Virtual events are digital gatherings where attendees experience an event's content online rather than in person. Through virtual events, planners can reach wider audiences for a lower price. 

What is a Virtual Event?

Odds are you’ve attended a webinar online, watched an on-demand workout class, or joined a meeting using a video conferencing tool. You might even have attended a conference from the comfort of your desk. These are all examples of virtual events. A virtual event is one where individuals experience the event and its content online rather than gathering in person

1. Webinars

Webinars typically last somewhere from 30 to up to 80 minutes. The advantage of hosting webinars is that they allow attendees from around the world to join in and listen as one or more speakers present the content. Companies can charge attendees to join webinars using online payment services, or they can be offered for free. Webinars typically use video conferencing tools that allow Q&A, the ability to present live or a pre-recorded video, and are offered as on-demand after the fact. Due to their one-off educational nature, webinars have thrived with 100% virtual attendance. These can also include internal and external training.

2. Virtual Conferences

Much like in-person conferences, virtual conferences are built around a live, complex agenda that includes keynotes, sessions, breakouts, and more. Virtual conferences include multi-session content and can involve community engagement tools. While not as effective in terms of lead capture and networking as an in-person event, virtual conference management tools allow attendees to view keynotes in real-time, build their own agenda from relevant, on-demand content, and interact with other attendees.

3. Internal Hybrid Events

These are virtual town halls, sales kickoffs, companywide events, trainings, department meetings, and more. For organizations that span countries, even continents, internal hybrid events are used to share a message to the entire company when employees are not all gathered in the same place. While it would be great to fly every employee to your organization’s headquarters, it would be incredibly costly, and the scheduling required would be time-consuming. The next best option is to host events that are part in-person, part virtual. Virtual team-building activities can work well at internal hybrid events. 

4. External Hybrid Events

These events are held for those outside of your organization. They can be user conferences or industry conferences. These events require higher levels of video production so that virtual attendees are provided with a quality similar to that of in-person attendees. These events allow attendees who are unable to travel to the event to participate and learn. It is challenging to provide the same value at external hybrid events, as in-person attendees can network more freely and engage easily with content than those attending virtually.

5. Virtual Exhibitions 

Putting aside the fact that many may have felt forced into trying this new way of approaching events, there’s a whole host of fantastic benefits for everyone involved, and plenty of ways that virtual exhibitions can provide an enhanced experience for both your audience and for you as marketers or event organizers. As is the case with other virtual events, your ability to attract a wider audience via digital has become very popular worldwide. 

6. Virtual Seminars 

These events have typically been used to showcase product offerings in intimate settings like restaurants and in person. The digital boom has (with the right technology powering them) brought these types of marketing/sales events online, bringing with them a similar level of engagement if planned properly. 

7. Virtual Trade Shows 

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