Virtual Events Trends in 2024 ~ Let's Check Out the Future!

Welcome to the ultimate guide on Virtual Events Trends in 2024 – your ticket to staying ahead of the curve! In this insightful journey, we'll dive into the future of virtual gatherings, unveiling trends, strategies, and innovations that will define the landscape.

We're offering you a crystal ball to foresee the captivating trends of virtual events in 2024. We will dive into Artificial Intelligence (AI), the future of attendee interactions, hybrid events and how sustainability will play a role in promoting virtual events. Join us as we unravel these trends and strategies that will define virtual events in 2024.

What role will artificial intelligence play in enhancing virtual event engagement and personalization?

Get ready to welcome our newest event MVP –AI! This digital wizard is about to streamline your virtual events.  

In the realm of virtual hosting, AI can facilitate an improved experience where a virtual MC host interacts with attendees, moderates discussions, and provides real-time updates. Moreover, we anticipate AI playing a crucial role in chatbot assistance, offering real-time support across a spectrum of events, ranging from simple to complex. This assistance will extend to becoming your networking “wingman” by suggesting personalized content and networking recommendations, irrespective of the platform being used.  

But the real showstopper? The automation of post-event personalized follow-ups! This feature can significantly reduce the workload for event planners, allowing for automated and customized interactions with all attendees. Because let's be honest, post-event fatigue is a real thing, and AI is here to save the day.

Overall, AI is poised to change the virtual events industry by enhancing engagement, providing real-time support, and streamlining post-event communication.

What innovations are anticipated in terms of networking and attendee interaction within virtual event environments?

Of course, we've seen some trends strutting their stuff on higher-priced platforms, but fear not, budget-friendly spaces, the party is coming your way. We anticipate the emergence of algorithms supporting smart matchmaking, connecting attendees based on shared interests or goals. Another significant expectation is a surge in more immersive virtual spaces, facilitating seamless movement across venues, exhibitor halls, and collaborative tools within platforms.

The evolution of interactive live Q&A and polling is ongoing, with a shift towards real-time engagement and attendee promotion. The introduction of AI tools encouraging participation and facilitating easy follow-up with speakers, either during or after the event, is becoming more prevalent.

And for the grand finale? The potential widespread adoption of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in virtual events. These technologies promise lifelike and immersive networking experiences, serving as valuable enhancements for any virtual event seeking to offer a unique and engaging experience.

How will the hybrid event model continue to evolve, and what strategies are being adopted for seamless integration?

Picture this: unified event platforms that can juggle both in-room and virtual attendees like a pro circus act. These platforms aim to create a cohesive environment where both sets of attendees can interact seamlessly, encouraging engagement between the in-room and web audience. The focus is on incentivizing in-room attendees to engage with their virtual counterparts, creating unique moments for your web audience and overall fostering a more engaging and inclusive rounded event experience.

Another notable trend is the push for a more interactive hybrid experience. Bridging the gap between physical and virtual, event organizers are emphasizing interactive elements beyond traditional live streaming. This may include incorporating virtual reality, live chat features accessible to both in-room and virtual participants, and ensuring Q&A sessions are open to both audiences, especially for VIP speakers.

Furthermore, there's a growing demand for flexibility in attendee registration. Attendees may wish to access the virtual experience, whether due to fully booked in-person sessions or the need for a moment of quiet in their hotel rooms. Platforms that offer flexible registration options, allowing attendees to seamlessly opt into or out of the virtual experience, are becoming crucial drivers for enhancing the overall attendee experience.

What role will sustainability play in shaping virtual event practices, such as reducing carbon footprints and promoting eco-friendly options?

Although virtual events and webinars are not entirely carbon neutral, they do have a significantly reduced impact on climate change compared to traditional in-person events. This reduction is attributed to several factors, such as the decreased need for physical travel and a huge reduction in one-time use products.

Importantly, there is a noticeable industry-wide effort to employ more energy-efficient technologies and infrastructure in virtual events, further minimizing their environmental impact. Despite the already low carbon footprint, there is a collective commitment to making virtual events even greener through ongoing advancements.

We recommend that our clients consider adding a widget to their events to showcase the reduction in carbon emissions achieved. This serves as a tangible representation of the positive environmental impact resulting from participants choosing to engage virtually. By incorporating elements of education and awareness, attendees can better understand and appreciate the positive contribution they make by participating in virtual events, ultimately fostering a sense of environmental responsibility.

