New Vistas for Virtual Events: Infusing Innovation into Online Venues Six Ways to Leverage Emerging Technologies to Create More Productive Sessions for Remote Attendees
September 2021 Whitepaper commissioned by:
Content Virtual Events Emerge as a Vital Tool for Corporate Marketing
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Six Innovations that Can Amplify the Impact of Your Virtual Event
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Innovation #1: Enhance How Video Content is Captured and Presented
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Innovation #2: Embrace Recommendation Engines to Better Match Audience with Most Relevant Content 6 Innovation #3: Facilitate Advertising and Sponsorship Windows
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Innovation #4: Spruce Up a Marketer’s Venue for Engaging with Prospects
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Innovation #5: Break Down the Barriers to Attendee Engagement with Other Attendees 10 Innovation #6: Expand Options for Virtual Attendance
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Core Considerations for Driving the Next Generation of Virtual Events
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About the Author / About 6Connex / About Wainhouse
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Virtual Events Emerge as a Vital Tool for Corporate Marketing It is natural for people to be leery of technology that they have never used before. A century ago, some individuals were cautious about driving a car or flying in an airplane. Fifty years ago, some may have hesitated before putting their food in the microwave for the first time. A quartercentury ago, many were reluctant to send their first e-mail or buy their first book online. Each of these innovations – and many others like them – evolved into staples of everyday life over time thanks primarily to the power of familiarity. Simply put, as individuals start to experiment with unfamiliar technologies and begin to learn how they can enhance one’s lifestyle, greater adoption follows in turn. During the past 18 months, this time-honored technology learning curve has played itself out once again, this time in the emerging technology realm of “virtual events.” While the varied features that make these online public gatherings possible have been available for the better part of a decade, many users became aware of virtual event capabilities only when seeking substitutes for in-person events and conferences that were canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to pandemic quarantines. It turns out that necessity is not only the mother of invention, it also can be a precursor to widespread adoption of new technologies. During 2020 – a year in which society first dealt with the challenges of the COVID crisis – 43% of those participating in a survey of 2,001 individuals conducted by Wainhouse (WH) in the fourth quarter of 2020 reported that they work for organizations that use virtual event capabilities. That’s a higher level of adoption than seen during the year for other online video marketing applications, such as website videos, product launch events, or lead-generation webinars. And, as illustrated in Figure 1, corporate interest in adopting virtual event capabilities continues to grow in 2021. Of those surveyed by WH, a combined 53% of organizations represented say they plan to expand their use of virtual event technologies in 2021. (This tally is the sum of 26% of all companies that have used virtual events in 2020 and plan to expand their use in 2021 combined with the 27% of organizations planning to use virtual event capabilities for the first time in 2021.) Not only did 2020 adoption of virtual event capabilities exceed that of other applications of online marketing video, virtual events also are leading the way in terms of expanded adoption in 2021. FIGURE 1
% of Overall Organizations Surveyed Planning to Expand use of Online Video for Specified Application in 2021 Expansion on Current Use
0%
10%
Virtual Event Video on Corporate Website
30%
40%
26%
22%
22%
18%
Product Launch Event
17%
60%
31%
28%
On-Demand Libraries as Sales Docummentation/Collateral
50%
27%
20%
Lead Generation Webinar Customer Support
20%
26%
30%
29%
Planning initial use in 2021 Customer/Partner Training
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19%
26%
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This surge in corporate interest in virtual events is easy to understand. Of those surveyed who attended a virtual event in 2020, 75% say they agree with the statement that “it is more cost- effective to generate leads at an online event than a traditional in-person tradeshow.” Of those who did not attend a virtual event in 2020, only 53% said they agreed with the statement. When it comes to virtual events, it seems, seeing really is believing. But while virtual event platforms are drawing initial rave reviews from those participating in these online public gatherings, this category of technology solutions still has a long way to go in terms of optimizing its impact on marketing performance. Indeed, while market demand and interest in virtual events continue to grow, the plain truth is that the market’s understanding of how to best leverage virtual event capabilities remains relatively limited.
65% 65% of all survey respondents agree that “I would attend more conferences overall if given the option to participate remotely.”
WH believes that not all virtual events are created equal. Online sessions that might have been “good enough” for a captive audience of pandemic attendees will need to up their game in order to attract audiences as we all enter a post-COVID environment where individuals will have a broader range of options competing for attention.
In this report, WH will highlight six different ways that event planners can meet the challenge of getting the most out of virtual events in a post-COVID world by embracing innovations that can supercharge the impact of their events and help sustain momentum in virtual event adoption and attendance.
