Why and how to go online with events?

Organizing and attending events are millennia old activities. Humans are social creatures and crave contact with other people. An event is a means to achieve this. It can range from something simple like a family gathering to exhibitions and to the more elaborate festivals or parties. In the currently technologically advanced world, events can be hosted online transforming the way we interact with each other. If we have the choice of different types of events, why go online?

There are a myriad of advantages of online events and as an event organizer it is crucial to be aware of the possibilities. When trying to host an event, a key mindset to have is to first think as a participant what would I want and wouldn’t want to see at the event. This mental exercise or visualization allows you to see the event from the participant’s point of view which in turn allows you to be empathetic towards them and avoid simple mistakes.

Why to go online

For large events organized online it is easy to accumulate thousands of participants. This is for the most part possible due to the power of the internet. In an offline setting, it would be very difficult to find a venue for thousands of participants especially if it is not a concert or outdoors, and the costs will consequently be extremely high. Through live video streaming, the audience will be very comfortable in the comfort of their own home and be able to see, hear, and interact with the speakers. In an offline presentation hall with a large audience, the participant will be far from the stage and feel disconnected from the speaker; thus, not being engaged with the presentation either and asking questions in the traditional manner would not be realistic. An event application like Meetinga has the important feature of live asking questions from the audience. An administrator is able to filter through the list of questions from the audience and select the ones to be displayed to everyone. As there might be a lot of questions, the audience is able to vote through the application which questions they are most interested in. This creates easy and efficient communication with the audience during the presentation.

Another important aspect of online events is the possibility of inviting speakers from abroad as well as hosting attendees from different countries too. Many people are only interested in an event because of the speakers that will be presenting, and inviting speakers from abroad will give you a leverage and elevate your event making it much more attractive. As a result more people will attend; additionally, the event will gain much more attention and this can facilitate lead generation, sales, and sponsorship deals. Imagine an event where a celebrity like Harry Styles or Bill Gates are presenting. People who aren’t even interested in the topic will try to attend.

The main concern organizers have with online events is the lack of engagement from the audience as well as less potential sales. However, a thorough online event will be able to make the participants feel like they are on site in the hall creating an immersive experience for them. When it comes to engagement there is an extensive list of tools and methods used for engaging with the audience, and without effort being put into this, the audience will be bored or on their phone even during an offline event. Meetinga and other online tools have numerous features that help with engagement for both an online and offline setting.

Earning from an online event

Earning during an online event is actually not as difficult as it might be imagined. Due to the large number of people more likely to attend an online event, the amount of attendees willing to make a purchase is as a result higher. Additionally, in case the event is paid to attend, the profits from just the ticket sales would definitely surge. However, it is important to remember that higher prices for the tickets will rather discourage a number of people from attending. Event applications like Meetinga offer an in-app store where participants can easily buy from their phone. The ease of buying may actually encourage people to do so. Furthermore, through an application it is easier for the attendees to browse through the banners with links and go directly to your website or your partners. The large audiences generally attract more sponsors and facilitate partnership. This will give the organizer of the event leverage when striking a deal. The possibilities of profiting from events even online are vast, and the main perk of them is the crowd that is attracted. Not only do online events garner income, but also the costs can be significantly reduced. The large cost of offline events include venue rental, production of gifts, use of an online platform for selling the tickets, etc.. Moreover, exhibitors have numerous costs as well such as booking a stand, paying for employees travel and accommodation, etc.. The speakers have the same situation where if they come from abroad they have to pay for the journey, hotel, and food. All of them would be expecting the event to be worth it, so the organizer has to provide additional value for them. Going online would be reducing the costs significantly and in turn increasing the overall profits.

How to go online?

There is a list of reasons why going online is highly beneficial, but how can this be achieved? It is better to treat online events almost the same as offline so that there is more familiarity with it. The most important part of going online is of course the live streaming of your event. The live asking questions from the audience is a must too, otherwise they will not be engaged. When trying to elevate the event, better equipment like camera, microphone, lights, and the internet connection will yield better quality. With poor internet connection, the stream will lag and it will be more difficult for the audience to understand the presentation. The equipment improves the sound and view of the speakers which are important as those are the only ways the attendees can interact with them. An event application like Meetinga offers in-app live streaming as well as live questions. There are also a myriad of features that facilitate the organization of the event and also engage the audience online.

The other crucial part of the event is the marketing side of it. There is not much difference between online and offline events in this regard. However, to attract a large crowd, advertising online like on social media or other websites is a must. Most people find out about events through online means, and through a link the attendee can easily register and save the event to their calendar. Sending notifications and emails to the participants before and during the event will remind them of it as well as keep them informed of any news and changes occurring. They will then be able to respond in addition to not getting confused. Communicating with the attendees is important because for them everything may not be as simple as it seems for the organizer. There is also after the event messages such as emails asking for participant reviews, product advertisements, and also future event announcements and reminders. Both pre and post event communication keeps the participants updated and will encourage them to attend future events too, visit your website, or make a purchase.

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