And there you have it, the comprehensive guide to Virtual Events Trends in 2024. Stay ahead of the curve, implement these strategies, and make your virtual events the talk of the town!

Virtual Conferences Do’s and Don’ts

If you haven’t already planned one, or even if you have a few virtual conferences under your belt, you know how many decision points there can be. It can feel super overwhelming and frankly panic inducing at times.

Having planned our share of fully virtual conferences, here are some of our top do’s and don’ts to get you back on a happy planning path:

DON’T: Hold your conference on a singular Zoom meeting all-day-long. Trust us when we say you will lose audience participation faster than you can say “boring”!

DO: Find the right Virtual Environment (VE) Platform!

Not all platforms are made the same, with pros and cons for each use case. There are hundreds of solutions available ranging from free to well over six figures, but no matter the budget you should be focusing on ensuring ease of use for your attendees, speakers and your staff.

With so many options, here are a few of our favorites!

•  Zoom Events: The most cost-effective VE platform on the market, starting at only $99/month, which includes the features of Zoom Webinar. Both your organizers and attendees will already be familiar with the software, and you get the bonus of adding a clean landing page for entry and a little marketing pizzaz to your event!

•  Whova.com: Starting at a lower end entry point of $3,000/event, Whova represents the next step up if you want to add a few more branding opportunities to your environment, charge for tickets or allow for attendee networking. It has a very intuitive interface, attendees can create their own virtual greeting cards, and as the organizer, the platform makes it as easy as possible to set up and manage. Also, who doesn’t love a photo contest… and I right!?

•  Accelevents: Here we take the functionality and user experience to another level, with a platform full of useful built-in features with an all-inclusive starting price of $6,999. The layout is fully customizable, it supports robust gamification, video greetings upon entry, and live video streaming from a variety of sources. You can incorporate their internal meeting platform that WORKS, donation buttons that live right under your video player, sponsors booths that make partners feel valued, and much more! We shouldn’t officially have favorites, but it’s hard to beat the value and quality to cost ratio on this one.

DON’T: Jam pack your conference with wall-to-wall content.

DO: Create a well- crafted agenda that offers attendees a few different types of interactions throughout the day. Here’s what we often suggest:

• Try to give at least a 10 min break every hour! Allow your audience time to both interact with the environment you’ve built for them and step away to avoid burnout.

• Welcome attendees with a short session, around 5 minutes, at the start of each day. And yes, this can (and probably should) be pre-recorded!

• Make your keynote lecture the focus of the morning. Have your host or staff introduce and ask your guest to keep it around 30 minutes in length. Allot time at the end for Q&A if possible (that goes for all sessions) and remind your audience to submit!

• Think about how your content matches your streaming capabilities. Keynotes should be using a one-to-many platform, while workshops should be using meeting or conferencing platforms like Zoom or Teams to be as interactive as possible.

• Book a few FUN sessions! Think comedic magicians, cooking and cocktail classes, interactive games and other entertaining ways to learn, energize or unwind. We’ve seen conferences where they start every morning with some yoga or meditation and end the day with music and dancing!

• In addition to hourly breaks, provide designated time in the agenda for networking and visiting with sponsors/exhibitors.

• Record EVERYTHING and offer it to view On Demand as soon as possible, even if you plan to edit down the road. Attendees should be able to view what was missed within a couple of hours of each session ending.

DON’T: Ignore your sponsors and exhibitors. Just putting their logo on your site and emails will not give them the ROI they are looking for

DO: Prioritize sponsors in your VE planning and showcase exhibitors whenever possible

• If your event is sponsored, choose a platform that will allow you to create separate pages or “virtual booths” where they can showcase services, share assets and interact with audience members. A few platforms will also allow them to gain access to the contact details of attendees that have shown interest, allowing them to follow up!

• Have sponsors showcased at the start and end of live sessions. Show a short video they’ve submitted or a professional ad, display their logos, mention their contributions on-air, or even give them a few minutes of live speaking time!

• It’s been said before, but if often goes overlooked: Add time in your agenda that is specifically focused on getting attendees to visit the booths as opposed to use the bathroom, check Email or grab a sandwich.

• If you are on a platform that allows it, add sponsor and exhibitor goals using gamification tools. People will do a lot for a free t-shirt!

DON’T: Expect speakers to just “show-up” without prepping them.

DO: Always provide your speakers the time and space to get ready for your event!

• Touch base with your speakers around 5 business days prior to their session to review the technology you are using, set expectations and answer any questions they have!

