The idea of virtual events is still relatively new and many people are still confused about what exactly a virtual event is, how it works, and what to expect when you organise one. What not everyone knows is that research in this field has been going on long before the emergency brought it to the forefront and that there are thousands of professionals, all over the world, who have been working for years to make the experiences on digital platforms as good or even better than those in real life. If you are considering the possibility of organising a virtual event, but are wondering what benefits this format can bring you, read on: you will discover that this kind of event can help you achieve your goals while keeping costs under control.
A virtual event is accessible to a wider audience
We have always been accustomed to considering events as a local phenomenon. If we want to go to a concert or see a movie at the cinema, for example, we only look for the options available in the city where we are at that time. When it comes to corporate events, such as trade fairs and conferences, we are used to balancing the value and usefulness of the event against the inherent travel and accommodation costs to decide whether or not it is worth attending. A virtual event eliminates all these problems because it can be targeted according to interest, regardless of location. This is great news both for the organisers, who can hope for a much wider audience, and for the participants, who will no longer have to worry about travel costs: all they need to enjoy the full experience of the event is a good internet connection.
How virtual events help you cut costs and maximise revenue
Event organisers know that there are some fixed costs that weigh heavily on any event’s budget. First of all, those related to the location. Rental of the premises, cleaning, fittings, catering, rental and management of audio and lighting systems, travel and accommodation expenses for speakers, photographers, receptionists, insurances, and stewarding services: all these expenses do not apply to a virtual event. Even the staff required to manage such an event is significantly reduced, as some processes, such as accreditation, can be fully automated. Having cut all these costs, you can concentrate on offering your “guests” maximum value by engaging prominent speakers and creating a beautiful and functional virtual environment.
Capacity limits and safety issues are eliminated
When organizing an event in real life, it is difficult to strike the right balance in terms of audience flow, venue capacity, and costs. Each location has a precise capacity, which must not be exceeded, as the presence of too many people could compromise the overall security of the attendees. Security is a major issue for event organisers: when choosing a location, it is imperative to make sure that all the planned activities can be carried out in that space without risk. This is why insurance policies usually take up a not-insignificant chunk of the budget, especially for large events and outdoor gatherings (which are subject to changes and even cancellations in the event of bad weather). All these problems magically disappear when you organise a virtual event. Are we saying that virtual events never have “capacity” problems? Of course not: if the goal is to accommodate thousands of people allowing a high level of interactivity, it will certainly be necessary to invest in a more complex platform, but the service will always be easily scalable and in any case at a much lower cost than those you would have to bear, for example, to go from a location designed for 1000 people to one designed to host 3000.