Six Innovations that Can Amplify the Impact of Your Virtual Event Virtual event platforms can serve as hotbeds of technical innovation – a fact that some event planners can sometimes overlook due to the familiar nature of the components embedded in these solutions. Virtual events can integrate a variety of capabilities, including video collaboration, one-to-many presentations, attendee registration tools, and viewership tracking solutions. Viewed individually, none of these technologies would be perceived as particularly revolutionary. Each element has been part of communications and marketing platforms commonly used in other venues. The special sauce of virtual event solutions, however, comes in how these commonplace technologies are woven together so that they foster a new type of end-user experience in the digital public square. Indeed, it is fair to say that many event planners just now are becoming familiar with how these existing technologies can be combined to create an engaging online experience. In the pages that follow, WH identifies and describes six ways that event planners may leverage existing
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technologies in fresh ways that can help in creating virtual events that are more engaging and deliver an even greater marketing impact than ever before.
Innovation #1: Enhance How Video Content is Captured and Presented The one absolute prerequisite for any good party is to first figure out a way to get people to show up for the festivities. Nothing good happens at any gathering if people are not there to interact with one another. The same principles apply to organizing any virtual event. No event can be successful if no one attends. For event planners, the easiest way to draw a crowd is to make sure you can put on a show. That means offering digital venues that offer high-quality one-to-many presentations. Put interesting content on a virtual stage, and you will have a leg up in attracting an audience. Consider the WH survey results presented in Figure 2. WH asked respondents to cite the elements that contribute the most to creating a virtual event of interest to them. The single feature cited most frequently is the “Opportunity to see informative presentations,” cited by 18% as their top preference for contributing the most to creating a virtual event, with another 14% citing it as their second preference. The implications of these results are clear. It is incumbent upon event planners to implement technology platforms that cast virtual presenters (and their content) in the best light possible. It is important to recognize that the individuals who are drawn to an event to see these headline presentations will be the same people who stick around to participate in networking venues and visit the booths of virtual exhibitors. FIGURE 2
% of Overall Respondents Citing Preference for Elements that Contribute Most to Creating Virtual Event of Interest To Them
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
18%
Opportunity to See Informative Presentations
13%
12%
Opportunity to Engage with Leaders in My Industry
13%
12%
Access to Tools that Simplify Scheduling My Meetings for the Event
9%
Ability to Generate New Sales Leads
9%
10%
Chance to Win Prizes
9%
9%
Chance to Re-Connect with Acquaintances
9% 7%
Top Preference
35%
13%
Having One Place to Meet with Multiple Vendors/Suppliers
Ability to Meet New People
30%
14%
14%
Participating in Small Group Video Sessions
25%
11%
8% 10%
Second Preference
Event planners have a range of technology options to consider for enhancing the quality of one-to-many presentations. Most notably, organizers should consider the range of content that can be woven into a one-to-many presentation using their platform of choice. In some cases,
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the venue can support a video feed but no other data inputs. Platforms that can seamlessly weave together video with associated PowerPoint slides and other screen-sharing options offer a more flexible presentation environment and a better user experience. Other technology features may be of significant value when trying to build hybrid events that bridge the gap between attendees of an on-site conference and those attending remotely. These include the implementation of automated camera systems that can capture video presentations from smaller conference rooms, extending the reach of conference sessions typically not large enough to merit video production support. Similarly, platforms that make it easier to incorporate video feeds from remote presenters into sessions produced on-site can go a long way to knocking down the perceived barriers between onsite and remote event attendees.
Innovation #2: Embrace Recommendation Engines to Better Match Audience with Most Relevant Content While it never hurts to leverage technology in ways that add some “sizzle” to mainstage presentations, event planners also must remember to add some substance to the attendee experience that makes it more meaningful for event visitors. One way to do this is to shepherd attendees to content that addresses topics of the greatest interest to them. Today, many popular consumer streaming services, such as Netflix, suggest programming of interest to their subscribers based on an analysis of their past viewing habits. This analysis is powered by machine intelligence solutions. Over the next several years, expect virtual event platforms to incorporate comparable technologies to better identify and suggest content of interest to virtual event visitors. These recommendations go beyond simply suggesting content to users based on their registration profile. Rather, advanced recommendation systems can analyze how other attendees react to specific experiences offered within a virtual venue and use that knowledge to make recommendations to attendees with similar characteristics. Virtual event attendees have a generally positive predisposition towards technologies that provide automated shortcuts to content of interest. As illustrated in Figure 3, more than 80% of those who attended a virtual event in 2020 say they would find technologies that “automatically recommend videos that might be of interest to you based on past viewing habits” to be a “useful feature.” A large subset of this group of virtual event users – 45% – describe such recommendation engines as “very useful.” Event attendees are not the only ones who benefit from tools that match them with content of interest. WH believes that one of the key metrics for event planners over the long term will no longer be total attendance tallies for a given online event; rather, organizers will be graded on how long visitors stay at an event once they show up. The theory is that events that are better run and more engaging will have attendees that stay longer and experience more content than those attending virtual events that are not well-run.
