7 Types of Virtual Events You Can Launch This Year

How To Make Your Next Big Event Happen This Year?

As companies continue to think about how they can educate their employees and online compliance training, virtual events remain a staple in the corporate world. Virtual events are online seminars, meetings, and eLearning courses where attendees engage online instead of in-person. 

These types of online events are a perfect way to host presentations and other training courses. It’s important to remember the main types of virtual events like: 

1. Employee Training

2. Online Professional Development Workshop

3. Virtual Product Launches

4. Live Podcasts

5. Online Fireside Chats & Town Halls

6. Virtual Networking Events

7. Hybrid Events

Between social distancing guidelines, travel restrictions, and audience preferences, it can be challenging to host well-attended events. Virtual events are online versions of the in-person events you typically organize, with your virtual event platform’s added value. 

Virtual events are an excellent way to connect audiences globally using a virtual experience and engaging digital content. These online events offer many of the benefits experienced by in-person events. Still, they also save you time, money and allow you to reach a wider audience than ever before. 

Let’s take a look at seven types of virtual events that will make your event the talk of your industry. 

Virtual Event Ideas For Your Next Online Event

There are many different ways to organize your online event to attract and engage your target audience. 

Virtual conferences or virtual trade shows often combine multiple online events into a multi-day format. At the same time, other companies opt to host micro-events more frequently for professional development or employee events.

Here are the most in-demand virtual events that will provide your audience with all the perks from the comfort of their home. 

1. Employee Training

It’s often difficult to organize training for new hires. You have to organize someone from each department to present or introduce their topic, coordinate all calendars, and keep tabs on which sessions have been attended by whom.

How can you achieve this when your company is scattered across the country?

Virtual events make employee training simple. Turn your training content into a virtual training experience, so your training sessions can be accessed wherever and whenever. 

This works out well because facilitators can record their presentations once and upload them to your virtual event platform. The content can be accessed OnDemand as often as necessary and will remain available until you close it.

The beauty of using a virtual event for your training and onboarding is that you can use your event platform as a central location for sending reminder emails, administering follow-up surveys, and providing PDFs of important company policies and procedures.

2. Online Professional Development Workshop

Virtual professional development worships offer professional development with increased networking opportunities. 

By holding your workshop online, you can include a Q&A session that allows attendees to ask questions before or during the event. This means that your attendees will have OnDemand access to speakers and other content to improve learning and compliance. 

Your virtual event platform should offer an option to share media files, such as PowerPoint presentations, PDFs, and video recordings, that attendees can access during or after the professional development session. 

This allows them to be fully present during your event rather than scrambling to take notes and pictures of your presentation. 

3. Virtual Product Launches

If you are struggling to think of an innovative and exciting way to launch your brand’s latest product, then look no further because virtual product launches are convenient and powerful choices for any business.

If the product has an element of secrecy, play into the mystery and host an online reveal by posting a new detail periodically, leaving it up to your big reveal. This type of approach can make your virtual product launch even more impactful and set a memory your attendees will remember for years to come. 

If you want to make the most of your virtual product launch, then you’ll need a virtual event platform to host panel discussions with key figures in your brand, giveaways, and special offers that will attract sales.

4. Live Podcasts

Nowadays, many people find themselves spending more time at home, craving a new form of entertainment. Podcasts are all the rage because they are easy to access as listeners participate in a wide range of activities throughout the day. 

You can simulate the same atmosphere with a live podcast-style segment where live panel discussions, audiences enjoy the natural banter and thought process from listening to industry experts discuss important topics. To pull this off, you will need to utilize your virtual event platform’s messaging features to allow for live Q&A opportunities and moderation tools to keep the conversation moving in the right direction. 

5. Online Fireside Chats & Town Halls

Perfect for CEOs and VPs who want a heart-to-heart with their employees, fireside chats offer access to industry stakeholders that in-person events can’t facilitate. 

You can pre-record your fireside chat or live stream it through a webcast on your virtual event platform. Live streaming your conversation allows you to utilize your virtual event platforms, video messaging, or live chat feature to have virtual attendees send questions answered by the host. 

Town halls are communal events where attendees generate all questions on the spot, and due to their open format, they are another excellent way to increase engagement.

6. Virtual Networking Events

No matter what event format you choose, you can offer attendee networking opportunities to make your virtual events more successful than ever! Offering virtual networking events shows your employees and attendees that you care about them and their professional relationships. 

Here are some ideas for your virtual networking event that will increase engagement: 

• Augmented Reality: Use AR to set up friendly competitions and encourage fun interactions. 

• Virtual Coffee: Have attendees BYOB as they chat in a laid-back virtual setting. 

• Gamification: Organize at-home or event webpage scavenger hunts to keep guests having fun. 

• Social Media Networking: Use Facebook or LinkedIn profiles to help participants network and connect in a lasting way. 

7. Hybrid Events

Hybrid events are an opportunity to provide a sense of normalcy while offering an at-home, virtual option to those who still desire one. 

Hybrid events offer some live events while utilizing an online event platform to provide virtual events and content. Participants can choose how and when they join. Your hybrid event platform will help you provide online content while you focus on in-person event details. 

Use Different Types Of Virtual Events To Increase Brand Exposure Today

No matter what virtual event format you choose, you need the most up-to-date and reliable virtual event platform to ensure your event attendees have a smooth virtual experience.

BeaconLive offers cloud-based solutions to your virtual event needs, which means no plug-ins, extensions, or downloads to contend with. 

We offer in-house event services and technical support for a seamless, professionally managed event that provides an opportunity for meaningful professional connections and a successful virtual or hybrid event experience.