The Ultimate Guide to Digital and Hybrid Event Platforms
Virtual events have evolved from a temporary solution to a permanent fixture in modern event strategies. What began as a response to physical constraints has become a deliberate move towards greater scalability, sustainability, and flexibility. They allow you to reach audiences regardless of location, conserve resources, and craft experiences in innovative ways - whether as standalone online formats or as part of hybrid events. To ensure your virtual event not only functions but also captivates, you need the appropriate tools.
What Types Of Online Events Can I Use Digital Platforms For?
You can use modern digital platforms for a wide range of event formats, including:
- Digital and Hybrid Conferences: Set up an event that is entirely online or arrange a hybrid digi-physical event.
- Online and Hybrid Trade Shows: Provide digital exhibitions and virtual networking.
- Workshops and Webinars: Host online, hybrid or physical workshops and webinars.
- Presentations: Livestreams, keynote presentations, and online educational or sales presentations.
Key Features of a Virtual Event Platform
With InvitePeople, you can create a custom designed web site and let participants register and invite them to the event’s own digital platform. Participants, exhibitors, partners and sponsors can easily exchange contact information and book video conferences and virtual meetings online.
Design and Customization
BigMarker is the most customizable virtual events platform, providing the highest level of customization in the industry. You can design every aspect of the live experience from how panel discussions look, to Interactive Q&A sessions, to call to actions. You can also completely customize the look and feel of your lobby with custom 2D and 3D options available to welcome your audience with an immersive experience.
Registration and Check-In
Registration is built into your event site, with conversion-optimized sales and checkout pages built-in. Choose the types of passes you want to offer, and which modules and tracks each pass has access to. For a seamless experience, you can send attendees through a customizable sequence of check-in pages where they can build their event badge and choose agenda sessions to enroll in.
Engagement and Networking Features
The core of a successful event is the Audience Experience. In the digital platform, participants can:
- Follow real-time seminars and lectures or watch already broadcasted content.
- Interact with lecturers and submit questions, participate in surveys and more.
- Chat with other participants and make new contacts.
- Book video conferences with other participants, individually or in groups.
- Engage with gamification and interactive social media connections.
Furthermore, BigMarker's proprietary AI-driven Networking Center provides a tailored networking experience by making connection recommendations based on interests and professional profiles. By connecting attendees with the people they are most interested in networking with, you can make attending your event more valuable.
Top Tools for Virtual Events
To implement digital events efficiently, target-oriented, and professionally, consider the following integrated tools:
- Sweap: A user-friendly all-in-one solution that brings together livestreams, breakout sessions, and interactive modules in one centralized platform.
- Contentflow: A professional live streaming platform that enables high-quality video transmissions for virtual and hybrid events.
- Slido: An interactive Q&A and polling tool that allows participants to actively engage and vote during sessions.
- Zapier: A tool to connect your event management software with over 5,000 other web services, automating your daily tasks and creating workflows.
Sponsorship and Lead Generation
The Expo Hall is where sponsors showcase products, services, and thought leadership. BigMarker's Expo Hall structure allows you to easily offer different sponsorship tiers. Within expo booths, exhibitors have the ability to generate leads through activation forms, while organizers can retrieve leads from the digital exhibition for each seminar.
