Virtual meeting apps seemingly looking like the future recipe for event organizers around the world as Covid-19 offers new reality for the event management industry.
One of the primary objectives for the guests to attend any physical event is to meet new people in their industry and network. But with the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic, hosting physical events seems to be a wish far removed from reality. Since face to face meeting is almost impossible nowadays, so we have to host events virtually. That seems to be the future of keeping the event industry smooth and running.
In our daily routine, we do a lot of stuff virtually. For example, you might start your day by answering to different emails and checking out the Google doc shared by your colleague. Inform your colleague that the sheet that he/she shared is ready. Later in the evening, you might be reporting your daily tasks and achievements to your reporting officer through a virtual meeting app. There are different other tools that you are using in your daily life. But there is only one aspect of business that is untouched and yet to use any virtual platforms, that is the event industry.

The event organizers and attendees are not used to attending a total virtual event. We all are accustomed to the only face to face meeting and the schedule includes boarding a plane for the conference, carry business cards, have a detailed study on the keynote speakers, sessions breakouts, and presenting our products and features in front of probable customers.
Virtual events seem to the only way to sail through the event industry during this COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has taken the world by storm, it had a very serious effect on the event industry, with most of the events either getting canceled or postponed for an indefinite period. So the event industry needs extraordinary measures for both event organizers and software providers.
The good news during this turmoil is that most of the event organizers have started using virtual meeting apps to host virtual events. The most important change is that virtual events are gaining popularity and some of the organizers have already started to believe that it is going to totally replace the in-person events. The main advantage of the process is that any attendee can join from anywhere using any device. So it increases the rate of attendance with the comfort of everyone.
Now, the question is which part of an event to be hosted virtually. A simple one to one discussion session can be managed through a simple virtual streaming platform. But a complex matchmaking event needs an event management software. For instance, a Q&A session can be managed through a robust streaming platform, which allows a specific number of attendees to join at the same time. For more complex meetings or conferences like business matchmaking events, different types of virtual meeting platforms can be used. These applications normally have the same type of features as a complex business matchmaking app and is a great way to foster remote networking.
The virtual meeting app is based on a new concept of networking from home. A virtual event app acts the same as a business matchmaking app giving a chance to communicate between buyers and sellers, start-ups and investors, corporates and MBEs, exhibitors, and attendees. It creates an environment for the guests in creating a group matching by sitting in the comfort of their homes.
There are many advantages to virtual events. For starters, it helps in increasing participation by reducing cost as the event organizer doesn’t need to book any venue. Everything in a virtual meeting is recorded and that can be shared with the attendees at any time. Users also know whom they met, what has been the conversation which can later help them in generating leads. It reduces the cost by cutting down the accommodation cost. Not only that, but it also helps the attendees to interact with each other without spending a single penny on flight fare and hotel charges.
It also helps the speakers, they don’t have a move or bear any extra cost from moving one place to another. They have to be just present in front of the computer/laptop/mobile/tablet on a specified time to interact with the other attendees. It saves time and costs too.
The long list of advantages doesn’t stop here. The most important advantages include broad reach and free recordings. Virtual events don’t have any boundaries. Anybody from any location can join from the comfort of their home through just one click.
Finally, there are some places were hosting an event or even coming from that place to attend any physical event is almost next to impossible. But virtual event solves this problem. You just have to be present in front of any device to attend the event from any place around the globe and under any circumstances.
There are some other reasons which prove that virtual events will rule the event industry in the coming years. First, live streaming is one the rise nowadays as most of us are having smartphones with proper internet connections, and videos are an integral part of our daily life. Communication has become a lot easier nowadays. It is available within a single touch on your mobile phone. Video calls, Facebook live streaming have become an integral part of our daily life. So the event industry won’t stay behind also. The event organizers will realize the benefits and most of the events will be shifting to virtual. Secondly, the benefit of tracking attendee feedback digitally helps in creating personalized follow-up content for the attendees. The organizers will be able to track session wise engagements and it can help in creating materials that can be shared among the attendees. Apart from that, the event organizers will be able to conduct polls, surveys which will help them to measure session wise engagements, which will help them to create related materials later on.
In conclusion, COVID–19 has changed the way of planning and hosting an event. Today, event planners are considering virtual meeting apps to host complex matchmaking events. It is not only helping the organizers to host an event, but also creating an environment which is more interactive and mirror-in person events. That is why most of the event organizers are turning towards virtual meeting software to create networking opportunities for attendees and create a personalized experience for everyone involved.
The Event Industry is going through a revolution with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The event organizers are moving towards virtual events nowadays. It seems that this is the added feature that is going to rule the future of the event industry. And with this, the event tech companies have also started to develop software to help the industry sail through this situation.
Coronavirus outbreak unleashed the new normal on us and virtual meeting apps could end up being one of the tools that event management business owners could be relying on to meet up with the new event industry standards.
Are you into event management? What are the ways Covid-19 had, either positively or negatively, impacted your business? Do you care to share?
It’s indeed interesting to see how the business world changes and adopts communication technology during the pandemic. Only a few months ago a lot of companies have been hesitant to use apps for remote working and virtual meetings regularly, but now some almost seem to have been awoken from a deep slumber. I especially notice it in the university environment currently.
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