New York event planners are exploring virtual events more and more. Either as stand-alone engagements or as hybrid elements of an in-person engagement, virtual event planning is likely going to stick around. You might be looking to find new ways to improve how your virtual events work for your clients. And having a virtual host is one key component to consider. Here’s what event planners should know about virtual hosting, including a few reasons to make sure your virtual engagement has one every time.
What Will It Mean to Have a Virtual Host?
During the more traditional, in-person events, you might have a host on hand. This individual is charged with keeping the event on schedule, guests happy, and leading the problem-solving initiatives when issues arise. The same dedicated individual can serve similar purposes for the online event, as well.
The virtual host is going to be the glue that holds the online engagement together. This person is like a direct conduit, connecting the speakers, the guests, and the behind-the-scenes production team. This person might demonstrate for the group how to use the virtual event tech. But they can also manage online comments, poll results, and attendee questions.
The Virtual Host Is Pivotal in Improving Attendee Engagement
Remember, keeping online attendees engaged is going to be more challenging than it would be for the traditional, in-person event. Their attention spans are shorter. They can become distracted easily with the family pet, a doorstep delivery, or a phone call. It’s the virtual host who can bring everyone together and keep them focused on the discussion at hand and entirely engaged.
The virtual host can manage the flow of content and discussion. This individual can be responsible for welcoming guests, introducing speakers, and facilitating online panels. And in addition to the coordination of the virtual event, a virtual host can handle questions and keep conversations flowing positively.
Dedicated Management of Virtual Event Software
Depending on which virtual event platform you’re using for your event, there will be a host of tools and engagement features. Having a virtual host or an official online chaperone means you can have one key person dedicated to introducing the features to guests and speakers. They’ll maintain responsibility for making sure everyone knows how to ask an online question and adjust their visibility for the best engagement experiences. And should anyone have issues with their tech, you’ll have a responsible party ready to assist in ensuring they find a resolution.
Keeping Your Virtual Event Schedule
Sometimes, the virtual event goes so well, with conversation and attendee engagement, that time runs out before the agenda is entirely covered. Having a virtual host means having a timekeeper who can keep the online event on schedule. Keep your online event from running away and out of time. Have a virtual host who can prompt speakers about remaining time and remind the audience of time remaining for additional questions. Virtual event hosts can be great for transitioning between event segments and speakers, too. And managing every detail, including those moments between topics and speakers, will improve the flow and experience altogether.
Troubleshooting On Demand
Event planners know and almost expect things to go awry sometimes. It’s different with a virtual event than it is with a virtual event, but problems can still arise. When you have a dedicated virtual host, you’ll have peace of mind that should there be technical or online difficulties, you’ll have someone on standby who can jump in to help troubleshoot. Whether it’s a software glitch or an attendee struggling to submit a question, you can keep the event flowing smoothly with your event host addresses and quickly correct the issue.
As the virtual event planner, you could step in and serve as the virtual host. Or you could outsource to another key individual, depending on the theme and topics of discussion. But not having a chaperone to wrangle speakers and guests, control the dynamics of the engagement, and to troubleshoot potential issues, would be a mistake. Make sure your event host is on-point, and your virtual events will be successful every time.
Consider these suggestions and best practices as you develop and improve your virtual event offerings. New York event planners can see incredible results, especially as virtual events continue to be popular requests. For more ideas about growing your virtual event platforms, keep up with our blog series, which is chock-full of event planner tips and business growth ideas. Don’t forget, too, The Event Planner Expo 2022 is coming up this October. And there may still be sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities. Contact us today!
