Virtual Event Platforms: Plan Immersive Events
Whether you are moving a traditionally in-person event online or leveraging virtual events as a regular part of your marketing strategy, a virtual event platform can help you simplify the experience. Additionally, brand and event managers are discovering that modern virtual event platforms can transform a run-of-the-mill online conference into an immersive and engaging virtual or hybrid event experience.
What is a virtual event platform?
A virtual event platform provides all the tools event organizers need to successfully host, market, and report on your digital or hybrid events; whether it’s a single experience or a recurring series. While many solutions, including standalone video and webinar tools, offer limited event capabilities, a virtual events platform provides you with more robust functionality to support multi-day and multi-session events. Hosting user conferences, customer summits, trade shows, and sales kickoffs, to name a few, can include more attendee interaction with a virtual Expo Floor and individual session chat.
What to look for in a virtual events platform
Any virtual event platform must have reliable video functionality that you can trust will work on the day of your event. A quality virtual event platform also makes it easy for speakers, panelists, and event attendees to register, join, and participate.
Additionally, event organizers can successfully host their unique virtual events when they have flexible scheduling options, large-conference support, breakout rooms, comprehensive reporting, customizable ticketing and registration, interactive chat capabilities, and live event support.
How much does a virtual event platform cost?
Virtual event platform pricing will vary depending on your specific needs, but you don’t want to pay for a robust, expensive solution if you don’t need all the bells and whistles that come with it.
Many event management platforms take into consideration the number of attendees, number of events, number of features and add-ons, support tier, and platform training. Costs for an online event platform, for instance, will typically be lower if you only want to host a few smaller events a year with limited guests, versus hosting larger events that require more attendee capacity and additional event management capabilities.
Ultimately, the cost you pay for any virtual event platform should adequately reflect your needs and the value you’re getting from your investment. That’s why Zoom Events pricing is simple and transparent. It’s based on the number of event attendees per event and does not restrict the number of events or event hubs you can have.
What is the best virtual event platform?
The best virtual event platform is one that will meet your needs, no matter the event size. Whether you’re hosting external events or internal sessions like all-hands and company training, you should choose a virtual event solution that will have the capabilities you need built right into the platform.
The best virtual conference platforms simplify virtual event management when they offer things like:
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Branded event hubs
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Customizable ticketing and registration
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Support for multi-session events
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The flexibility to host free or paid and public or private events
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Chat lobbies for attendee networking, both inside and outside a session
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Robust support packages with day-of professional event help
A high-quality virtual event platform also shouldn’t be so complex that it takes a lot of time to ramp up and start hosting events.
What's the difference between virtual events and webinars?
How do you know whether you need virtual event management software, or if something like a webinar solution will be adequate? That depends on the type of event you’re offering.
A webinar solution is great for single-session public events with large audiences that you may not know and where attendees can view, listen, and use the Q&A feature without appearing on camera. Examples include a city council meeting, a large lecture, or training.
Consider a virtual event platform for managing and housing multi-session events in one place, and when you want to have individual ticketing. A virtual event platform is ideal for virtual user conferences, all-hands meetings, employee resource group events, and many more interactive virtual experiences.
Deliver your virtual events with confidence
Zoom Events is a comprehensive event management software that simplifies how you host, market, and report on your virtual and hybrid events. Zoom Events also offers capabilities for hosting large conferences over multiple days.
Host multi-track and multi-day events
With support for hosting concurrent sessions, easily schedule and manage virtual events that span up to five days and various content tracks for all of your audiences.
Customize virtual event ticketing and registration
Flexibly host free and paid virtual events with Zoom Events’ customizable registration and built-in ticketing options, which also support group purchases, gifts, and donations. Additionally, ticket links are unique to each attendee, so only invited guests can join and participate.
Create your own branded event hubs
Create public and private hubs for all of your organization’s events, so you have a dedicated space to more easily manage your events, share customized URLs with attendees, and post recordings after each event.
Connect event attendees in engaging ways
The Zoom Events solution is designed to promote attendee networking and participation with features like in-lobby chat, the Expo Floor, and individual session chat.
Insightful virtual event analytics
Comprehensive analytics will help you understand your event performance and improve your future virtual events. Simply log in to the Zoom Events dashboard to track event registration, attendance, ticket sales, revenue, and more.
Get professional support when you need it
Get expert support from Zoom’s Event Services Team, which can help you plan, support, and produce the best virtual, live, and hybrid events on Zoom. Learn more about Zoom Event Services.
Get started with Zoom Events
To get started hosting your next virtual event, purchase your Zoom Events license, then visit events.zoom.us to sign into your account. Once you’re logged in, you can begin setting up your hub under the Manage tab, and then get started building your first Event, Summit, or Conference using the Create tab.