Types of Virtual Events

Virtual events are basically events that are held via the internet. It can be a conference, product launch, trade show, or any other type of event done online. Due to the effect of covid 19, virtual events are now on the increase. Companies and organizations are left with no other option than to host their events online as physical events are greatly discouraged.

Here are some of the most common types of virtual events.

Webinars And Tutorials

This is one of the most popular types of virtual events held recently. A webinar is coined from a seminar conducted via the internet. It’s a type of virtual event in which lectures, workshop tutorials, or high relevant information are shared or delivered online with both the speaker and audience participating through text-based chat, file sharing, or voice video. A webinar is usually not an interactive type of virtual event, and it, therefore, has a wider audience reach. However, the video and audio of the lecture are made available and can be downloaded and saved for later use. Questions can be asked over chat or audio, and the speaker answers directly.

Webcast

A webcast is an online broadcast in which the speaker shares or broadcasts media presentations online either live or on-demand through streaming technology. It is usually done by a single host or speaker and then delivered to the whole audience at once. It can be embedded into other sites, live-streamed on different channels, or made into a podcast. A webcast is a recorded event and can therefore be used for events with a larger audience where there is little or no interaction between the host and the audience.

Virtual Product Launch And Trade Shows

This virtual event enables you to launch and extend the uncovering of your new product, goods, or service to a larger audience – both local and international. Big organizations or companies take advantage of the ease of hosting an online product launch across many locations at the same time. Plus, this can be done cost-effectively compared to physical events. These types of events are usually handled by virtual event management.

Ask me anything

This is majorly a question and answers session. In this type of event, an expert or guest speaker is invited, and the attendees ask numerous questions – either about the guest speaker, in the case of a celebrity or high profiled person, or about a certain topic, in the case of expertise in the field being invited. The questions are answered by the speaker in real-time and also some pre-submitted questions. This type of event is always very engaging and lively.

Virtual meetups

When two or more people meet online and interact with each other, it is called a virtual meeting. It could be a corporate meeting, sales review meeting, project team meeting, internal review meeting, or any other type of meeting which could otherwise be held physically. These individuals or groups of people communicate and share their experience, insight, views about certain issues, just learned knowledge, and/or other things within themselves. Usually, access to such meetings is strictly by invitation.

Live Streaming

Live Streaming is a great way to turn your live events into virtual ones in a way that the audience feels like they are present. It is simply creating a hybrid live and virtual event. The events are live-streamed as they happen which makes the experience an exciting and fun-filled one. It can be distributed and downloaded as well as shared across different platforms.

Any physical event, be it promotional launches or announcements, external summit or exhibition, trade shows, parties, etc can be live-streamed for anyone online to enjoy.

Podcasts and online radio
Podcasts and internet online radio are “audio-only” versions of a live event. In the situation where you are unable to make or produce visual content or you want to make your live event available across different platforms and in different formats online, then you should consider internet radio streams or podcasts.

Unlike podcasts, live internet radio streams can not be replayed or paused, but they can be played and listened to anywhere in the world. A webinar or webcast can be made into a podcast which can then be downloaded and listened to by anyone at any time.

Virtual events are an online replica of physical events, therefore any event which can be done offline can as well be transformed and held online. This article is to give you an insight into the various types of virtual events there are, and how they are done. We hope it was helpful.