The Covid-19 pandemic changed many aspects of our working lives, including how companies host and manage events. Instead of booking a meeting space and inviting a set number of attendees, organizers now increasingly use platforms like Zoom to host virtual events.
While remote work was somewhat common pre-pandemic, remote events were only just gaining ground. Will we continue with virtual events after the pandemic subsides? In this article, we’ll look at the pros and cons of virtual events and talk about what we can expect in the future.
The Rise of the Virtual Event
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, events were attended by large numbers of people from a city, region, nation, or beyond. Over the last 18 months or so, large in-person events were rarely possible. But although people couldn’t attend in person, organizers were still eager for events to go ahead. The most obvious solution was to hold virtual events, with attendees logging in via internet-based videoconferencing platforms. The result was a huge surge in virtual events.
For organizational and team leaders, this has presented new opportunities as well as new challenges. The most obvious benefit was that the event could be held in a safe and Covid-compliant manner during a time when restrictions limited how many people could meet together. However, virtual events existed before the Covid-19 pandemic. Let’s see why some organizations chose them.
The Pros and Cons of Virtual Events
As with most business decisions, replacing live events with their virtual versions have advantages and disadvantages.
The Advantages of Virtual Events
The most obvious advantage of virtual events is that they’re less expensive and less time-consuming to organize. This has a trickle-down effect on everyone involved:
- Because there’s no need to rent a space, organizers often have a more flexible budget.
- With more room in the budget, they can hire higher-profile speakers.
- Cost savings can also be passed on to attendees – especially if they do not have to pay for their own transportation, food, and lodging.
- Since events are virtual, they’re more convenient for speakers and attendees. This can mean significant time savings and higher attendance. It can also mean that speakers might reduce their rates.
- Other than technical limitations on the number of virtual attendees – some platforms can host up to 1,000 connections in a single meeting – organizers don’t have to worry about size or space limitations.
- Because there are fewer moving parts, planning a virtual event is faster and less expensive than planning a traditional in-person event.
So, we can sum up the perks of virtual events as convenience, cost-effectiveness, and labor-saving.
What are the downsides of virtual events?
The Disadvantages of Virtual Events
Despite the advantages of virtual events, they have some stark disadvantages:
- Virtual events lack “atmosphere” and “excitement”. Although attendees get to listen to industry leaders, there’s less of a sense of a special occasion. It can feel like just another Zoom meeting.
- There are limited opportunities for interaction. While video conferencing platforms offer some feedback features (like on-screen chats, polls, emojis, etc.) as well as a chance to see and speak to other delegates if the host allows it, it’s not the same as an in-person event.
- For speakers, the lack of tangible feedback from the crowd can be disconcerting.
- For organizers, it may not be easy to gauge whether the event was successful, i.e. whether the attendees connected with the information presented.
A common complaint with videoconferencing is that it just cannot fully replace in-person interactions. This is especially true for conference attendees who want to participate in the program, network with others, or use the event to build new business relationships. So, the disadvantages to virtual events all boil down to a lack of personal interaction.
Will Advances in Videoconferencing Tech Compensate for the Drawbacks?
The lack of atmosphere and engagement in virtual events is something that videoconferencing providers are trying to address. Over the past year, we’ve seen more interaction options slowly make their way into the platform interface. We’ve also seen more virtual event organizers build question-and-answer and meet-and-greet features into their programs. Online groups that center around events are making it easier for people to interact directly with other attendees. Such groups can also help build excitement and buzz in the run-up to a virtual event.
Virtual Events Are Here to Stay
Regardless of what we might think about virtual events, it looks as though they will be with us for the foreseeable future. In a recent poll, 68% of respondents said they intend to continue holding or attending virtual events; 69% said their virtual events are just as productive as the traditional variety.
As precautions are lifted, the popularity of virtual events will be put to the test. How much will the lack of interaction in virtual events lure people back into live events? Will leadership teams continue to prefer the ease and cost-effectiveness of virtual events?
There’s a good chance we’ll see a hybrid solution emerge, with events being held both in-person and virtually. There are benefits to both options. It might even be that advances in virtual reality technology will make virtual events feel more like in-person events – providing that level of excitement and sociability that is currently so low.
One thing we can be quite sure about is that events will continue in one form or another. Exactly which form that will be remains to be seen.
Latest posts by Leo von Bülow-Quirk (see all)
- The Future of Virtual Events - November 2, 2022
