Digital events as an alternative event format

How digital events are changing the event industry

The event industry is currently in an exceptional situation: the Corona pandemic has resulted in a ban on events. In order to interrupt the infection chain and slow down the exponential increase in infections, countless events are postponed or canceled.

This is important and correct and yet a serious economic problem for the industry. Alternative formats are therefore all the more important so as not to come to a complete standstill. prowess digital events be a solution here? ‍

Stay in touch

‍Events are platforms that bring people together. Here, innovations are presented, networks are maintained, trends developed and knowledge is shared. If no events take place, an empty space is created. That is why the questions are now also: Are there alternatives to personal encounters? Can planned events be transformed into other formats? Thanks to digitalization and new technologies, can we also turn analog events into digital events? And above all: How do we stay in touch with each other?

The good news is that the industry is prepared and isn't starting from scratch. Digitalization is a well-founded and sustainable trend in the event business. As early as 2017, 75% of organizers confirmed in a Xing study that digitization entails an optimization of their event management processes. Even though we rarely organize purely digital events, numerous tools that we use to organize events are now digital: Digital participant management makes it easier to manage guests, digital ticketing gives participants maximum flexibility, event apps help visitors plan and orient themselves. In addition, live broadcasts expand the reach of messages and deepen webinar knowledge without location ties.

Until now, such tools have been components with which we accompany and support analog events. In times like these, they can compensate and form the infrastructure for digital events and alternative formats. AirLST provides a Platform solution for virtual events with extensive functions and has its service for digital events expanded.

Of course, such a transfer to the digital space is not suitable for every event format, but events that focus on information and network in particular have an advantage here. Joint exchange in the foreground. Events such as employee training, workshops or panel talks can therefore be moved relatively easily into the virtual space. What does that look like? What funds are needed for digital events?

Requirements

• A functioning structure for clear email communication
• A landing page to provide information in a structured way
• Moderated social media channels
• Provision of video material
• A survey tool that can be used to obtain sentiment images
• Communication tools with chat and video conferencing features

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What could digital events and event alternatives look like?

Case 1: Digital employee training

‍On a landing page, you present the content and objectives of the course and enable registration for the course. As soon as your participants have signed up, they will receive their course material via email. Additional videos can be made available via the landing page and use a survey tool to query sentiment and new knowledge. In addition, discussion groups can be created on your social media channels, which allow participants to exchange ideas directly with each other. That's how quickly your employee training courses become digital events.

Case 2: The live stream

‍Have you been able to attract top-class experts to a panel discussion and now the event is cancelled? Move the discussion to a virtual room, let the round be discussed and stream the discussion live as a digital event for your participants via Facebook, YouTube, your own website or other platforms. Invite your participants to digital events and ensure easy access. Chat functions allow experts to exchange ideas and ask questions. Live streams are digital events par excellence.

Case 3: Email communication

‍So easy and so proven. You can address each addressee personally in an e-mail. Continuous communication and transparency are essential, even though it is still unclear what will happen next. Depending on the format of the event, you can also convey your content in this way. Email communication allows you to stay in touch and share your messages quickly and easily. You have a direct connection to your participants and can react flexibly to questions and changes in the situation.

Conclusion about digital events

‍Even though the atmosphere of a live event and personal contact are unique, digital technologies can help us to cope with the current situation. For a — hopefully short — period of time, events will move to the digital space and will be able to innovate here, so that we can expect an even stronger fusion of analog and digital in the event industry in the future. Digital events and alternative communication strategies can now ensure continuous contact, which we can build on analogously as soon as the situation allows it again.