In our current climate, virtual events have become the new ‘normal’ however we wanted to discuss virtual events vs. venue events.
When the UK went into lockdown, many companies were looking at ways in which they could still communicate with their clients and target audiences. Virtual platforms, that were once not highly utilised, were in high demand. Now as we approach the easing of lockdown, companies are looking forward to face-to-face interactions. What will the future hold for events?
Virtual events vs. Venue Events
We have listed below the differences between the virtual and physical events:
The Cost
There are many costs associated with a physical event such as renting a venue, food and beverages, travel expenses, accommodation and speakers. Virtual events on the other hand do seem to be more cost-effective. However, we worry that the event attendee will not receive the immersive event experience that they remember from a physical event.
Flexibility
Pre-pandemic, many large corporate events welcomed attendees from across the globe to their events. However, many organisations are now working remotely and connecting with employees and clients from remote locations. In these instances, virtual events seem to work the best because they can accommodate people in different time zones and virtual events record the sessions, enabling attendees to watch the recordings if they couldn’t attend due to busy schedules.
However, when you speak to the industry, people are missing the face-to-face interaction that they experience at physical events. Meeting in person allows the attendee to build an instant relationship with another, meaning a stronger lead for the future.
Collecting data
Data can be collected both in-person and at virtual events to measure and analyse the success of the event. At a physical event data is collected at registration and throughout the event through a number of measures. Virtual events on the other hand can see how the attendee moves through the event, what they viewed, shared, clicked, downloaded etc.
Networking
Networking is definitely where the virtual events battle with physical events. People need the face-to-face interaction that they get at physical events and the virtual event platforms don’t seem to have mastered this yet. In-person meetings give more added value in building relationships when one meets someone.
We believe that when discussing virtual events vs. venue events, both will remain serving many sectors. Many businesses will opt for a mix of physical and virtual events, otherwise known as a hybrid event that combines the two formats. A hybrid event will bring the physical attendees and virtual audience in the same frame, delivering the original values to the attendees.
If you would like to discuss how we can provide assistance with your physical, virtual and hybrid event, then please get in touch today.