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Event organizers that match attendees with content that is interesting to them will stand a better chance of encouraging those attendees to extend the time they spend at a virtual event venue. This activity will boost engagement metrics and – ideally – make it possible for marketers to leverage this time and mindshare in ways that boost the lead-generation and conversion process.
2%
FIGURE 3
How Useful Would You Find the Following Video-Related Machine Intelligence Feature? “Automatically recommend videos that might be of interest to you based on past viewing habits.” — Respondents Who Attended Virtual Events in 2020
14%
Not Useful
Neutral
39%
Somewhat Useful
45%
Very Useful
Even presenters at a virtual event are likely to benefit from these content-matching capabilities. They would have greater confidence that the individuals attending their sessions are likely to have significant interest in hearing their message, providing them assurance that their presentations are reaching their intended target.
Innovation #3: Facilitate Advertising and Sponsorship Windows Tailoring content to appeal to attendees is only one-half of the virtual event customization equation. Advertisers, exhibitors, and event sponsors need access to a range of tools that give them options for getting their marketing message in front of the audience members they need to reach. The marketing basics start with tactics commonly used on the public web: Look for platforms that enable dynamic signage options on the attendee’s screen, such as banner ads that rotate at set time intervals. To further enhance the impact of these advertising slots, leverage data collected in the registration process so vendors can target their advertising to the attendees they are most interested in reaching. These technologies for tailoring advertising messages to relevant audiences are the mirror image of the content recommendation engines discussed earlier in this report. In both cases, machine intelligence leverages knowledge of an attendee’s stated preferences to identify additional attendees likely to be receptive to specific content. Advertisers, in general, are willing to pay higher rates to reach such targeted audiences.
©2021 Wainhouse Research, LLC
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13%
FIGURE 4
Agree/Disagree: It is more cost effective to generate leads at an online event than a traditional in-person tradeshow. Respondents working in sales role.
Disagree
21%
Strongly Agree
29%
Neutral
37%
Somewhat Agree
As illustrated in Figure 4, marketers already recognize the positive economics that result from the enhanced targeting capabilities afforded by online venues. Of the 132 sales executives participating in the WH survey, a combined total of 58% agree (21% strongly agree; 37% somewhat agree) with the statement that “It is more cost effective to generate leads at an online event than a traditional in-person tradeshow.” The potential tools that enhance marketing opportunities in the virtual realm, however, extend far beyond the implementation of creative on-screen banner ad options. Applications that build upon a user’s engagement within the virtual event venue offer a range of creative options to marketers willing to experiment with technologies that can further lower the cost of lead generation. Many virtual event platforms, for instance, offer gamification tools that enable event organizers to reward attendees for active participation in certain virtual event activities. Attendees, for instance, could be awarded some type of prize for visiting sponsors’ virtual booths or participating in a specific number of one-on-one video meetings with other event attendees. Also, look for virtual event venues that provide nimble integration with established social media applications. Such capabilities make it possible for marketers to drive traffic from Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and others to virtual venues that offer greater opportunities for meaningful engagement with prospects. The plain truth is that marketers are just beginning to understand the potential for fostering engagement with end-users in virtual event venues. As organizations develop a better understanding of the approaches that work best in promoting prospect engagement, expect the developers of virtual event platforms to integrate the underlying capabilities needed to foster these forms of engagement. Essentially, when it comes to the realm of virtual events, marketers are really dealing with a blank canvas. More than two decades of technical development and innovation has forged today’s online advertising world. It’s up to marketers to identify ways that these tried-and-true capabilities can be refashioned for effective implementation in the virtual event realm. Success in leveraging virtual event venues for marketing initiatives will not necessarily hinge on developing new technologies. Rather, it will be the product of a process of experimentation associated with identifying how existing online marketing tools can be best refashioned and put to productive use in the virtual event realm. The one common denominator in this process will be determining the platform tools that help event organizers identify and corral audiences that marketers will pay a premium to reach. 8