• Get an extra copy of their (Final, hopefully!) presentations in case they have technical issues so you can share and advance on their behalf.

• Always hold a 30 min pre-conference prior to each session to give your speakers time to settle and troubleshoot any technical issues.

• Have a moderator in each session that can introduce speakers and assist in facilitating Q&A.

And lastly, DO have fun!

A well organized and produced virtual event can be a unique, impactful and memorable experience, in a way that even in-person events and conferences can’t quite replicate.

And if there’s anything you’re unsure about, reach out to our team and we will happily review your conference plan to set you up for virtual success!  

How to pre-record yourself for a virtual conference or webinar

Quick little video on how to pre-record yourself for a virtual meeting or event.

SET UP
* Webcam: we recommend using an HD quality webcam instead of the built-in SD camera on most computers
*Audio: do a quick recording and listen back to confirm audio sounds clear. If there are any issues switch to a headset or external microphone to improve the quality
*Lighting: all lighting should be in front of you (place behind the webcam)
*Framing: frame yourself so that you are centered with a little headroom and torso showing in the frame
 
DELIVERY
*Record yourself using Zoom, or paid versions of StreamYard or Restream for best quality.
* Provide video in a 16:9 ratio in an MP4 format
* Video should have a clean end and start
* Send your video to the organizers in early, we promise they will appreciate it greatly!

And don't forget to have some fun!

Avoiding Zoom Burnout and Other Virtual Event Tips!

LIVESTREAM - Avoiding Zoom Burnout and Other Virtual Event Tips! Virtual events are great to attend and to put on, as long as you and your audience aren't burned out on . . . virtual events.

How do you keep them interesting?

How do you deliver value? How do you avoid Zoom Burnout yourself?

_______________

Vidwheel Creator Network Zoom Meetups are educational and networking events for those who want to grow their businesses through video. Twice a month, we invite industry experts to speak on our monthly theme and give our attendees a deeper understanding of some aspect of video as it relates to your business.

Find out more - https://vidwheel.com/creator-network/ And don't forget our nifty video resources page - https://vidwheel.com/video-resources/

_______________

Meet the speaker - Julie Migliacci - https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-migliacci-revent/

Virtual Fundraisers: Stories from Our Clients

One of our favorite events this past year has been for Alpine Learning Group, a leader in Autism treatment and research, who approached us in the summer of 2021 about producing a fully virtual event to take place in the fall. Covid numbers in the US were decreasing at the time, and they were having some regret about choosing to not run the event in person. However, by the time their broadcast went off-air, any remorse had vanished.

“The Fall Affair is one of Alpine Learning Group’s two primary annual fundraisers, and the funds raised are essential to the success of our organization, staff, learners, and families. It typically brings together more than 400 supporters and raises more than 25% of our annual budget. We were initially disappointed when we made the difficult decision in April to keep our October event virtual — concerned about “Zoom fatigue” and how it would impact the event’s sense of community and the fundraising, of course! Although we missed having everyone physically in the same space, we were thrilled with how the virtual event came together. Thanks to Revent and other partners, we were able to leverage an incredible cost savings compared to an in-person distinguished event, enabling us to net $140,000 more than our prior best year — all in the span of about 45 minutes.

The additional revenue allowed us to ensure we could meet the needs of each of our learners — providing additional supports as the world begins to reopen with new policies and practices, and our learners and families venture into the community for work, social activities, and learning.”

Diane Berry, Director of Development Alpine Learning Group

Another partnership that formed as more fundraising requests transitioned to virtual was with Kim Miles from Miles in Heels Production. Kim found us through a mutual connection in 2020, looking for a production partner to assist her in support of her clients. Kim designs impactful fundraisers and celebration events that feature detailed messaging about the organization, celebrity talent booking and tastefully sneaking in that ask!

“My business would have taken a huge hit had it not been for the implementation and execution of the virtual pivot as a stand-in for live events. While initially it was definitely a challenge to reimagine how events would be perceived and presented in a virtual format, in the end, it became incredibly seamless. And in today’s climate, it’s a critical format to have as an option. However, a virtual event is only as strong as the tech team and producer who is leading the project. You need to have people who can truly recommend which platform is the best partner for your particular event and can execute within that platform. This is not a one-size-fits-all solution, there are so many options to choose from. And, thankfully so!” Kim Miles, Miles in Heels Production

Our collaboration grew over multiple projects as our team worked behind the scenes to help translate Kim’s in person magic to the virtual stage. Over multiple fundraisers, her clients sang her praises for keeping their messaging and celebrations feel engaging and alive without any changes in their roadmaps.

