Pivoting & running virtual events in a pandemic

If 2020 has shown us anything it’s that any agency can now run their own virtual events. During a recent session with The Agency Collective, 23 Digital’s Marc Convey and James Beer took us through their experience of pivoting to online events – which has become so successful for the agency that it’s now become a revenue stream in its own right.

Check out their top tips below on how to get started with your own virtual events – and members of The Agency Collective can watch the session again over on our content library, TAC101. 

1. Download Zoom (or similar platform) and get comfortable with the software.
2. Set up an interesting background – viewers will get bored of a plain white wall.
3. Make use of natural light if you have it, and front light yourself rather than have a bright background. 
4. Make sure your laptop has a decent built in webcam and audio.
5. If you want to up your game, put together an amazon wishlist for yourself and/or your guest speakers. Take a look at the wishlist James set up here for a suitable starter kit.
6. Create pre-event content to promote your event whether that be filming yourself or making graphics always helps.
7. Get comfortable in front of the screen and keep it positive. Remember to smile.
8. Choose the right platform for the event. If you are just showing presentations then Zoom is fine but if you’re playing out lots of pre-recorded video content then it needs to be another platform like Konf.

Here are also some handy resources:

• GoToMeeting
• Crowdcast
• Bluejeans – specialise in working with large facebook live streams
• Ivent
• Hopin does it all. Build a whole event around this one platform.
• Vimeo Live stream – good for monetising