Online Business Tips: Top 7 Hosting Platforms for Your Virtual Event
If you’re a business owner looking to market your brand, products, or services through a virtual event, but have no idea how to go about the setup, deciding on the hosting platform is a good point to start.
In an article published in 2020, Forbes writes about how the virtual events industry experienced a 1000% surge due to the COVID-19 pandemic happening, which effectively enabled the boom of business webinars and online conferences. In this article, we’ll help you navigate the basics in choosing a hosting platform for your business’ virtual event.
Virtual Events for Business is an Effective Solution
The past couple of years were tough for many businesses around the world. With the pandemic raging across nations, many companies were forced to close their doors, while others struggled to stay afloat. In such uncertain times, it's more important than ever to find new and innovative ways to reach customers and stay connected with employees. This is where virtual events, and its prevalence today, come in.
Virtual events are becoming increasingly popular with organizations and businesses of all sizes as they provide a cost-effective and convenient way to connect with customers and employees. In fact, the popularity of virtual events has skyrocketed in recent years, with the global market for virtual events expected to reach $617.33 billion by 2030 – strong enough for a growth rate of more than 20 percent.
There are many reasons businesses are turning to virtual events, but one of the most important is that they provide a safe and socially distanced way to connect. With virtual events, businesses can continue to operate and even thrive in challenging times.
The Advantages of Running Virtual Events for a Business
Why is organizing a virtual event so popular? It’s because there are many advantages to running virtual events for a business. Given how every business has unique problems, needs, and struggles, choosing to run virtual events provides a targeted solution that offers different advantages.
First, they provide a cost-effective way to reach customers and employees. Virtual events can be run on a variety of platforms, including webinars, webcasts, and live streaming sites. This means businesses of all sizes can find a platform that suits their needs and budget, allowing them to stay competitive through different digital marketing strategies.
With a virtual event, businesses can reach a much wider audience than they would with a traditional, in-person event. This is due to the fact that people can attend from anywhere in the world, regardless of geographical location.
Second, virtual events are convenient and easy to set up. With the right platform, businesses can quickly create and launch an event with little to no upfront costs. This is a major advantage for businesses that are time-strapped or have limited resources. This makes virtual events typically much less expensive to produce than their traditional counterparts – all because there is no need to rent physical space or hire on-site personnel.
Third, virtual events are flexible and can be tailored to any business need. From product launches and training sessions to customer webinars and company-wide town halls, there are endless possibilities for what businesses can accomplish with virtual events. Virtual events offer businesses a high degree of flexibility when it comes to planning and execution. For example, they can be easily rescheduled or cancelled if necessary without incurring significant costs.
Fourth, virtual events provide businesses with valuable data and insights. With the right platform, businesses can track who attends their event, how long they stay, and what actions they take. This valuable data can be used to improve future events and better understand the needs of customers and employees.
Finally, virtual events provide a safe and socially distant way to connect with customers and employees. In the age of the coronavirus, this is quite the boon.
While it can seem impersonal, virtual events — when done right — tend to be more engaging than traditional ones, as the right online platform creates a space that promotes greater interactivity and involvement from attendees. This allows businesses to build stronger relationships with their customers.
Virtual events are highly convenient for both businesses and attendees. Businesses can save time and money on travel, while attendees can enjoy the convenience of attending from the comfort of their own homes.
The global pandemic has pushed many businesses to adopt digital solutions like virtual events, and it is clear that this trend is here to stay. Virtual events offer a number of advantages that make them an attractive option for businesses of all sizes.
Best Hosting Platforms for Your Online Business' Virtual Events
Virtual events offer a cost-effective, convenient, and safe way for businesses to connect with customers and employees. And there are many different platforms available for hosting virtual events, each with its own unique advantages:
- Zoho Meeting is a video conferencing platform that offers high-quality HD video and audio, making it ideal for virtual events. It also has a range of features that make it easy to use, including screen sharing, recording, and chat.
- BigMarker is a webinar platform that makes it easy to host virtual events with up to 10,000 attendees. It offers features such as automation, on-demand or evergreen hosting, live streaming, chat, and polling, making it interactive and engaging.
- Remo is a virtual event platform that creates an immersive experience for attendees. It uses avatar technology to create a 3D environment that attendees can explore, making it fun and interactive. It’s the hosting platform if your business wants to “humanize the online experience,” as they say.
- Twitch is a live streaming platform that is popular with gamers. However, it can also be used to host virtual events. It offers features such as chat and broadcasting, making it easy to connect with audiences. For businesses looking to immerse their brand in a fast-paced platform when it comes to virtual events, Twitch might be for you.
- Facebook Live is a live streaming service that is built into the Facebook platform. It is easy to use and offers a wide reach, making it ideal for virtual events. Businesses on Facebook can either be on their mobile phone or desktop to run a virtual event.
- Zoom is a service that offers high quality video and audio, making it ideal for virtual events. It also has a number of features that make it easy to use, including screen sharing, recording, and chat.
- Microsoft Teams is a collaboration platform that offers many features for online meetings and events, including live streaming, chat, and file sharing.
Each of these platforms offer its own unique advantages that make it well-suited for hosting virtual events. Businesses should consider their needs and choose a platform that best meets their requirements.
The YouTube Channel, Purple Patch, discusses and compares the best platforms for hosting virtual events.
Consider the Needs of Your Virtual Event When Choosing a Hosting Platform
Digital transformation marks the pivot of a business towards addressing their online consumers. So, when choosing a hosting platform for your virtual event, considering the needs of your audience and your business can help your business reap the most benefits.
There are many different factors to take into account, such as the size of your event, the level of interactivity you want to achieve, and the budget you have available:
- Size of event. If you are hosting a small virtual event, you may not need all the features that a larger event would require. For example, a smaller event may not need live streaming capabilities. For a range of at least five to 10 people, or even up to 50 online guests, you can use a platform like Zoho Meeting which is known for its reliability. If you have online guests of around 100 up, then you'll need to scale up to something like BigMarker. If you have a thousand online audience, you can use platforms like Twitch or Facebook Live.
- Level of interactivity. If you want to create a highly interactive virtual event, you will need a platform that offers features such as chat, polling, and screen sharing. But if you need interactive functions, the most recommended platform is Twitch, because it is popular for allowing users to engage large audiences at once.
- Budget. The cost of the platform you choose will depend on the features you require and the size of your event. For example, a small event may not need all the features of a larger event, so you can save on costs by choosing a less feature-rich platform. Remember that using the right technology can mean a world of success, or a complete flop for your business, so choose wisely.
Considering the needs of your audience and your business, choosing a hosting platform that is well-suited for your virtual event becomes easier. As a business owner, hosting a virtual event can be a great way to connect with your audience and promote your brand. Choose the right hosting platform and increase the chances that your virtual event is a success.
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