Stay Connected: 5 Tips for Hosting a Major Virtual Event

August 30, 2020September 2, 2020 Ali Raza Time to Host, Virtual Event

Has the pandemic put a damper on your event plans for the year? Well, don’t let it ruin them entirely.

Virtual events are a great way to keep people close and share experiences from afar. We are lucky to live in a time when technology is advanced enough to allow us to share in each other’s lives from a safe distance.

If you were hoping to host an event this year, don’t let anything change your mind! Follow these five tips on how to host a virtual event.

1. Make a Plan

Graduating? Getting married? Celebrating a birthday? All of these events are worth celebrating, so now it’s time to make a plan.

Put together a guest list. Guest lists are easy to create for virtual events because you don’t have to stick to a particular number. You don’t need to worry about booking a venue that will hold everyone or about having enough food to feed everyone.

Hosting a wedding? Before making an official plan, you’ll want to consult Dash Of Pride so you don’t miss any virtual wedding musts.

Decide on a theme for your event to create that festive feeling. Guests can log on to the virtual event in style, adding to the excitement of the celebration.

2. Choose the Right Platform

When hosting a virtual event, choosing a platform is similar to choosing a venue for an in-person event.

There are countless platforms available for live streaming events, but a few worth highlighting are Zoom, Google Hangouts, and Facebook.

Zoom allows forty-minute calls with as many as one hundred people for free. You can upgrade the service for more time and to allow for more people. Similarly, Google Hangouts allow groups of up to twenty-five people and doesn’t have a time limit; upgrades are available for this service as well.

Facebook Live allows live streaming only, so if you are sharing a ceremony, for example, you won’t have to deal with distractions of people sending messages or trying to call in.

3. Spread the Word

Make sure your guests know the plan. Send out an email ahead of time informing them of the date and time so they can block it off in their calendars. Just because they don’t need to show up somewhere doesn’t mean they won’t need time to organize their schedules to be present for your event!

A couple of days before the event, it doesn’t hurt to send a follow-up email to remind your guests of the event. Don’t forget to explain how to access the virtual platform to which your event will be broadcast, and send the link.

4. Encourage Participation

If you want interaction during your event, make sure to choose a platform that allows for communication. Zoom, for example, allows participants to speak with each other and send messages.

If you want your guests to be engaged while you host your event online, consider planning a game to play or having a list of conversation starters. This way, there will never be a dull moment.

5. Have a Tech Person on Call

When you’re hosting an event, the last thing you’ll want to do is resolve a technical issue in the middle of your celebration. You should be enjoying the event you worked hard to plan, so make sure to have a designated techie to be in charge of fixing any technical problems that arise.