Preparing Your Community for Virtual Engagement with Event Technology

The resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that in-person events are not a reality in the near future. Organizations have scrambled to provide virtual events to engage their members and users. What technology can you leverage in your online community to engage members through live events? A lot of the demos I’ve watched leverage tools that you probably already have available at your association. They are packaged very neatly and provide vendor support, BUT…they cost thousands of dollars. I would encourage you to look at the technology you already have available and see how you can innovate a great virtual event. I would also encourage you to be realistic. As a community manager during these difficult times, people just want connection and networking opportunities. The bells and whistles are cool, but they may not be necessary to connect your users – especially if they come at high costs. You really need to consider ROI when it comes to virtual events. There are so many free events available, people just want to connect at a lower price. Here are my recommendations on the technology elements you should consider as you plan virtual events: Video Streaming You can host “live events” such as “Ask Me Anything” sessions without a video streaming option. However, I think the video element is the most common. Many platforms offer great website features (such as live chat, registrations, a place to host related resources) but the video streaming element is often not included. You will have to use a live streaming platform in addition to the event platform. This element is very important as you integrate your technologies. Ask as many questions as possible so you aren’t caught off guard. Make sure you make it clear up front which streaming service you intend to use if it is not already being provided. Live ChatI have a strong conviction that the live chat is the most important element of an online event. This is what separates your event from a webinar. Attendees can know who else is participating and they are able to network with others. However, live chat carries many concerns with how participants can communicate with each other in real time. Moderation is a key capability of the technology in the live chat. As you look at platforms talk with the vendor and make sure moderation is baked into this feature. IntegrationIf you intend to provide member/non-member pricing you’ll need to have integration with your database. If members already have a login with your organization, it is very helpful for them to use the same login instead of having to create a new one to access the event. However, this may be time consuming and pricey. Think about whether you find this element is an actual business requirement for your organization. If you plan on using the site after the event to make the recordings available, you may want to set up integration so only past participants have access. As a Higher Logic client, I think there are many things that can be done with the Higher Logic platform to host successful live events if you already integrate with your AMS/CRM. RegistrationsSetting up event pages with registration is key to successful marketing of your event. You will have certain data points you want to capture. Can the platform you are looking at capture those data points in an easy user experience? I would encourage you to only capture what is necessary. As a user you can get bogged down with extra data points. If you already integrate with the platform, can some of that data be pre-populated to make the registration easier for the user? You don’t want to lose the attendee because they didn’t feel like going through the registration process. Believe me…it happens! Making Recordings AvailableBeing able to use the same website to store the recordings, slides and resources after the event is a huge plus. You can add those to another website, but it makes it much easier for users to be able to go back to the same place to access these things, especially if this is their first experience with your organization. CommunityCan you create an online community for the event? Can attendees discuss the event, before during, and after the event by using an online community space? This allows members to network at their own pace. Especially, if they can only attend the live event partially or have questions before or after. Think through how you want this setup and what the integration looks like with the event platform. Personal NetworkingThere are so many platforms that offer a space within your site for members to connect outside of a session. Icebreaker was one that was featured at an event I attended. It’s great to watch a video and chat, but to have a space to allow more facetime with other attendees is a huge plus. In ClosingI firmly believe this is the “new normal.” In-person events may return next year or the year after, but they will look significantly different. In many industries, individuals will have less finances to attend and in-person training will be the first thing cut from organizational budgets. If we still want to engage members, we need to shift to virtual – and FAST!I’m curious to hear what platforms you are using and what events you are planning. Please share in the comment section or contact me via LinkedIn. If you want a more detailed list of available technology, please check out these resources: CMX has a great guide available here.Slack has a guide here.