So, what was the secret sauce?

1. Use a professional auctioneer or MC to keep the party moving! They really will make all the difference in the energy and the amount you will raise during the event. “Virtual events are a great way to connect to a larger donor pool,” says Tom Stebbins from New York Emcee. “A virtual event can break down distance, disability, even age barriers.” With a professional at the helm who understands how remote engagement can drive bidding you can instantly upgrade your earning potential for the event. (Tom was one of the main factors for the success of the Alpine Learning Groups event!)

2. Concerned about “Zoom Fatigue”? While Zoom is one of our favorite go-to-platforms, if there’s a budget to work with, we recommend shopping for a premium virtual event platform that can create a unique venue for the event - no one wants to have a cocktail in the conference room. Platforms such as Event.Gives, BlueJeans Events, Webinar.net, IBM and PGi have been used by our team to run both hybrid and virtual fundraisers. Each option has their own unique perks, and an experienced team like Revent can help fundraising organizers understand the landscape more fully and decide with confidence the best choice for their needs and budget.

3. Create a focused and impactful program, while remaining flexible to adjust on the fly and allow for higher donations and real time feedback or thanks to donors. The event should always try to stay under one hour if possible. The key things you want to hit during that time are:

• High Energy (this is where a professional MC comes in handy!)

• An incentive to attend the event: A celebrity appearance, a cooking segment, or showing videos your attendees have created and submitted in advance are all draws to attend the live event.

• If you can’t serve alcohol, go for the heartstrings: Creating a 2 to 5 minute video that warmly outlines the real impact of their donations will result in real contributions after the video plays.

• Say THANK YOU! You can never thank attendees for their time and contributions to your cause enough. We highly recommend pre-filming the direct recipients of the donations saying thank you, and of course thanking people live as the donations are coming in!

At Revent we take pride in helping our nonprofit partners succeed, helping them raise more money with virtual audiences than ever before and producing content they can continue to use for months after the event concludes. Virtual events have been a lifeline that organizations needed over the last 2 years, but in the process have become a staple in fundraising road maps for nonprofit orgs of all shapes and sizes. For more information on running your next hybrid or virtual fundraiser event, contact us today!

The Mass Business Podcast: Outsourcing & Business Growth: Why The Right Characteristics Matter

It was an honor being a guest on Season 3 Episode 8 of The Mass Business Podcast. Our very own Julie Migliacci talks about about growing a business through a pandemic, why doing what you say you're going to do is an important component of referrals, and finding the right character traits is key to finding the right people to outsource work to.

🎓 Resources mentioned on this episode: Zoom http://zoom.us

💬 Contact Julie Migliacci (347) 439-9166 Julie@revent.consulting https://revent.consulting/

ABOUT THE PODCAST:
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📕 Get the book The High-Five Effect How To Do Business With People Who Bring You Joy at https://breakthrough-champion.com/hig...
📕 MORE Word Of Mouth Referrals: Lifelong Customers & & Raving Fans https://www.amazon.com/More-Referrals...
📧 ActiveCampaign - DON’T JUST EMAIL. Drive growth with customer experience automation. https://www.google.com/url?q=https://...
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Matt Ward helps small business owners, managers, and sales professionals increase sales through word of mouth referrals. He takes a unique approach to the idea of referrals by helping people understand that their partners are the ultimate source of referrals and how to work with those partners to increase the number of referrals they receive each year! T. Harris - “I’ve never seen someone approach referrals like you do” J. Galek - “If you are looking to work with someone in regards to increasing your referrals, Matt is certainly the person I would highly recommend!” R. McEniff - “His advice was NOT generic but was specific to the industry of each person he was coaching...I found the referral group program to be well worth the investment and I would recommend that you use Matt as a referral marketing coach!” If you want more referrals, then download the referral resources then contact Matt to help you level up! About Matt Ward: Matt is passionate about helping sales professionals, managers, and business owners move their business to the next level through word of mouth referrals. Most business owners understand that their primary source of new business is word of mouth referrals, however, they don’t have a clear understanding of how to create more referrals on a consistent basis. That’s what Matt does. He knows exactly how it’s done! Matt has a passion for Powersports as well. When he’s not speaking on stages all over the United States he spends time riding his ATV...shredding the trails of New Hampshire and Maine.