Moving Conferences to the Virtual World
The business world has shifted to the virtual side of things throughout this pandemic as well, in an effort to keep people safe while maintaining some sense of ‘normalcy’.
It’s no surprise that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed almost everyone’s lives in some way. For many people, that means working from home/remotely for the first time. Even many schools across the country have re-opened for the semester with virtual learning only.
While some events just don’t seem to work as well when they aren’t in person, others can actually be great when they’re done virtually, including many major conferences.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at how companies have had to adapt due to the Coronavirus pandemic, and how moving things to a virtual platform may even have more benefits than most people initially realized.
Shifting Summer Conferences
For most big businesses and developers, summer conferences are major deals! But, this year most of them looked a little different. For example, Microsoft’s Build developer conference was scheduled for May 19th-21st in Seattle. But, in light of the virus, Microsoft opted to make the event a live, digital conference.
Google cut its Cloud Next event in San Francisco back in May in order to switch to a virtual conference, instead.
These are just a couple examples of some of the biggest names in the tech industry, willing to make a major switch that could impact their business for the safety of others. There have been several more throughout the summer that have taken their meetings, conferences, and events to the digital world in order to allow people to safely practice social distancing.
A Return to Normal
You’ve probably heard the phrase “new normal” get thrown around a lot lately. As states start to reopen in different capacities, a new normal is what everyone is trying to get used to. Simply put, things aren’t the same as they used to be. For most parts of the country, wearing a mask is required. Social distancing is still encouraged, and not every business is up and running again.
Many businesses will have to start thinking about the long-term impact of COVID-19 and how they will continue to adapt to this new normal.
When it comes to holding virtual conferences, there are positives and negatives. It’s hard to replace the energy and feeling that speakers can create in a room. Knowing that you’re seeing something live for the first time, in-person is hard to beat, even if you’re seeing it live on a screen. But, virtual conferences can save a lot of time and money. People can still ask questions (if allowed) through whatever digital platform is used, and it’s a way for everyone to remain connected while they watch the conference unfold.
Additional Positives for Virtual Events
The results from virtual events are able to be measured quickly, and that is perhaps one of the most important benefits
In addition to keeping everyone safe and cutting costs, there are a few more advantages to virtual conferences and events that business owners should keep in mind as everyone continues to figure out what their next steps should be. Some of the biggest benefits include:
reach a global audience faster
more flexibility in terms of guest speakers, presentations, and even language options
easier for participants to connect
quickly measure the results of the event
That last bullet point is perhaps one of the most important benefits for major corporations. Many times, companies like Microsoft, Google, or Apple have to wait a short period of time to get an idea on the insight of their conferences. When they are done virtually, instant information can be obtained from the number of people who watched to how many interacted. It’s a great way to gauge excitement for what your conference was about to determine if what you’re offering will be a success or if you should go back to the drawing board.
The Benefits of Virtual Business Practices
Studies have shown that employees who work from home are often more productive than those who have to come into an office every day.
Aside from virtual conferences, it’s a good idea for businesses in every sector to consider some of the benefits of taking other aspects of their companies virtual. It lowers expenses, can give you a greater access to people across the globe when it comes to hiring, and studies have shown that employees who work from home are often more productive than those who have to come into an office every day.
Should Conferences Stay Virtual?
Let’s face it, people are itching to get back to normal. While we may not be sure what that looks like just yet, it can certainly start with things like hosting in-person conferences again. But, until COVID-19 is fully under control, it’s likely that conferences and events will stay virtual for some time. If you own a company and you’ve been considering your own virtual events, now is the time to do it. You may just be surprised at the benefits as you start to see them taking place.
Brandmatic is a virtual photo booth platform, designed for brands, agencies and virtual events.