Glossary of Event Terms: In-Person, Hybrid, and Virtual Event Lingo

The virtual event industry is loaded with terms and phrases that describe the ins and outs of this amazing, boundless digital world; some of which you may know, and some that may be unfamiliar to you.

While the list of event terms is nearly endless, below is some of the most commonly used event terminology that all event planners can benefit from, from beginners to seasoned eventprofs. Learning, knowing, and understanding the event industry lingo can help you make the most of each and every event, whether it be in-person, virtual, or a hybrid combination of the two.

 

AI Matchmaking

A feature, when enabled, attendees may instantly connect with 40 attendees of the virtual venue based on shared areas of interest due to how they answered custom questions on the registration form. Attendees may use AI Matchmaking to see who is logged on and initiate a chat, schedule a chat, connect to their LinkedIn profile, or send an offline email message composed directly in the platform. As matchmaking connections are calculated once per day during the specified live timeframe set in the control panel's General Settings, 6Connex offers a premium add-on service to increase matchmaking connections every hour of a given live day.

 

Allowlist

Within the Control Panel's Access section, you may enable or disable the ability to limit access to the virtual venue through a list of specific email domains or email addresses. If enabled, only the email domains and email addresses on this allowlist will be permitted the ability to register for and log into the virtual venue.

 

Blocklist

Within the Control Panel's Blocklist section, you may limit access to the virtual venue through a list of specific email domains or email addresses. This feature may work with or without Allowlist enabled. Ultimately, Blocklist blocks those on this list from registering for and logging into the virtual venue.

 

Breakout Sessions & Breakout Rooms

Breakout sessions are small moments within a larger event, designed specifically for attendees to step away from the main topic or activity for a break. Breakout sessions create a space where event attendees can experience something different, then come back to the main focus of the event feeling refreshed and inspired. 6Connex allows attendees to talk in one virtual room, then split participants into separate, smaller breakout rooms for these additional breakout sessions.

 

Content Hub

A curated collection of content on a specific topic or subject, housing articles, videos, infographics, and other forms of content that let users take a deep dive into a specific area of expertise. 6Connex Content Hub is the virtual event industry’s first artificially intelligent content recommendation system, purpose built to deepen the venue experience for all attendees. Content Hub dynamically surfaces unique recommendations using data derived across the entire attendee lifecycle. Attendees can browse and consume meaningful content based on their interests, activities, and the overall venue experience. Organizers and sponsors gain enhanced visibility on what is most important and where attendees spend most of their time, which impacts future content and account-based communication decisions.

 

Engagement

This is an industry term; at 6Connex we reference engagement as the way to drive connection between attendees and specific activities like attending a keynote session to taking part in a video breakout session. Ultimately, engagement is capturing the focus of an attendee as they participate in meaningful event-related interests. 6Connex offers a variety of engagement tools, engaging features, and partner solutions features within our Open Universe offering. Combine them for maximum impact -- we call that Solution Stacking.

 

Enterprise-Level Security

6Connex is a pioneer of enterprise-level security in the virtual and hybrid event industry, achieving the ISO 27001 certification in 2017. Robust security with features include compliance with data privacy regulations to stop threats, user permissions and access controls, allowlist, blocklist, complex passwords, time restrictions, customized terms and conditions, and more.

 

Event AI

The 6Connex powerhouse offers several engagement and networking features, like Matchmaking and Content Hub. Event AI is a feature that must first be toggled on in the Advanced Event Settings area of the General Settings section in the control panel. We recommend viewing this insightful article to receive greater context and understanding: The Future of Virtual Events is Artificial Intelligence Matchmaking with 6Connex.

 

Event Technology

Event technology is any digital tool, software, or machine that makes it easier to plan or execute an event, such as registration software, marketing platforms, social media tools, engagement tools, AI, virtual event platforms, streaming services, website builders, mobile apps, event management software, and more. 6Connex event technology solutions help to provide a better user experience for attendees, virtual audiences, and planners alike.

 

Gamification

6Connex’s gamification makes it easy to motivate and engage attendees within the environment through their Leaderboard. Users can promote engagement by using 6Connex’s gamification features, such as meeting with event staff and peers, visiting booths, accessing content, and peers.  Users can also opt to assign point values to individual actions or content items and then offer prizes or other incentives for the winner with the most activity.

 

Hybrid Event

An industry term commonly used to express an event occurring in both a physical venue and a virtual experience at the same time. Hybrid events allow for people to attend both in-person and virtually.

6Connex offers Visionary Consultation meetings for hybrid planning, as well as a Hybrid Partner Network of global event professionals uniquely paired with 6Connex Virtual Venue Platform capabilities for a synergistic experience for all attendees, regardless of their attendance location.

6Connex uniquely expresses solutions in four unique hybrid event scenarios:

  1. Teaser - Access virtual events prior to physical events to generate buzz, drive attendance, provide exclusive virtual content, early access incentives, and leverage AI Matchmaking to make connections prior to an in-person event.
  2. Partial - Some shared elements between virtual and in-person events, such as shared keynotes, exclusive breakouts live or virtual, some overlap for physical and virtual, schedule meetings and customize your agenda.
  3. Synchronous - Physical and virtual launch in parallel with shared activities such as keynotes and scavenger hunts (AR+Treasure Hunt), as well as added complexities for staffing onsite and virtually.
  4. On-Demand - Virtual component is a follow-up to physical, providing lessons learned from onsite events, extending the life cycle of the event, added value chain, live any time, and the ability to chat with attendees as they enter.

