Virtual events are no longer a novelty. Many of us have had experience with this type of event at least once in our lives. Opinions about it may vary, but one thing is certain: virtual events are a hit that is taking the reigns of offline meetings and represent the future of marketing.
But have you wondered why this is happening? If not, we invite you to read the following article.
An Evolution of Virtual Events
Let's start at the beginning, which is how it was with these online events.
Well, most of us noticed their significant increase in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic - when live meetings were impossible to run, and webinar platform services were spreading like fresh buns. Yes, back then, virtual events were so plentiful that they seemed to grow like mushrooms after rain. But, of course, this was not the beginning of the history of online meetings.
Virtual events were developed in the mid-1990s. In other words, at that time, the history of the Internet was in its infancy. The first systems were straightforward. As an example, applications only allowed users to share their screens, and they offered remote access to another computer. As time went on, more features were introduced. An individual could make a presentation or use private chat, for instance.
More and more webinar service providers began to appear on the market from 2000 onward. Many webinar platforms have developed, so now we have so many advanced systems available.
Online meetings went from strength to strength and constantly garnered new followers. It became possible to hold international meetings without leaving the office. This especially streamlined work in large corporations that had branches in other countries. And suddenly, there was an outbreak of COVID-19, during which people felt that what they had previously known was changing rapidly. Moreover, companies started hiring freelancers and many other professionals during COVID-19 through sites like Upwork alternatives. Theystarted working from home and attended those virtual events, and those who had not previously participated in online events had to become friends with the program and adapt to the prevailing situation.
And what did we understand? Virtual events are such a beneficial solution for many companies that have implemented remote and hybrid work models permanently! Why? Let's take a look at the reasons below!
Reasons why Virtual Events are so Popular in Marketing World
There are many reasons why virtual event production can be said to be taking over marketing. Nevertheless, we have chosen, in our opinion, the most important ones. Here they are.
#1 They are Easier to Organize
First of all, it is relatively easier to produce an event online, than to organize it in real life.
In the case of virtual meetings:
👉 we don't have to rent a room or equip it,
👉 nor do we need to provide catering (e.g., from Marbled LA),
👉 it’s not necessary to provide transport (and sometimes even accommodation) for guests,
👉 we do not worry about traffic jams on the road and the possibility of being late and so on.
On the other hand, we won’t generalize. We realize that there are challenges to online meetings, too. For example, you need to use the right webinar platform that can handle the volume of the meeting and deliver perfect video and flawless audio. And these are just some of the important elements. But our point is that by conducting an event online, you bypass many of the problems you face when organizing a meeting in real life. And with the right platform, any online meeting will succeed.
What's more, you decide what type of content presentation you choose. Will it be a live or pre-recorded presentation? Often meetings are conducted live and then become evergreen content for the company as you post the recording on the website. As you can see for yourself, you have many options.
#2 They are Cheaper than Traditional Meetings
Another reason that supports virtual event production is that it is usually cheaper than traditional meeting production. Promote all your virtual events on Google and Schedule Google My Business Posts with this. As we mentioned above, online events are easier to organize because they are not affected by many of the classic problems. And that, in turn, means they are also cheaper!
Check this out: your company doesn't need to pay for many occurring costs, like:
💸 travel costs,
💸 venue rental,
💸 or catering.
Attendees can also participate from anywhere in the world, which eliminates the need for expensive airfare as well as hotel accommodations. And, of course, no time is wasted standing in lines or getting from point A to point B. Instead, the main components you need are a meeting plan, a reliable platform (yes, again), and a good internet connection to communicate with participants.
#3 They are Less Stressful
The next obvious thing is that virtual events involve less stress; both on the production side, speakers, and participants.
You have control over more factors at the production stage than when creating a traditional event, so you have less to worry about. If you are familiar with the system you are building a webinar on and know what its capabilities and limitations are, you also know what you can afford, and nothing will surprise you. Even if something goes wrong, you'll be able to fix it or ask for help from the team of specialists you bought the platform from. That's why it's so important that you get to know it well before organizing any event.
Speakers will also experience less stress because they won’t be performing directly in front of an audience but in front of their computer - from a safe and familiar place, such as their home. And they won't have to fear at all if it's not a live meeting.
And participants won't have to worry about whether they'll make it to the meeting on time because there are big traffic jams in the city. Instead, they will be able to join it quickly via their business phone.
#4 They can Provide more Interactivity
It’s very easy for the hosts to share a QR code on the screen, allowing the participants and hosts to interact in multiple ways. Many online event platforms provide such features that allow participants to undertake any interaction with the meeting hosts. For example, they can:
- solve a quiz,
- take part in a survey,
- raise their hand,
- respond to a comment,
- respond to a comment,
- etc.
If your audience is shy and does not want to speak, this is especially helpful.
You may have encountered more than once that when you asked a question, the only response in the room was silence. To remedy this, you either had to continue the topic or try to engage your audience in other ways. Well, it happens, but not at virtual sessions! Here, meeting hosts have various tools at hand to increase interaction at the meeting. These can vary, depending on your choice of platform.
#5 They are Available for Global Audience
What if a large corporation wants to host a series of events for employees from all the branches it has? Organizing a meeting on such a large scale would be very, very problematic. Well, exactly: it would be. But it doesn't have to ;)
Virtual events break down location barriers, which means that wherever your audience is, they can attend your meeting as long as they have the right equipment and wifi connection. Such scalability is extremely beneficial because it allows you to be flexible - want to host a session with several people? Go ahead. Want to take your meeting to global reach? Also, no problem. So, whether it's a meeting with 10 managers or 2,000 customers, you can achieve your audience with the right software.
#6 They can Boost Sales
And this reason, we had to mention; virtual events can boost your sales. Like nothing else. Sales on the Internet happen at various levels, and webinars or other online meetings are no exception. They can either be your main income or only support it - here, the choice is yours.
Through such meetings, you can:
- acquire more quality leads,
- increase your loyal customer base,
- increase your SaaS brand recognition,
- get wider connections,
- boosted authority,
- release certificates upon your virtual event attendance completion,
- etc
Either way, all of these can positively affect your sales results. What's more, you can also make your virtual events paid. For example, they require even a small charge in exchange for access to the event. This way, you will generate income directly from these online meetings.
Take Advantage of LiveWebinar
We've already talked so much about the right platform to host online events, but we haven't yet introduced you to LiveWebinar. So here it is; the time has come.
LiveWebinar is an advanced webinar software that has many excellent features like screen sharing, live video streaming, HD recording features, plus customized branding, social media broadcasting, and audience engagement analytics. This tool will bring your attendees into an amazing experience and make your virtual events simply great for keeping in touch with them and increasing sales.
Together with this system, you can organize the following:
🌟 live events
🌟 paid webinars
🌟 pre-recorded sessions
🌟 evergreen webinars
🌟 etc.
It has many integrations that make this platform an indispensable tool for you to work with. No more limitations due to location, small budget, or too small conference rooms.
Now, all you need is LiveWebinar.
To Sum up
Virtual events are our future in marketing because they break down many barriers that traditional marketing can't overcome. They are great for worldwide communication, improve sales, are easier to organize (even huge events), and are less stressful for speakers.
Despite the fact that real-world meetings give the feeling of being more in touch with the audience, it's impossible to overlook all those benefits that come from online events.