Virtual events do not have the same confines as a physical event so try to change your thinking around this. This means we can explore alternative programme designs. We have suggested programme templates which are ideally suited for virtual conferences, get in touch if you’d like to know more.
HOWEVER! We recommend that you also consider taking this a step further and break free from what we all recognise as a traditional conference programme and embrace the opportunities that virtual events can offer. The purple section below highlights ways you can do this.
GENERAL ADVICE
- The live Q&A sessions make a ‘live’ event.
- This interaction is invaluable and is the fundamental reason to run an event ‘as live’. If there is no live Q&A then a better option might be to purely offer recorded sessions that people can access at their leisure (“catch-up TV”). A different programme template/structure is available for this format which we can provide upon request.
- Keep your programme to a few hours e.g. 9.30 – 2pm. People do not enjoy sitting at a screen for a full day.
- In reality, a delegate will use the comfort breaks to make a cup of tea, not necessarily to view the exhibition. Long breaks could therefore be unnecessary and make the programme too long. We therefore need to look at ways to guide delegates to the exhibition hall at other times.
- Exhibition hall perusing is more likely to take place at the start and end of the event as people have the time to explore the site. Advertise ‘early access’ to delegates before sessions start so they can familiarise themselves with the site.
- Heavily promote the extended access period (we suggest a min. of 2 weeks but the norm is 1 – 3 months)
- Chairs should use their role to repeatedly encourage delegates, to visit the exhibition hall.
KEEN TO FULLY EMBRACE VIRTUAL EVENTS?
For those that are confident that their audience will fully embrace virtual conference format, here are some additional things you could do really push your event into the virtual realm:
What about starting with some early sessions? No need to consider travel time or coffee breaks. Also, useful if you wish to expand your geographical reach.
For large events, what about multiple half-days spread out over a few weeks, rather than three days in a row?
Think about including a range of session formats; breakouts, dedicated free paper sessions, informal networking, creative workshops. Would your audience appreciate workshops such as mindfulness or yoga?
For multi-stream events, you could shorten sessions and stagger start times so they don’t all start and end at the same point, allowing users to move between sessions independently, personalising their experience.
Re-think how you schedule your popular topics or speakers – perhaps use these as key viewing points and look to retain delegate engagement from there by creating non-linear attendee journeys.