The Four Most Useful Virtual Events

Virtual events had been a tool with specific usefulness before the global pandemic. However, in the wake of COVID-19, they have gone from convenience in certain circumstances to a necessity. Whether it is people who are medically advised to quarantine due to contracting COVID-19 or reducing the risk of transmission by not hosting a large, uncontrolled public event, virtual events have new currency and necessity. Here are four of the most common virtual events that can help businesses keeps lines of communication and promotion open.

Webinars

A portmanteau of “web” and “seminar,” the webinar is an online seminar where attendees log in online instead of gathering in a physical space. Thus, the webinar is an ideal online alternative for trade shows, conferences, and other events where there may be talks or presentations given to an audience.

Conducting a webinar requires technical preparation and coordination. However, done correctly, this can still be a productive event.

Virtual Conference

A conference is a physical event where multiple speakers appear simultaneously, and attendees pick and choose which talks and topics are of interest to them. These are typically augmented with “breakout sessions,” where smaller groups gather with the speaker for more engaged interaction.

In the digital sense, the virtual conference is not much different from its physical counterpart. With adequate organization and preparation, attendees can still choose which talks to attend, and popular communication software can even handle breakout sessions.

External Hybrid Event

Hybrid events are a mix of physical and digital attendance. An external hybrid event is a carefully controlled physical event for outsiders, such as the public or people with specific invitations.

However, these public attendees are accompanied by virtual attendees for a robust mix of physical interaction and digital.

Internal Hybrid Event

Even before the pandemic, this type of virtual event was quite common. As with the external version, an internal hybrid event is a mix of physical attendees and digital. However, as the name suggests, these occur strictly within the business itself.

An internal hybrid event may be a “mixed meeting” between departments in the same building accompanied by a business unit abroad that is digitally attending. Or it can be a specific type of meeting conducted internally amongst customers and clients.

Taking advantage of these four types of virtual events can both enhance physical events and provide new alternatives for interactions where health, distance, or even finances may be traditional barriers to physical entry. If you’d like to know more, contact Lighthouse Exhibits.