Virtual and Hybrid Events Are Our New Normal
More and more events this year are making their way into a digital format, offering opportunities that weren’t taken advantage of before the pandemic. Our business and social worlds adjusted to social distancing restrictions, and organizations began to leverage virtual platforms to stay connected and move forward with our lives. Today, we are evolving into a new normal, the one in which virtual events are part of everyday life, and the future’s big picture. They can and should be incorporated into live events to open the playing field to those who can’t logistically make it in person.
We realize that a virtual environment and virtual trade shows shouldn’t take the place of all in-person networking and relationship building. However, as we adapt to leveraging hybrid event platforms, we can agree that this exciting technology is the way of our future, as the predictions for 2022 event trends show no signs of slowing down.
While 2021 has been a year of the unpredictable, many organizations were able to make due by hosting events on virtual event platforms best suited for their audience and their business needs. Take a look at six of the best virtual trade shows and virtual events held in 2021.
Becoming Unstoppable
On February 22, 2021, founder of IT Cosmetics, Jamie Kern Lima, virtually brought down the house with her Becoming Unstoppable! Live Confidence-Building Event. In an effort to share the challenges she faced while launching her cosmetic line, It Cosmetics, (while simultaneously launching a new book), she invited some of the most famous speakers from all over the world to come together and be a part of something greater. Because the event was hosted virtually, thousands of attendees had the accessibility to listen to inspiring messages and learn from their mentors, most who wouldn’t have ever had the opportunity to attend in person. Speakers included Robin Roberts, Mel Robbins, Tony Robbins, Sarah Blakely, Ed Mylett, and more. Others joined Jamie to share their secrets to success, how they overcame the obstacles that almost got in the way of following their dreams, and so much more.
Social Media Strategies Summit
There is no doubt that social media has an important spot in our personal and professional lives. INBOUND is a social media leader, widely renowned in the marketing world for their inspiration and expertise. Social Media Strategies Summit held October 12- 14, 2021 virtually united worldwide professionals in all stages of their careers to discuss everything social media. Their power-packed agenda included inspirational presentations, networking opportunities, question and answer sessions with keynote speakers and marketing leaders, and so much more. Tens of thousands of attendees representing all types of industries connected and virtually attended sessions intended to strengthen social media and remote working topics.
Content Marketing Conference
Writer Access is an online platform where freelance content creators and those needing writers connect. Byron White, the company’s founder started Content Marketing Conference (CMC), typically held live and in person in Boston each year. When the pandemic hit, he immediately pivoted and held the 2020 conference virtually. The CMC conference was also held virtually in April 2021. The overall direction of the CMC 365 conference was to provide a digital experience that will fortify the attendee's “smartitude” with mastery of the six pillars of content marketing. Multiple marketing and writing professionals from all over the world gathered virtually, and led thought-provoking sessions and networking events. All sessions were recorded and are now available on-demand for purchase, so more writing professionals can view the sessions at their convenience and benefit from one of the best virtual events in 2021.
Think 2021
On May 11 and 12, Think 2021 was nicknamed the “premier hybrid cloud and AI event.” This virtual conference hosted by IBM featured a mix of worldwide leaders in the technology fields and provided insights, education, and networking opportunities. Industry leaders discussed how technology like hybrid cloud and artificial intelligence are transforming our lives through automation and modernization. Visionaries from Citigroup, Oxford University, The Wharton School of Business, Shell, IBM, and Bronx Inc. came together in a virtual environment to share how IT is changing their companies and launching them into the future. For those unable to attend, recordings are available for even more attendees to purchase and learn from.
Web Summit
On November 1 -4, 2021 the annual Web Summit brought together experts and professionals in all stages of their careers to discuss how to redefine the global tech industry. Celebrity speakers, including Serena Williams, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Alba, and Chris Evans, joined the tech industry’s most renowned leaders. Zoom’s Eric Yuan and Paypay’s Dan Schulman were just two of the virtual companies leaders on the agenda. This summit featured a virtual environment offering networking opportunities that would never be possible without a virtual conference platform.
CNBC @Work Summit
In March 2021, CNBC @Work Summit was a complimentary virtual event example with a theme all about the future of work. Leaders in different industries discussed how innovation and product development is evolving for the future. This virtual forum provided a virtual platform for senior executives and the nation's most influential voices to collaborate and learn from each other to create solutions and opportunities to adapt for today and transform tomorrow. Leaders from Bank Of America, Chipotle, Estee Lauder Companies, Netflix, Dell Technologies, and WeWork, although logistically from all over, shared, collaborated, and more.
For more information on how you can begin leveraging a virtual venue for your organization, contact us at 6Connex today, or schedule a virtual event demo.
