Why Do a Virtual Event: Benefits of Online Networking

Events bring folks together, spark connections and share ideas. Over the last few years, the virtual format went from stopgap to a regular part of the calendar.

Moving events online started as a temporary fix during the pandemic. Now planners treat virtual as a format they choose on purpose, and there are good reasons why.

Virtual events remove geographic limits, so you can reach a global audience at lower cost and with more flexibility.

They can be inclusive and interactive. You get useful data and a community that grows from guests’ homes and offices.

We’ve seen firsthand how remote and hybrid formats pay off for hosts and guests alike. Below we walk through the reasons: reach, data, cost and impact.

Why brands keep virtual events in the plan

The format is growing again. In Forrester‘s 2026 State of B2B Events research, the number of organizations planning more virtual events doubled year on year.

Three drivers sit behind that trend:

• Expanded reach: no location limits, so guests can join from anywhere at little cost.
• Data insights: you see how your audience behaves and how much they take part. That’s hard to capture in a ballroom.
• Lower expenses: no venue rental, catering, travel or hotel bills, so you can do more with a smaller budget.

Plan it well and you can hold a crowd, start conversations and build a community. Nobody has to leave home.

New technology now makes it possible to have online events that are just as dynamic and engaging as live ones.

Expanded global reach and accessibility

Reach is the big one. Take away the travel and the location, and you can market to and welcome guests from almost anywhere.

Picture a cybersecurity conference that used to run in Toronto. Online, people can join from Sydney, Cape Town and Tokyo without anyone getting on a plane or choosing between the event and other commitments.

A remote option also opens the door for folks who struggle to travel because of health, disability, tight budgets or packed schedules. It lets each guest take part in the way that suits them.

The end result is higher attendance, a broader reach and more chances to share your content, build relationships and show the value your organization provides.

Major cost savings

Hosting a large in-person conference takes serious money. Venue rental, AV equipment, printed materials, catering, speaker travel and staffing add up fast, and rising hotel and airfare prices take an extra chunk.

Move it to a screen and most of those line items drop off your budget. Your guests skip their own travel bills too.

The savings also leave room to host more events through the year, which keeps your audience engaged between flagship moments. More events mean more chances to attract leads, nurture relationships and grow.

Human connection in a digital world

Some argue that a screen can’t match the human connection of a room full of colleagues. We disagree: with the right plan and tools, a remote session can be just as interactive, and sometimes more so.

Live Q&A, breakout rooms, gamification and lounges give guests, speakers and exhibitors real ways to talk. So how does a remote format help folks connect?

• People engage on their own terms, without the distractions of a physical venue.
• Guests drop into the talks and chats that interest them.
• They can meet a speaker or another guest privately with a click.
• Because anyone can join from anywhere, you meet folks you’d never have met locally.

It can look impersonal at first glance. In practice, a well-run virtual gathering can inspire and teach.

Valuable data and analytics

In-person events have always been a bit of a mystery when it comes to attendee behavior. You can guess from head counts and the energy in the room, but you rarely get hard data.

A virtual platform changes that. Its analytics help you understand your crowd and plan talks that land.

Registration forms show who signed up and why. Polls and surveys give instant feedback, and session reports show which talks held attention and who met whom.

That data lets you tune your event strategy over time.

You can see which content struck a chord, where to put your resources, and how to personalize the next event. Each event leaves you with insights that make the next one better.

Driving engagement and interaction

A common misconception is that a screen can’t match the energy of meeting in a room. Today’s platforms give you the tools to close that gap.

Networking opportunities

Virtual platforms recreate real-world networking through tools like:

• Private 1:1 video chats
• Group lounges
• Matchmaking based on profiles and interests

So in place of aimless mingling, your guests get suggested matches and clear video and audio for focused conversations. For formats that work, see our guide to networking that works.

Gamification

Leaderboards, points, quizzes and contests give your crowd a reason to take part. Most people enjoy a bit of friendly competition, so game mechanics lift participation.

You can award prizes to top scorers or the most active guests.

Audience engagement tools

During sessions, moderators use live polling, Q&A, hand-raising and feedback surveys. These create a two-way dialogue, just like a good in-person panel.

Guests ask questions, give input and help shape the session. More ideas are in our audience engagement strategies.

Branded experience

Online, the whole environment is a chance for branding. The lobby or landing page sets the tone with branded visuals and sponsor booths, and session pages carry your look through backgrounds, overlays and custom scenes.

Even breakout areas and networking lounges get the branded treatment. You control the look and the attendee journey at every touchpoint.

Some brands add 3D product models, interactive digital showrooms or augmented reality (AR) demos.

