The Virtual Event Landscape
The age of virtual events is upon us.
In today’s digitally connected world, online community events unite people globally with shared interests, topics, and causes.
There are endless possibilities for meaningful virtual interactions, from webinars and virtual conferences to online networking events and workshops.
What are 4 Benefits of Community Events?
- Eliminate geographic barriers, allowing participation from anywhere with internet access.
- Access thought leaders and subject matter experts with attendees may not typically meet.
- Virtual events are more budget-friendly and time-efficient to attend.
- Encourage attendees to join a community centered around their passions.
With careful planning and execution, your online event will captivate audiences, spark conversation, and build community.
Read on for tips and best practices for hosting engaging virtual get-togethers.
1. Set Clear Goals and Choose the Right Event Type
Defining your event’s purpose and choosing the right format are foundational steps. Consider these key factors:
Define Your Goals
Before planning any details, do you know what you want to achieve?
Is the purpose to educate, entertain, raise awareness, or generate revenue?
Outlining goals informs decisions around format, content, attendees, and features.
For example, an online music festival to entertain and delight fans differs a lot from a virtual conference focused on educating professionals.
Pinpointing desired outcomes sets the direction for producing an impactful event.
Choose an Event Format
With your goals defined, now it’s time to target the right community to reach your goals.
From webinars to virtual conferences and beyond, what are the most popular event types?
Selecting a format that aligns with your goals sets you up for an effective online community event from the start.
2. Build a Dynamic Event Website
An event website is the digital hub connecting organizers, speakers, sponsors, and attendees.
Investing in a polished, feature-rich website builds credibility, discoverability, accessibility, and the wow-factor.
But how do you design a successful online community event website?
Vibrant Visual Design
First impressions matter.
Greet site visitors with eye-catching graphics, videos, animations, and photos that speak to your event’s personality.
A vibrant aesthetic immediately captures interest.
Intuitive Navigation
From menus to search bars and sitemaps, make it effortless for visitors to find information quickly.
Logical and consistent navigation is a must-have for user-friendly websites.
Complete Event Program Details
Showcase what your event entails, including schedules, session topics, speaker bios, special events, contest details, and more.
Help visitors envision the experience from start to finish.
Easy Registration Process
Simplify event registration with seamless ticketing integrations, package options, discounts, and automated confirmations.
Frictionless sign-up encourages conversions.
Sponsor Spotlights
Put sponsors front and center.
Showcase partnership benefits with logos, videos, ads, and exhibitor information.
Always deliver impressive value for event supporters.
Speaker Profiles
Get your attendees pumped for your event!
Share the presenter’s short bios, headshots, social media links, and session details to introduce speakers in an engaging way.
Let visitors connect with experts.
FAQs
Anticipate frequently asked questions with clear answers on event logistics like technology requirements, schedules, pricing, cancellation policies, etc.
Proactively inform visitors.
Contact Information
Make it easy for visitors to get personalized help by listing phone numbers, live chat, email addresses, and social media.
Quick access to contact options provides peace of mind.
With a design-forward, content-rich event website outfitted with the elements above, make stellar first impressions and equip visitors with the information needed to attend your online community event.
3. Promote, Promote, Promote
Spread awareness of your online community event through multi-channel promotion.
Drive interest and sign-ups.
Start promoting early and keep it going until and during the event.
How Do You Promote an Event Successfully?
Email Marketing
Email campaigns equip you to reach segmented lists with personalized messages about your event.
Send emails announcing the event, highlighting speakers, offering discounts, and sharing reminders.
Social Media
Leverage your organization’s and event’s social media accounts.
Consistently share event details, speaker spotlights, registration links, contests, and visual content across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), and TikTok.
Paid Ads
Running paid ads across Google, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn reaches highly targeted audiences interested in your event topic.
Boost registrations through optimized click-through messaging.
Media Relations
Proactively pitching your online community event to relevant blogs, magazines, and websites.
Open up opportunities for earned media coverage and expand your reach.
Influencer Marketing
Recruit influencer ambassadors in your industry to share event promotions across their channels.
Greatly expand awareness to new audiences.
Offer influencers special perks for bonuses.
Affiliate Partnerships
Collaborate with complementary brands and organizations to cross-promote each other’s offerings.
Share event info to expand your collective reach worldwide.
Website Pop-ups
Website pop-ups with eye-catching messaging grab visitors’ attention.
Quickly collect emails for future event promotion.
Always offer perks for signing up on the spot.
With creative, multi-channel tactics, maximize awareness for your online community event.
Drive impactful registration numbers.
Stay nimble, and don’t be afraid to test out innovative ideas too!
4. Curate Engaging Content
Compelling content keeps your virtual attendees tuned in, engaged, and returning for more.
Demos, and interactive elements, creative programming make or break the event experience.
Consider these tips for curating can’t-miss content:
Purposefully curating sessions and extras with diverse formats, special guests, interactive elements, and surprises results in an online community event that engages from start to finish.
5. Optimize the Virtual Event Platform
A glitchy, confusing virtual event platform quickly derails your online community event.
Partnering with an experienced provider guarantees intuitive, reliable technology.
Look for these hallmarks of user-friendly virtual event platforms:
Seamless Video Streaming
High-quality video and clear audio with minimal lag or buffering issues guarantee a successful event.
Look for platforms with reliable, glitch-free live streaming.
Intuitive Navigation
Attendees should easily navigate the platform interface to access sessions, exhibits, networking, and resources.
Add intuitive menus and layouts.
Interactive Features
Look for built-in tools to drive attendee engagement, like live polling, Q&A, chats, surveys, downloads, gamification, and easy social media integrations.
Networking Functions
Accurate matchmaking, 1:1 video chatting, topic-based networking rooms, and more encourage attendees to connect before, during, and after the live event program.
Sponsor Spotlights
Custom sponsor profiles, digital booths, lead retrieval tools, product demos, and analytics help sponsors achieve their participation goals.
Flawless Mobile Experience
Design a fully optimized platform ideal for mobile viewing and engagement.
Attendee Support
Proactive technical support via live chat, phone, and messaging assists quickly when issues crop up during the live event.
Partner with virtual event platform experts and gain peace of mind.
Always deliver a top-tier experience. Inspire lasting global community action and belonging.
Online community events unlock tremendous opportunities to unite people across the digital landscape.
With clear goals, compelling programming, savvy promotion, seamless technology, and ongoing community care, your virtual event is bound for success.
Hosting a stellar online community event is no small feat.
While the tips in this article set helpful direction, flawless execution requires seasoned experts.
Enter We & Goliath – veteran virtual event pros dedicated to co-creating experiences that rock expectations and deliver results!
Our secret sauce?
Smart strategy, riveting content, and innovative technology that engages attendees from start to finish.
Let’s unite to make your next online gathering the most talked-about event of the year!
Schedule a complimentary virtual event strategy session now to brainstorm winning ideas tailored to your goals.
With 20+ years of digital event success backing us, we guarantee an unforgettable experience that inspires community and achieves your vision.
This is your invitation to think bigger and make your online event dreams a reality!
