Relevancy…

As a result of the recent pandemic, which has created some difficult and strange times, with any event that you decide to organise you need to take into account the COVID-19 crisis. Many businesses and the public will be seeking advice on how to navigate and deal with the virus in their day to day life. What changes to they have to make? We can all relate to the fact that we constantly check the news on our phones, TVs and tablets with updates on the current situation – it is the trending topic right now that is being discussed. Neil Davidson from HeyHuman found that people are heading more-so towards ‘peak webinars’ and adapting their event to the current situation of how businesses can connect with their customers during and after the pandemic.

Of course, this does not mean that all events have to be circulated around the pandemic. However, it is something to keep in mind when conducting a virtual event – be relevant!

Choose the right platform…

In this day and age we are spoilt for choice when it comes to picking where to host your events on the web. But how do we know which one is best for us?

Here is a list of issues that you need to be prepared for or take into account when hosting a virtual event:

• Not all tech solution is readily available for you or your audience.
• Mobile experience isn’t always that great.
• Protection of privacy and data (especially when video sharing).

Many popular platforms have created or adapted to allow users to host events or start live videos where they can talk with their audiences. A large portion of companies choose to do Instagram of Facebook stories/live or Youtube Live’s. The great things about these platforms in particular is that they alert your followers of your live stream and they also allow for you to schedule your event in so that it gives your audience enough time to prepare for this virtual event. 

Get the audience involved…

If your live stream content is only heading in one direction, there is no reason for people to continue watching you. A great tip to keep your audience interested is to engage with them and encourage them to get involved.

Many users watch live streams for entertainment or to learn something new. Social media is one of the most powerful engagement tools out there, use it to speak with your audience during the live stream to answer and questions or requests. Platforms like Instagram help you connect with your audience through being able to see their profile pictures and handles when they enter the live stream meaning that although you can’t see each other, you can still talk & welcome them to your live stream.

Hold a briefing before the event…

For a successful live stream to happen you will need to plan how the event will unfold. This includes any topics that you will be discussing, who will be talking about what and the overall timeline of the event. This ensures that your webinar is going to have a continuous natural flow without any awkward silences. Virtual audiences are much harsher than your standard critics as it is much easier to click off your stream and unfollow than it is to walk out of the room with an audience inside.

The biggest advice regarding this is to practice, practice & practice! You need to be the expert in the field and be very aware of yourself and your surroundings. Your gestures and your posture can give off the wrong impression i.e. rolling your eyes or getting distracted. You must not detract from what you are delivering.