Planning a virtual event is a lot of work, but the payoff can be huge. A virtual event will have an impact on your brand, your industry, and your bottom line. If you plan to launch a new product or service, promote a new book release or event, or even just make an announcement, then creating a virtual event is the way to go. Here are some tips for creating the perfect event.

Why virtual events?

Virtual events are a cost-effective way to share information with your target audience. These events will have far greater reach and impact than traditional marketing methods. 89 percent of marketers say that digital marketing methods like pay-per-click (PPC) advertising are successful.

So, why are virtual events important? By investing in virtual events, you will help your business grow.

The planning process

Take inventory of your company’s strengths and weaknesses

Inevitably, every company has strengths and weaknesses that can come into play when planning a virtual event. It’s important to think about how you can use your strengths to make up for any shortcomings. For example, imagine your company has great customer service but is only just getting started in digital marketing. You could try to incorporate digital marketing into the event and have a question-and-answer session about digital marketing with your team onsite or via video chat.

Keep it short, sweet, and simple

A virtual event doesn’t have to be complicated or drawn out—the point of it is to get people talking and learning more about something new. Your goal should be to keep the length of the event short while still achieving maximum exposure. This means not trying to do too much with the event; stick with one topic per session.

Be prepared for questions before, during, and after the event

Some people might not know what they want from the virtual event so they might ask questions like “What should I wear?” or “Do I need a visa?” Take time ahead of time to answer these questions so you are prepared if they come up during the event.

What’s involved in a successful event?

One of the most common mistakes in planning your event is not considering all the aspects that come with it. There are a lot of considerations to think about, like how you’ll handle attendees, what type of venue you’ll use, or even how many people will be involved. But one thing you need to know for sure is that your event needs to be interactive.

For your event to be successful and worth going to, it needs to be interactive–you need people talking and sharing their thoughts on social media. You could have a live chat with your audience on Facebook or set up polls on Twitter. This allows your attendees to feel as if they are part of the event and learn more about who you are as a company. It also gives them an option to interact with other participants and participate in the discussion.

Another important consideration is setting up the right expectations for the audience members who will attend. Make sure they know what they’re getting into before attending so they can prepare themselves properly. And make sure they know exactly when and where the event will take place so they don’t miss anything (and don’t worry–this should be available on social media).

The last tip is something that every business owner should do: make sure you’re prepared! Be ready in case there’s a mishap during your event: plan if there’s an emergency and ensure that all necessary materials are available for those in attendance.

What should you include in your event?

A successful event should include a variety of content and activities. There are a few key aspects that should be offered for every event. These include speakers, presentations, workshops, and activities. If you want your event to be interactive, then offering activities is crucial. You could also offer a real-time Q&A session or voting system through which people can vote on different questions.

Professional photography and videography

A professional photographer is a must for any virtual event. Invest in the best possible photography and videography available. This will create a more engaging and professional-looking event. Having high-quality images and video is also helpful because it will make it easier to share on social media. Additionally, you’ll be able to use that content later in your marketing campaigns or blog post.

A call to action for your audience

Your call to action is crucial, as it will be what your audience uses to engage with your event. What you say during this moment is going to have a huge impact on how many people will ultimately sign up for the event.

When planning your call-to-action, keep the following in mind:

1) Keep it short and clear. You want to make sure that anyone who’s reading understands exactly what they need to do next, and if they’re not sure, then you’ve lost them.

2) Make it easy for them

If this is their first time engaging with your brand or product, then make sure that signing up for your event is easy and clear (i.e., a pop-up box). If this is their second time engaging with one of your products or services, make sure they know what they need to do again. And don’t forget about mobile! Many people are doing their research on the go these days so make sure that you can provide an easy sign-up process via mobile app or email too.

3) Use GIFs

GIFs are a great way to provide an emotional response that encourages people to sign up for your event right away. You can also use video clips as well if you’d like!

4) Be clear

It’s important that when someone clicks on your call to action button or link, they know where they’re going before they get there. This can be as simple as

Invite your guests

The first step is to invite your guests. Even if you are not sure how many people will show up, it’s a good idea to send out invitations. You want to give your guests enough time to prepare and attend your event.

Social media campaign

The first step to planning a virtual event is deciding on how you want to market the event. Some people create a Facebook event, but others create a social media campaign that can be shared across many platforms. This strategy will reach your target audience while also getting them excited about the event in anticipation of it happening.

The second step is announcing the event and creating a website for it. You can create an easy-to-navigate website that has all the information that your target audience needs.

Another thing to consider is whether or not you will have a room where people can come and learn more about the product or service. If you do, then you will need speakers and an agenda for the day’s schedule.

Next, think about what kinds of content you would like to present at your conference. What are your goals for this particular conference? You may want to promote this new product or service, or you could even focus on education with topics like leadership development or management skills. Get creative with content!

Finally, think about setting up registration for the event so people know when they’re able to attend and how much they’ll need to pay for tickets.

Budgeting for your event

There are a lot of costs that come into play when planning a virtual event. You’ll need to budget for marketing, website design and maintenance, videographers, speakers, and more. There are also costs for hiring the right type of talent and recording the event. The good news is that you can avoid some of these by using your company’s employees. They might be familiar with your brand and know it well enough to talk about it on camera or provide an engaging presentation.

Another cost factor to consider is where your event will take place. If you plan on hosting an international event, then you’ll want to consider the many different expenses that come with international travel. If your event doesn’t require much travel but instead will be held in-house, then there’s no reason not to use local talent as long as they’re qualified.

Where can you host an event?

If you are planning a virtual event and also want to have an in-person component, then there are a lot of places you could host your event. You could choose to hold the event online or onsite, whichever is more convenient for your needs.