Vetting Virtual Event Platforms: The Crucial Questions to Ask Before Making Your Decision
Finding, sourcing, and vetting platforms to determine which is the best for your virtual or hybrid event needs can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Technology has become increasingly integral to events; between the rapid shift to virtual over the past two years and the addition of hybrid event elements, identifying and assessing new technology has become even more critical to a successful event.
While there are many different types of virtual event platforms available, and each can offer its own unique benefits, these are a few of the most sought after features:
The ability to customize the platform with your event branding
The ability to record and store the event content
Dedicated spaces for sponsorship/monetization
Live broadcast capabilities
Varying space types or “venue” types
Aside from the basics, more robust virtual event platforms can not only host the event itself but also support the initial marketing, data collection, lead generation, event follow-up, attendee engagement, and much more.
When selecting a platform to manage your online or virtual event, it’s important to start from the goal of your event and work your way backward to identify all of the key elements your platform will need in order to support your unique event needs. It’s also imperative that you assess each option through the eyes of all the different roles that will be utilizing the technology during your event. Experiencing the platform from the perspectives of an attendee, a speaker, and exhibitors will give you a sense of what the experience will be like for all of those involved in the event and what capabilities your event will require. Without this upfront work, you could end up stuck in a costly contract with a platform that doesn’t meet all your needs.
To begin the vetting process with your potential event tech platform and find a platform that meets your event’s needs, start with this list of questions.
Data Management & Analytics
Does the platform provide any analytics, insight, or metrics?
How do you keep the collected data safe and secure?
What kind of analytics and reporting are included? Is that information available in real-time to provide the ability to make adjustments in the moment or only post-event?
Can you provide sample reports?
You will want readily available data and analytics that will help you make decisions during the event to better optimize the attendee experience and measure the success of your event afterward. Having key metrics that determine the ROI (Return on Investment) and ROE (Return of Engagement) of your event will demonstrate to your stakeholders and superiors that your event is worth the time and effort.
Integration Capabilities
What’s included? For example, does the platform include registration and a payment portal?
What about in-session tools like Q&A, polls/quizzes, live chat feeds, social sharing, or live document collaboration?
If not, does it easily integrate with apps you plan to use alongside your virtual event?
What isn’t included in the base price of the platform? Is there a pricing tier for added capabilities?
If the virtual event planning platform does not include the key features you need, you want to be sure that you can integrate other event management software with the platform. Ideally, you are using one dashboard to manage your entire event.
Live Support, Troubleshooting, and Ease of Use
What production support or services are included in the contract?
What kind of support will be provided leading up to, during, and post-event? Is there 24/7 live support? Chat? FAQs? Other?
What backup plans are in place in case there is an outage or service issue?
What kind of training or onboarding is available to get acquainted with the platform? If more training is needed, is there an additional cost?
You will want to know early on whether you need to hire an expert to spearhead platform management or outsource the management of your virtual event platform to an event production agency if support is not provided. Ideally, the platform should provide a dedicated troubleshooting team to address any technical issues during execution or help with any other problems that pop up. At the least, a platform should offer website chat support and help with onboarding.
Live and On-Demand Content Delivery
How does the tech help with session interaction between speakers and attendees?
Does the platform support broadcasting live?
Whether you are hosting a completely virtual event or a hybrid event, you need to be able to upload pre-recorded content and even schedule it. The ability to upload, schedule, and pre-record content makes life easier not only from the host’s point of view but also as an attendee.
Attendees will love the intimate feel, but it will give the presenter more flexibility in terms of when and how they present. It reduces the number of technical issues that could crop up, and it allows for the session to be scheduled at a reasonable time across a number of time zones.
End-to-End Event Management
Does it have event management features or integrations?
Does it offer different space types to clearly separate session spaces, lobbies, registration, and other dedicated sites?
Is the transition between these digital spaces easily navigated by attendees?
In addition to hosting the virtual event, a good virtual event platform will also help the event organizer manage virtual event production. Event management features can include hosting professional event registration services, email marketing, an integrated mobile event app, or the hosting and building of a professional event website.
If the virtual event planning platform does not have these features included, you want to be sure that you can integrate event management software with the platform. This way, you are using one dashboard to manage your event.
Customization
What opportunities are there to integrate my branding or other design elements?
Customization enables effective branding, marketing, and audience engagement. These are all critical to the success of your event as well as generating ROI for the event organizer.
Is it Time to Hire Out Your Virtual Event Management?
The team at Kennedy Events knows their way around the virtual realm. We’ll work with you to navigate the virtual event platform choices and ensure that your event has everything it needs for success. Schedule some time with us to learn how we can bring our expertise to your next virtual—or live, in-person—event while keeping your attendees engaged and entertained.
PAIGE BUCK
Paige Buck is the co-owner of Kennedy Events, a large-scale event management company based in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York City. Our team creates stress-free conferences and events with a positive impact, which allows our clients to resonate with their audience. Kennedy Events specializes in producing flawless product launches, award ceremonies, fundraisers, and multi-day conferences while keeping our eye on retention and engagement goals.
About Kennedy Events
Kennedy Events began with one goal in mind—to produce high-level corporate events with just as much strategy as style. Maggie founded the company in 2000, found her match in Paige, and in 2011 the two became official partners. Since then, these two resourceful and brilliant creatives have pooled their strengths to build one one of the most the most sought after corporate event companies in San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles.
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