 

Integrations

An industry term that at 6Connex refers to the ability to connect to and from various 3rd party solutions. Available integration types include: registration process and metrics data pass, Open Universe-approved partner solutions, and additional third party solutions for placement in HTML or LINK iframe content types.

 

Leaderboard

The Leaderboard is one tool to drive attendee engagement. This is a 6Connex feature that allows attendees to track their process with completing specific event activities, whether that be entering a room, private text chatting with a representative, finding a hidden item (via a click action), or event opening MyAgenda -- all of these and more earn points and raise an attendees process on the top 25 leaderboard point earners' list.

 

Learning Management

A 6Connex add-on feature, also known as the Learning Module, which allows event hosts who wish to build a series of the curriculum in a tree of subjects, topics, and courses of activity content that may be enrolled in for a specified period of time and once completed, attendees may receive a certification PDF.

 

Live Streaming

Live streaming allows people to watch, create, and share videos in real time, without the need for recording and storing. Virtual event streaming is a type of event hosting that allows attendees to tune in from any location, made possible by live streaming over the internet.

 

MyAgenda

A 6Connex feature located in the navigation bar that allows event hosts to display the presentations, breakouts, networking opportunities, and other break activities all within a real-time processing list. MyAgenda pairs with the Meeting Scheduling to display to an attendee the meetings they have scheduled with booth reps, subject matter experts, and more.

 

On-Demand

A webcast that when accessed begins at the start of the presentation. Often a live, simulive, or roll to live session will conclude, then be prepared for on-demand playback for the remainder of its license timeframe (typically 12 months). This allows attendees who missed the live session to enjoy it at their convenience and allows them to pause, rewind, and fast-forward the media and synchronized slides.

 

Open Universe

6Connex Open Universe provides full bring-your-own-solution (BYOS) flexibility. Building customized integrations by exploring, testing, documenting, and deploying leading third party solutions that bring superior value to our clients and their attendees At 6Connex, we go above and beyond the everyday virtual platform by offering this “Open Universe” of unlimited integrations within virtual environments. You can use whatever you and your employees prefer to communicate; Slack messaging, Zoom, messaging apps, social media platforms, music, content management systems, webcasting software, and so many more.

 

Q&A Sessions

Questions-and-Answers (Q&A) sessions provide attendees with the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about certain topics covered within an event. Live Q&A sessions are real-time online sessions where attendees can ask questions answered by those who host the event.

 

Registration Page

An event registration page is a web page designed with a process where people sign up for or request their attendance at an event. Registration pages include an online form where basic information is collected from the attendee (name, contact information, job title, company, etc.).  If your platform employs event AI like 6Connex, there may be additional questions to help match your interests to similar attendees. After registration is complete, a confirmation message is exchanged, securing your spot at the event.

 

Screen Calibration

An optional design element that may be manually applied to the virtual venue's lobby to increase attendee adoption of properly positioning their browser's zoom percentage to obtain the ideal view of the virtual venue.

 

Simulive

Simulive is a combination of two words, simulated and live, often referred to as a simulated live webinar, or a pre-recorded session. Simulive enables you to record a video in advance and play it at a specified day and time as a live session with all live interactions such as chat, Q&A, and reactions.

 

Smart Tips

A 6Connex term in reference to a type of informative guide document. Smart Tips guides go beyond instructional How To guides by sharing best practices in a concise and illustrative manner.

 

Solution Stacking & Event Technology Stacking

A 6Connex term that illustrates the idea of combining 6Connex features within the Open Universe of partner solutions to create a solution stack. Therefore, combining event technology solutions together is the act of solution stacking. 6Connex has created a series of prescribed solution stacks that help garner impactful results. The most common event technology stacks are centered around attendee engagement, networking, gamification, product personalization, and webcasting.

 

Virtual Booth

Much like a booth at an in-person trade show, a virtual booth is a smaller space within a larger virtual event, with the purpose of generating meaningful interaction and conversations with attendees. Virtual booths are good for improved lead generation, increased brand awareness, extended audience reach, cost effective and increased productivity, sponsorship revenue opportunities, and much more.

 

Virtual Event

A virtual event is an online event that involves people interacting in a virtual environment on the web, rather than meeting in a physical location.

 

Virtual Venue

A virtual venue is a place, not physically existing, but created within a virtual event software platform, where an experience happens, such as a conference, trade show, convention, or meeting, especially to generate revenue, forge connections, and deliver information. The 6Connex virtual event platform can support virtual venues for any solution and use case, such as venues for sales, marketing, event planning, event planning services, HR, recruitment, benefits fairs, job fairs, education, training courses, media, entertainment, PR, charities, fundraisers, customer service, customer experience, remote workforce, perpetual virtual offices, and much more.

 

Webinar

Webinars are events, video presentations, workshops, seminars, training sessions, or lectures hosted and delivered online using webinar software. They’re a two-way form of communication where the attendees and presenters give, receive, and share information with each other in real time.

 

The Best Virtual and Hybrid Event Platform

Now that you’ve become familiarized with the most commonly used terminology in the virtual events industry, you can begin your journey in creating an immersive experience for your attendees, whether you plan on hosting an event in-person, virtually, or a hybrid combination of the two. All you need is to decide on a reputable virtual event platform that will work for you. 

6Connex is the leading provider of virtual and hybrid events for enterprises worldwide - the smarter way to do virtual. We help you create exceptional events to engage with your community and transform big ideas into real-world results. If you’d like to learn more about how we can help you create better virtual and hybrid events, get in touch with the event tech experts at 6Connex today.


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