do you want to achieve with your virtual conference?
Ask yourselves:
- Do you want to make money? How much?
- Are you trying to grow your email list? By how many people?
- Do you want more people to try or demo your product? What’s your target number?
- Is your main focus to build thought leadership?
Here are some examples of clear virtual event goals:
- Make $250,000 from ticket sales and sponsorships
- Add 10,000 new leads to your email community
- Get 500 people to sign up for a product demo
- Reach 5,000 total event registrations
- Gain 50 media mentions and 1 million social media impressions
Your goals will guide every part of your event.
The format, content, marketing and follow-up should all help you reach those objectives.
So choose your goals carefully!
Nailing Down the Essentials
Now that you have your goals set, it’s time to make the key decisions.
Let’s break down what you need to figure out.
Format & Length
- Will your event be live, pre-recorded, or a mix?
- Will it be one day or multiple days?
- How many hours of content will you have each day?
Pro tip: Multi-day virtual summits usually work best.
Try doing 2-5 days with 3-5 hours of sessions each day.
This gives your audience time to engage with the content without getting overwhelmed.
Ticket Pricing
- Will event registration be free or will you charge for tickets?
- If you’re selling tickets, what price will help you hit your revenue goal?
Don’t be afraid to test out different ticket prices.
We’ve seen successful events ranging from free to $999 per ticket.
It depends on your attendees and what content you’re offering.
And consider selling group or team tickets – that can really boost your sales!
Speakers & Content
- How many speakers will be featured at your conference?
- What topics will your audience find most interesting and valuable?
We find that 15-25 speakers is a good amount for a multi-day virtual event.
Focus on booking experts who can share unique insights and tips people can actually use.
Give your attendees content they can’t easily find somewhere else.
Event Technology
- What virtual event platform and software will you use?
- Do you need other tools for things like registration, email marketing, or tracking data?
Pick a platform that is dependable and has all the features you need for your expected number of attendees.
Make sure it works well with your other important software tools.
Decide How Long is the Summit
- What is your total event budget?
- How will you split up the budget for speakers, marketing, technology, etc.?
- What staff and resources from your company do you need to plan the event?
For the virtual events we plan, the budgets usually range from $50,000 to $250,000 total.
The biggest costs tend to be marketing and paying speakers.
Pro tip: Set aside an extra 10-20% of your total budget for unexpected costs.
You’ll be glad you did!
Get “The Event Success Playbook”
Our proven event planning playbook has step-by-step strategies to increase qualified leads 25%+, grow revenue, and boost engagement.
Promoting Your Virtual Extravaganza
Now we get to the fun part – getting people to sign up for your event!
To successfully promote a virtual summit, you need to use a lot of different marketing strategies.
Let’s go over some of the most effective ways to build your audience.
Email Marketing: Your Secret Weapon
- Announce your event to your current email list
- Send weekly emails highlighting speakers, sessions, and cool event features
- Share sneak peek videos and behind-the-scenes content
Email marketing often drives the most event registrations.
Expect 10-40%+ of ticket sales to come from your email community, depending on how big and engaged your list is.
Social Media: Spread the Word
- Share event announcements and updates on all your social media platforms
- Run fun contests and giveaways to get more engagement
- Partner with your speakers and sponsors to reach more people
- Pay for social media ads to attract new attendees
Make a social media calendar with posts leading up to your event.
Try to post about the event at least 3-5 times per week across all channels.
Paid ads on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter can work really well to find new people to register.
Speaker & Influencer Outreach: Tap Into Their Networks
- Give your speakers email templates, social media graphics, and other marketing materials
- Ask speakers to email their lists and share special discount codes
- Partner with influencers in your industry to promote the event
Your speakers are your most valuable marketing assets.
Their influence can bring in a ton of registrations.
Make it super easy for them to spread the word by giving them copy-and-paste emails and social posts to use.
Paid Media & Advertising: Reach More People
- Run paid search ads on Google & Bing
- Put ads in relevant email newsletters and sponsor podcasts
- Pay to sponsor social media posts and emails from partners
- Try podcast and YouTube video ads
Buying ads lets you grow your registration list beyond just people who already know your brand.
Try to make at least $3 to $5 in ticket sales for every $1 you spend on advertising.
Remember, to get the most registrations, you need a marketing plan that includes a little bit of everything.
Don’t rely on just one strategy!
Crafting an Unforgettable Virtual Experience
You’ve got your goals, made the key planning decisions, and promoted the event like crazy.
Now let’s talk about how to impress your attendees with an incredible virtual conference experience.