Private 1:1 meetings

Most platforms let guests book private video meetings with speakers, exhibitors and sponsors.

These private meetings recreate the “hallway convos” that are so valuable at live events.

Guests get answers to their own questions. And you get leads.

A single hub

Perhaps the biggest driver is keeping everything in a single venue. Guests move between the main stage, the expo floor, lounges and sponsor activations without switching apps.

They don’t get lost bouncing between tools, so they stay focused for longer. When it all works, your guests can relax and enjoy it.

The tradeoffs to plan for

Going online has costs of its own, and you’ll want a plan for each one before launch day.

• Screen fatigue: nobody wants to sit through six hours of video. Keep sessions short and put real breaks between them.
• Time zones: a global audience can’t all be awake at once. Repeat your key sessions or record them, so people can watch later.
• Distractions at home: email and kids compete with your speakers. Give people a reason to stay, like a live Q&A, a poll or a prize draw.
• Tech risk: a bad microphone can sink a great talk. Rehearse with every speaker, test their camera and sound, and keep a backup stream ready.
• Fewer chance meetings: hallway moments don’t happen by accident on a screen. So you have to design them, with small rooms and suggested matches.

And plan the follow-up too. People can forget up to 70% of what they heard within a day, so send replays and key takeaways while the ideas are still fresh.

Virtual, hybrid or in-person: how to choose

Virtual isn’t the answer to every brief. Use your goal and your audience to pick the format:

• Virtual: best fit for a spread-out or global audience, training, product launches and recurring programs. Tradeoff: fewer chance meetings, so you have to design the networking.
• Hybrid: best fit for a flagship conference where some guests can’t travel. Tradeoff: you’re producing two experiences at once, and the remote one needs its own host.
• In-person: best fit for deal-making, deep relationship building and small, high-value groups. Tradeoff: the highest cost per guest and the smallest reach.

Many teams mix all three across a year. A virtual series keeps the audience warm between in-person flagships, and a hybrid event platform lets the big conference reach people who can’t be there.

The virtual event technology landscape

The event technology you choose shapes what attendees can do. Here is how the main tool types compare.

All-in-one platforms

All-in-one platforms bundle a live stage, virtual exhibit halls and sponsor booths, networking lounges with video chat, and gamification like leaderboards and prizes. They give you a single branded space from registration to the follow-up.

Most also report on activity and leads. That feeds smarter planning next time.

We run our clients’ events on Airmeet and Zoom. Airmeet has three networking modes (Social Lounge, Speed Networking and Fluid Space) plus native expo booths, while Zoom networking runs through breakout rooms.

Webcasting and video streaming

Every virtual event depends on reliable, high-quality video for sessions and keynotes. Webcasting tools like Vimeo Livestream and Brandlive handle that at scale.

Stable video keeps your viewers watching the speaker and not a buffering wheel. Many webcasting platforms add live Q&A, polls and chat, and some support paid registration or advertising.

Webinar and meeting tools

Webinar and meeting tools aren’t full virtual event platforms, but they handle livestreams, presentations and internal communications well. Simple options like LiveWebinar keep viewers focused on the speaker, with light Q&A, polling and chat.

Their core value is reliable broadcasting for employee town halls, training sessions and webinars. If some guests need to dial in by phone, Zoom supports that and Airmeet does not.

Engagement apps and plugins

Platforms don’t always offer the interactive, gamified features your goals call for. Third-party apps like Slido and Brella fill that gap with live polls and word clouds, quizzes and trivia, prediction games, matchmaking, and points and badges.

These tools plug into a platform or livestream. Used creatively, they make the event more memorable.

Looking ahead: virtual as a core format

The pandemic made virtual events a necessity. What started as a temporary pivot earned virtual a permanent seat at the strategy table.

The benefits above, from global reach and rich data to lower costs, make online events a core part of an event strategy, more than a backup option.

Expect more organizations to run year-round virtual programs. It’s an efficient way to keep customers, prospects, employees and partners close between flagship gatherings.

Frequently asked questions

Are virtual events still worth it in 2026?

Yes, for many goals. Forrester’s 2026 research found the number of organizations planning more virtual events doubled year on year, and an online event reaches people a venue can’t.

Are virtual events cheaper than in-person events?

Usually: you skip venue rental, catering, print and travel. Your guests skip their travel bills too.

How do you keep attendees engaged online?

Use live polls, Q&A, breakout rooms and games. Then keep it all inside a single platform so guests don’t get lost.

Which platform should you use for a virtual event?

Match the tool to the format. A multi-session conference with booths and networking needs an all-in-one platform, while a single webinar or town hall runs well on a webinar or meeting tool.