The most common virtual events that companies create include virtual trade shows, virtual job fairs, virtual sales-meetings, company-wide gatherings, or virtual summits.
Virtual events are not limited to these areas; however, any type of program that requires the attention of a large audience in one place can go virtual using a virtual conference platform. This includes customized learning experiences for e-learning opportunities or virtual fundraising ideas for non-profits, for instance.
Whether you host virtual events for education purposes or for the dissemination of company information, these environments can be extremely effective in reaching the objective you have for the people you want to reach. Continue reading to get the full coverage on what a virtual is, the different types of events, as well as the different elements that will bring your virtual program to life.
At a basic level, virtual events are very similar to physical events. They enable groups of people to come together to learn, discuss, and interact. Virtual attendees consume content, exchange contact information, and can even receive training or learn new material the same way you would in a classroom setting.
The only difference from the physical is that online events happen through a virtual conference platform where all resources can be conveniently downloaded and people’s interactions or progress can be tracked.
So, what kind of virtual events can you host and what kind of virtual environments can you create?
Educational organizations are adding virtual events to their curriculums to engage students with highly-interactive immersive learning experiences. These e-learning environments can be used for educational content such as:
With supreme virtual conferencing tools, the learning opportunities and engagement possibilities are endless – students can take a tour of important landmarks, for instance, or actively participate in discussions about a topic in real-time or on-demand.
Students can delve deep into any subject matter with knowledgeable experts near and far, so location is not a deterrent. With video chat capabilities, students can instantly engage in cultural and social events and meet other students in a relaxed and fun way.
Take administrative control of a student or attendees progress with the following features a virtual event platform offers:
If you are looking for a virtual platform that can host your educational content, learn how 6connex can help.
There are many types of virtual events. Some of the most popular virtual events for for-profit businesses include:
Your imagination can run wild here. As mentioned before, any type of event that requires the attention and engagement of a large audience can be hosted online.
Virtual events are not only reserved for educational purposes or for businesses. There are virtual event opportunities in the non-profit area as well. For instance, non-profits can use online events as a creative marketing strategy for virtual fundraising ideas they want to execute.
All types of organizations can make the most of a virtual event to share information, market to their audience, and accomplish their strategic organization’s goals.
But just how do you do it?
Now that you know the basics of what a virtual event, it’s time to see what one actually looks like and get a feel for how virtual participants would interact one.
In the visual layer, you can include background images and graphics to provide a sense of space and context for the content. Often, visuals are created to look like physical rooms and spaces, making navigation for attendees or students very intuitive.
Using signs for directions and promotion is another way to guide attendees to participate throughout the different parts of a virtual environment.
The way your virtual event will look is entirely up to you. For keynote presentations, for instance, you can create a space that resembles an auditorium for attendees to feel like they are watching a keynote speaker in a physical event.
Depending on the audience – and particularly for younger attendees – our virtual events team has noticed a surge in the use of hybrid events. This type of event would not necessarily have to resemble a physical location and simply uses a regular screen for attendees to watch while the virtual event takes place.
Something to consider for future events as you plan for a different kind of audience.
The interactive layer is where actions occur over the visual background. This is where the flexibility and the power of the virtual events software come into play. Some interactive elements virtual attendees can engage in include:
These are just a few activities you can offer for virtual attendees. You can take it to the next level and gamify the experience as well. Games like treasure hunts or fun prize giveaways can be tied to these actions, creating more energy and interactivity for virtual participants.
Even when an event is not live, a virtual environment can remain open for anytime access, 24/7, allowing for more opportunities for attendees to participate in an event after-the-fact or for students to continue learning and engaging in their learning environment.
24/7 access gives you 24/7 data to every part of your virtual environment. The data and metrics layer is where every action is tracked for measurable results.
In e-learning platforms, you can track how much a student is learning at any time through the use of real-time dashboards and scheduled progress reports. The reporting and metrics for e-learning opportunities include:
For virtual events, producers can access real-time reports of the interactions at an event or after an event, giving deeper insight into user behavior and content preferences, which translates to ROI calculations and a true understanding of program impact.
This is one area truly unique to online events. Hosting events virtually allows for the valuable data collection of virtual participants in real-time – a MAJOR benefit for any type of virtual event program.
At 6Connex, we can help you find the right virtual events platform for all of your business needs. If you are ready to start planning, make sure to choose one of the best virtual conference platforms available to host your tradeshow, e-learning coursework, or certification. Request a 6Connex virtual event platform demo to see how our team can help you execute any virtual event or program.
6Connex is the leading provider of virtual and hybrid event solutions. Our secure, cloud-based platform expands audience reach and drives in-depth content engagement for marketing, sales, recruitment, training, and HR communities to make for successful online events around the world. Our product portfolio includes virtual environments, learning management, and webinars. Demand more from your virtual and hybrid event solution.
Have Questions? Please call 1.800.395.4702 or email us at sales@6connex.com.