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Innovation #4: Spruce Up a Marketer’s Venue for Engaging with Prospects Once a sponsor or exhibitor succeeds in actually capturing the attention of an attendee, they need access to a virtual venue where they can put their best foot forward when engaging with their prospective customer. These vendor-specific online destinations embedded within a virtual event venue are sometimes called “exhibitor booths” because they try to mimic the functionality of the marketing stands that vendors use to meet customers at on-site tradeshows and conferences. In practice, the virtual versions of these “exhibitor booths” serve as a place where vendors can post sales materials and product videos, and manage one-on-one video meetings with prospects. In many cases, the materials presented by vendors in their virtual booths are simply a subset of similar marketing assets repurposed from their corporate web site. But, to maximize the opportunities offered in virtual event venues, these destinations should do more than serve as online libraries of corporate sales brochures. Most notably, sponsors and exhibitors should look for booth-building solutions on virtual event platforms that make it easy for them to initiate and expand conversations with attendees who visit their online destination within the virtual event. Ideally, exhibitors have a way to greet visitors quickly via on-screen text messages that can easily graduate to a one-on-one video call with a booth visitor. Other commonplace tools can make a big difference in enhancing the impact that booths can have in fostering engagement with sales prospects. Better scheduling solutions, for instance, can make it easier to set aside time for exhibitors to meet with prospects interested in meeting with them. Once the meetings are on the books, sponsors and exhibitors would benefit from having access to video solutions that incorporate green screen capabilities that allow individuals to overlay different photo settings onto their video frame. Such chroma key tools can make it possible for booth managers to embrace a background look-and-feel that is in sync with the design of the rest of their company’s virtual booth destination. Also attractive to sponsors are virtual event platforms that bring engagement tools into the virtual booth design process. Organizations able to leverage gamification or entertainment options within the confines of their virtual event booth can extend the duration of an attendee’s visit to their virtual destination. Longer duration sets the stage for more engagement, boosting the odds of a successful sales outcome.
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25% 25% of all survey respondents say that “having one place to meet with multiple vendors / suppliers of interest” is one of the top two features driving their interest in attending virtual events
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Innovation #5: Break Down the Barriers to Attendee Engagement with Other Attendees As discussed previously, virtual event planners are perpetually fighting for their attendees’ attention and mindshare. No stone should be left unturned in the efforts to encourage individuals to spend more time in your virtual event venue. FIGURE 5
% of Respondents with Specified Anticipation for Attending Virtual Event in 2021 who “Agree” that “Online events that enable attendees to video chat with one another are more useful than events without video chat”
0%
10%
“Very Likely” to Attend Virtual Event in 2021 “Not Likely” to Attend Virtual Event in 2021
20%
30%
42% 13%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
34% 32%
Strongly Agree
Somewhat Agree
To enable this type of engagement, virtual platforms must offer features that streamline the process that attendees use to initiate and conduct small-group video meetings while in attendance at the virtual event venue. As illustrated in Figure 5, the ability to engage in video chat is a significant priority for those most likely to attend a virtual event. Forty-two percent of those “very likely” to attend a virtual event in 2021 “strongly agree” that “online events that enable attendees to video chat with one another are more useful than events without video chat.” Among those not likely to attend a virtual event, only 13% “strongly agree” with the statement. While good presentations and programming can do much to drive attendee interest and engagement, platforms that offer individuals the opportunity to interact with others and make new contacts provide attendees with additional motivation to show up and stay longer than would otherwise be the case. Several technology options can be implemented to make such ad hoc video conversations more commonplace within the halls of a virtual event. Better matchmaking tools, for instance, can facilitate the introduction of attendees with more shared interests – and, in theory – more to talk about. Features that simplify the process of scheduling and organizing such small-group video interactions also may drive greater participation in these types of meetings that give individuals more reason to stay engaged while attending a virtual event. Likewise, for some international conference attendees, advanced technologies may actually enable a more engaging experience online than would be possible at an on-site conference. Automated live translation capabilities are becoming more broadly available in the text chat applications integrated into virtual venues. This enables attendees who speak different languages to engage with one another in a meaningful way online, generating interaction that would not be possible in the “real world.” As technology platforms provide solutions that make it easier for attendees to interact with one another online, they will foster greater engagement opportunities for virtual event participants.
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Innovation #6: Expand Options for Virtual Attendance Most event platforms are accessible via a traditional web browser, but some now are expanding into making more features and engagement opportunities available via mobile apps, as well. Such solutions may be the Trojan Horse for driving a more robust experience for those participating in hybrid events by making it possible for remote attendees to experience much of the content and engagement they would experience had they attended in-person. As illustrated in Figure 6, WH survey respondents are largely in favor of any technology implementation that simplifies the process of accessing an event on a remote basis. Overall, two-thirds of respondents agree that “I would attend more conferences overall if given the option to participate remotely.” Certainly, the implementation of solutions that make content accessible via mobile devices as well as traditional desktop web browsers creates a path for more remote users to engage with an event than ever before.