Start with a Bang
First impressions are everything.
Grab your audience’s attention right away with a high-energy opening session.
Try these ideas:
- Kick things off with an upbeat video montage
- Have a live DJ or musician perform
- Get everyone participating with a fun icebreaker game or group activity
- Lead a guided stretch or dance break to energize people
One idea to try: surprise attendees by sending them pizza and snacks to enjoy during the opening networking event!
If your goal is to engage your audience, might as well get people engaged right from the start.
Keep Sessions Interactive
Staring at a screen for hours can be exhausting.
Keep your sessions interactive so people stay engaged.
Encourage speakers to:
- Ask the audience questions and run live polls
- Take questions from attendees in real-time
- Include hands-on exercises and activities
Some of our most popular sessions have included:
- Live website reviews and “tear downs”
- Interactive brainstorming workshops
- Real-time challenges and competitions
- Speed networking and small group discussions
Try to include at least one interactive element every 30-45 minutes in a session.
This will keep the energy up and make your content more memorable.
Create Valuable Networking Opportunities
One of the top reasons people go to in-person events is to network.
It’s harder to replicate those interactions online, but definitely still possible.
Try these networking ideas:
- Have breakout rooms for people to discuss different topics
- Use Zoom to match people up for quick 1:1 “speed networking” chats
- Set up virtual happy hours, coffee meetings, or lunch tables
- Recommend event apps like Whova to help attendees connect
We surveyed over 1,000 virtual summit attendees and found that 82% said networking was “important” or “very important” to them.
So make sure to build in plenty of ways for your attendees to meet each other and build relationships!
Surprise and Delight Your Attendees
Look for creative ways to keep your audience excited and paying attention.
Some fun ideas:
- Mail them physical conference swag and gift boxes
- Give away cool prizes like gift cards, books, or tech gadgets
- Plan a virtual scavenger hunt or trivia competition
- Hire a comedian, magician, or celebrity speaker to make a surprise appearance
Try this: Bring in an improv comedy group to entertain people between sessions.
What better way to keep your audiences engaged than with laughter?
Nail the Small Details
Sometimes it’s the little thoughtful touches that make an event really stand out.
Consider these ideas:
- Send personalized thank-you videos to your VIP attendees
- Give shout-outs to people who participate a lot in the chat and sessions
- Provide live captioning and transcripts so your event is accessible to everyone
- Create printable PDF workbooks and resource guides for each session
We always send out a survey after our events to get feedback on what people liked and how we can make it even better next time.
Trust us, people notice and appreciate all the small details!
Easy starting packages • Advanced options • Proven results
Keeping the Momentum Going Post-Event
Congratulations, you pulled off an amazing virtual conference!
But you’re not quite done yet.
To get long-term results from your event, you need a great follow-up plan.
Follow Up Quickly
Within a day or two after your event ends, send attendees an email including:
- A genuine thank-you message
- Links to watch the session recordings and download materials
- Contact information for the speakers and sponsors
- Special offers or bonuses only for attendees
- A “save the date” for your next big event!
These wrap-up emails usually get great engagement, with 50-70%+ open rates and 20-30%+ click rates.
Take advantage of that post-event excitement!
Repurpose Your Content
All the sessions and materials from your event are valuable content you can use in many ways.
Repurpose them into different formats to help even more people benefit from your event:
- Write blog posts and articles summarizing key lessons
- Create short social media video clips and graphics
- Turn sessions into podcast episodes
- Put together ebooks, ultimate guides, and templates
We usually see repurposed content get 3 to 5 times more views than the original live sessions.
It’s an easy way to get more bang for your buck on all the great content at your event.
Keep Attendees Engaged All Year
The most successful virtual events keep their audience coming back year after year.
Try these ideas to stay in touch with attendees:
- Host monthly webinars, AMA (Ask Me Anything) sessions, and group discussions
- Create a private community on Slack, Facebook, or Circle for attendees to network
- Send a monthly email newsletter with curated resources and updates
- Launch a paid membership site or online course with exclusive content
For our events, we've found that attendees who stay engaged with us afterwards are 50% more likely to buy a ticket to our next conference.
It really pays off to keep nurturing those relationships!
Real-World Success Stories
Let’s look at a few examples of our clients and how their virtual events made a big impact using the strategies we’ve covered.
CodePath Generates 5,000+ Leads
CodePath helps people build careers in tech.
They used our virtual event tips for their Tech Career Summit and got incredible results:
- 3,862 total registrations
- 5,131 new leads added to their email list
- Glowing attendee feedback, saying it was the best online event they’d attended
Buffalo Urban League Raises $200K in Virtual Gala
The Buffalo Urban League organized a virtual fundraising gala with help from our We & Goliath team.
