The coronavirus pandemic took global remote working practices to unprecedented levels. Rapidly, companies worldwide had to adjust to doing business online.
Most office workers can perform their job easily while at home, but there is one aspect that managers and executives still need to perfect. What are we talking about? The organization of online events.
Whether you are looking to organize an online, interactive workshop, or if you plan to host regular virtual events with your team, then keep reading. This article will reveal some easy, smart ways to deliver flawless and successful remote events.
Promote Your Event
One of the main difficulties with online events is to make sure that the relevant people know about them and ensure they are free to attend the event.
Unlike in-person conferences, for example, attendees are not going to be required to travel or book a hotel in a different town. Instead, they are simply going to log in from the comfort of their home office.
This, in turn, makes it easier for guests to forget about the event, or to log in late. To remedy this, one of the best online tools is WordPress event calendar. In parallel, be sure to regularly email your contacts about any updates to do with your event, and use language that makes it sound interesting, useful, and pretty much unmissable.
Craft Compelling Content
Every great event features great content, and the same rule applies to online events in the digital age, too. When you decide that you are ready to launch a virtual event, spend some time researching topics, crafting content, and tailoring your message to the audience.
You can, for example, email your guests a list of potential topics and ask them to pick their top three. Then, based on the answers, you will be able to select the most popular topic and begin to put together different types of content to match.
Make It Mobile-Friendly
Remember that, just because an event is online, it doesn’t always mean that the attendees will join from a laptop or desktop computer. More and more employees, in fact, find it easier to log into remote events using a mobile device.
If you think that this might be the case for your guests, too, make sure that your event is mobile-friendly. For example, if you are planning on using slides or other types of written presentations, try to cut down on the amount of text, and increase the font size.
All this will make it easier for mobile users to watch your event and truly make the most of it.
Invite Great Speakers
What compels people to sign up for an online event? A great speaker (or speakers). Whatever the subject matter of your event, it’s a good idea to try and reach out to an industry expert that you know your guests will love.
Do some online research, ask your guests for suggestions (remember: it all helps with boosting user experience and engagement, too), and be ready to contact the right people.
Once you have landed a fantastic speaker, make sure that you promote the event around them. Start sending out “save the date” emails to your participants, highlighting how this particular speaker will shed light and offer some invaluable advice on a topic that they are all passionate about.
Schedule a Test Run
Another aspect that you will need to take care of, when organizing an online event, is the actual logistics side. This include, for example, all the technical tools that you need for the smooth running of your event, as well as your content and any timings related to your speakers’ presentations.
For this reason, it’s a great idea to set aside some time to run through the entire event before it takes place. Doing this a day or two before the event is scheduled should allow you plenty of time to spot and fix any potential issues, and optimize all the technical aspects ahead of the event.
Continue the Conversation
A successful online event doesn’t end when you say goodbye to your speakers and attendees. In fact, some may even see that as a new beginning: the beginning of a post-event conversation that can spark new ideas, inspire people, and keep the engagement rate high.
To this effect, you might want to think about preparing some materials that you can email to your guests (and speakers, too!) following the event. Surveys, questionnaires, feedback requests, praises and complaints: all these are great tools to truly understand how you did, and what you can do better next time.
In addition to helping you with the organization of your next event, this type of follow-up also boosts the engagement of your audience, as it makes them feel valued and listened to. In turn, this increases your chances that the same people will look forward to participating in your future online events.
Nail Your Online Events With Our Guide
Organizing and delivering amazing, interesting, and compelling online events is not only possible but a real cinch with our tips.
Remember to curate your content and tailor it to your audience, as well as arrange for a great-quality speaker to participate. You’ll also want to ensure that your event is accessible from mobile, as many of your guests might be on the go.
Before the event, take the time to do a dry run and check that all the tech bits are working, the timings match, and the content is fitting. Don’t forget to engage your guests once the event is over, by sending them surveys, feedback requests, and more.
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