11%
FIGURE 6
Agree/Disagree: I Would Attend More Conferences Overall if Given the Option to Participate Remotely — Overall Respondents
Disagree/No Opinion
31%
Strongly Agree
23%
Neutral
35%
Somewhat Agree In an age where more event planners aspire to create hybrid events that serve attendees both on-site and online, the availability of mobile applications can enhance the event experience even for those attending in-person. The same online solution that makes it possible for remote attendees to view a presentation a thousand miles away also makes it possible for on-site attendees to tune into the same session if they get stuck and cannot make it to a meeting room on time. The mobile app also becomes a gateway that presenters can use to collect opinion poll feedback from all attendees, whether they are participating in-person or remotely. Mobile devices also serve as a venue enabling one-on-one video meetings between on-site and remote attendees, creating more opportunities for meaningful engagement for both groups.
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CORE CONSIDERATIONS FOR DRIVING THE NEXT GENERATION OF VIRTUAL EVENTS Adoption of virtual event capabilities has soared during the global pandemic, fueling unprecedented awareness of the technology platforms that make these online public gatherings possible. Along the way, virtual events have emerged as a viable, permanent option in the marketing communications toolbox. Despite all this progress, though, the idea of “virtual events” as a technology category remains in the nascent stage. Solution vendors and event planners alike have much to learn before fully maximizing the potential of virtual events for marketing use. Ongoing technical innovation, coupled with greater corporate understanding of how to best put these technologies to work, will play an essential role in fully realizing the impact that virtual events can have on corporate communications. Event planners should keep the following considerations in mind as they learn how to optimize virtual event solutions and fully capitalize on the ongoing innovation that is expected to drive the market’s evolution over the next several years: •
Remember to Put on a Show: Content is still king. Remote audiences are drawn by high-quality video presentations. Deliver content of value by making the on-screen presentations better and leveraging technologies to drive attendees to the content most relevant to their needs.
•
Embrace Customization in a One-to-Many World: Taken as a whole, virtual event technologies turn a large audience model on its head. While still managing large-scale events, planners must begin to leverage technologies that foster individualized experiences for attendees. Platforms can help tailor individual experiences – from the advertising that attendees see to the people that they meet while at an event. Event planners must put this type of personalization to work.
•
Recognize the Value of Flexibility: When implemented properly, virtual event platforms give individuals more choices than ever before in dictating the quality of their attendance experience. With presentations available online, attendees can choose to watch where ever they are. Likewise, virtual capabilities greatly expand attendee options for interacting with individuals with shared interests, regardless of their location. Fresh venues for engagement can enhance the end-user experience, boost attendance, and generate greater business impact than ever before.
•
Engagement is the Currency of the Realm: Understand that tailored experiences are likely to foster greater engagement, particularly for remote attendees. If people are engaged with an event – with its content, its advertising or in meeting with other attendees – that will enhance the value of an event for all attendees. More engagement translates into more mindshare, which leads to greater impact for sponsors and exhibitors. Venues that do not take steps to incorporate remote and virtual capabilities ultimately will miss out on a key driver of incremental engagement that will make it more difficult for on-site-only events to remain relevant in the years ahead.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Steve Vonder Haar is a Senior Analyst with Wainhouse Research, focusing on enterprise streaming and webcasting. Steve has covered the technology industry for more than 20 years. He previously served as Research Director of Interactive Media Strategies and as Director of Media and Entertainment Strategies for the Yankee Group. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri Columbia with degrees in Journalism and Economics and holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Texas-Arlington. He can be reached at svonder@wainhouse.com.
ABOUT 6CONNEX 6Connex is the leading provider of virtual and hybrid event solutions. Our secure, cloud-based platform expands audience reach and drives in-depth content engagement for marketing, sales, recruitment, training and HR communities. Our product portfolio includes virtual and hybrid venues, learning management and webinars. For more information visit 6connex.com.
ABOUT WAINHOUSE Wainhouse provides in-depth research and analysis that helps you gain a clear perspective on the market, technology, and services for workplace communications and collaboration. Wainhouse analysts are industry experts in enterprise voice, video, team collaboration, and streaming applications, services, and devices. Our expertise is backed by one of the most comprehensive data sets and models in the world. Our domain expertise and market data combine to deliver in-depth forecasts, enterprise insight, and objective product evaluations that frame the industry’s current state and anticipated direction. Services include syndicated market insight, custom research, and sales enablement. Content and additional detail is available at https://insight.wainhouse.com/ and www.wainhouse.com/intro.
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