The event was a huge success:
- Over $200,000 raised for their community programs
- 6,141 people donated to support their mission
- Thousands of people watched the gala livestream across multiple platforms
ClickUp Increases Revenue by 30%
Project management tool ClickUp hosted a virtual summit to engage their customers and showcase new product features.
By using our proven event playbook, they achieved:
- $75,000 in direct sales during the online event
- 30% increase in average order value from attendees
- 5,000 new followers on social media and 50 press mentions
As you can see, virtual events can drive significant results for all kinds of organizations when planned and executed strategically.
With the right approach, you can see similar growth and engagement too.
As a preferred production partner with top virtual event platforms, we get exclusive discounts and pass the savings along to our clients.
Choosing the Right Virtual Event Platform
One of the most crucial decisions you’ll make is selecting the right platform to host your virtual event.
The ideal solution should be reliable, user-friendly, and equipped with all the features you need to deliver an exceptional attendee experience.
Having tested dozens of platforms over the years, here are a few of our top recommendations.
1. Hopin
Hopin is an all-in-one virtual event platform that covers everything from registration and ticketing to live streaming and networking.
Its standout features include:
- Customizable branded registration pages
- Multiple interactive areas (Stage, Sessions, Networking, Expo)
- Breakout sessions for up to 20 people
- Exhibitor booths with live demos and offers
- Built-in analytics and reporting
Pricing starts at $99/month for up to 100 attendees.
2. Bizzabo
Bizzabo is another comprehensive platform that excels at attendee engagement and data insights.
Key features and benefits:
- White-label event website and registration
- Interactive attendee feed for discussions and networking
- Facilitated matchmaking for 1:1 meetings
- Integration with Salesforce, Marketo, Slack and more
- Detailed analytics dashboard and real-time reporting
Plans start at $167/month billed annually for 1 event at a time.
3. Airmeet
Airmeet is a newer platform quickly gaining popularity for its sleek UI and “social lounge” for attendee networking.
Top features include:
- Immersive virtual venue with customizable rooms
- Speed networking and group discussions
- Interactive polls, Q&A, and audience reactions
- Sponsor expo area and virtual booths
- Post-event analytics and attendee insights
Pricing begins at $99/event for up to 100 participants.
Other solid options to consider are Accelevents, vFairs, and Cvent.
The right choice depends on your specific needs, budget, and event goals.
Be sure to thoroughly evaluate each platform’s features, read reviews, and take advantage of free trials before committing.
Spending extra time upfront to choose the best fit will save you countless headaches down the line!
Measuring Virtual Event ROI
As with any significant marketing investment, it’s crucial to track and measure the return on your virtual event.
By setting clear goals and KPIs from the start, you can easily quantify performance and calculate ROI.
Here are some of the most important metrics to track.
Registrations & Attendance
- Total event registrations
- Email click-through and conversion rates
- Percentage of registrants who attended
- Average attendance duration and drop-off points
Engagement
- Session participation rates
- Number of questions asked and polls answered
- Chat messages and social media mentions
- Post-event survey response rate and feedback
Revenue & Lead Generation
- Ticket sales revenue
- Leads generated (total and by source)
- Opportunities and pipeline created
- Sponsorship and affiliate income
Content Performance
- Number of on-demand views and downloads
- Content shares and social media engagement
- Views and time spent on repurposed assets (blogs, videos, etc.)
Brand Awareness
- Media placements and press mentions
- Social media follower growth and engagement lift
- Branded search volume lift
- Growth in website traffic and email subscribers
Dive deep into these metrics and you can identify what worked well, spot areas for improvement, and demonstrate the tangible impact of your virtual event efforts.
At our agency, we've seen virtual events deliver returns as high as 20-50X their cost in combined revenue, pipeline and brand value.
The keys are setting measurable objectives, investing in the right strategies, and rigorously tracking performance.
In fact, 80% of marketers say their virtual events met or exceeded revenue expectations according to a 2022 Bizzabo report.
And 97% plan to invest more in virtual events going forward.
Want More Help?
If you’re looking for hands-on support to plan and execute a world-class virtual event, we’d love to help.
At We & Goliath, we specialize in end-to-end virtual event management for businesses and brands.
Our team of expert event producers, marketers and technologists will handle every detail – so you can stay focused on serving your audience and achieving your goals.
Clients rave about our white glove service and results-oriented approach.
We’ll review your event vision and share our best recommendations – no strings attached.
