The Raised Stakes for Virtual Events

As of this publication date, approximately 19.21% of the U.S. population has been fully vaccinated from COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University of Medicine’s Coronavirus Resource Center. What does this mean for the meetings and events industry in 2021? Though many would-be attendees miss the professional community and engagement at on-site events, mass in-person gatherings will likely remain few until the world reaches higher COVID-19 vaccination and lower infection rates. Despite “virtual event fatigue,” last year’s increased shift to virtual events has proven to be a viable alternative. According to EXHIBITOR Insight Report, approximately 66% of exhibit managers surveyed predict more hybrid/virtual events as a long-term trade show industry change resulting from COVID-19. How do meeting and event planners cope with the changing role of virtual events in 2021, especially when the near-term possibility of exclusively on-site events without some sort of virtual option is unlikely? Travis Stanton, Editor of EXHIBITOR Magazine, recently interviewed PGi’s Andrew Denlow, Senior Vice President of Webcast and Virtual Events for North America, to get his insights. Here is one of Denlow’s many thought-provoking views: “The nice thing about a virtual event is through polling, Q&A and other engagement methods, you can really tell if somebody is engaged and you'll get better engagement metrics.” Smart audience engagement is critical for event success. Though you may have missed participating in this virtual event live, engage with the on-demand recording. Watch now and prepare for more successful event outcomes later this year and beyond.