2020 and 2021 are years like no other for holding conferences and events. With the Covid-19 pandemic, it is simply impossible to have conferences traditionally, gathering people from all over the world in hotels and convention centers. Although prospects may improve slightly as the Covid-19 vaccine makes its way across the country, it will likely be many months before we can hold conventions at their former capacity.
Naturally, the solution for all large events is to shift to an online or mostly-online platform. Of course, before the pandemic, coordinators rarely did this on such a large scale. However, now that a year has passed full of trial and error, we have been able to come up with a list of tips and tricks to help you plan your online conference.
Prepare Both Speakers and Audiences for an Online Venue.
Etiquette is different online, and it may be challenging for some people to adapt. The best thing to do is prepare people by letting them know what to expect. Your speakers at the conference may benefit from some tips on how best to present themselves on a screen since it is a new environment for many presenters. Here are some pointers to provide speakers (and maybe even the audience) with to help them look professional:
- Wear basic clothing. Busy or bright patterns will distract the audience when they are trying to watch you on screen.
- Frontal lighting is critical. Shadows can be immensely distracting to viewers and can hide or misconstrue your expressions as you speak. You do not want to have a window or a light behind you, as this will silhouette you.
- Your background should be as plain as possible. A blank wall is ideal, and if you’re using Zoom, you can even put in your own custom background. Zoom has instructions on how to do this. The key is that you don’t have anything distracting in your background that would take attention away from you and what you are saying.
- Get a good shot. It’s important to step back from the camera so you don’t show a distorted perspective to your audience. You also want your shot to be head-on, not coming from above or below.
Make sure both speakers and audience members know what software they need to install long before the conference begins so they can come prepared. This information is good to post on the website and send personally to attendees and participants, so all bases are covered. Ensuring that everyone feels ready is one of the most critical steps to making sure your event goes off without a hitch.
Keep Scheduling Electronic
This is a good tip for any modern conference, whether online or in person. Keeping your calendar online ensures that it is always up to date with the latest information. You can provide a paper calendar to explain what events will be available, but be sure to direct your attendees to the online calendar for updated scheduling. If you intend to have any in-person attendees at all, you can also keep your website up to date with Covid-19 procedures such as temperature checks, testing requirements, and capacity limits. Your website should be the best place for people with questions to get answers, so they don’t have to ask while you’re busy planning.
Make Time for Fun!
There are still plenty of fun activities to be had at a virtual conference. Take a break from the business side of things and make sure you have some fun events planned. There are many entertaining online party games, especially new ones that have come up over the past year. For example, there are companies that offer virtual team-building, trivia, and escape room games specifically designed for these types of events. It is important to make sure there are fun elements to your conference to ensure it is a memorable experience for everyone who attends.
Always Have a Backup Plan
The scary part regarding relying on technology is that sometimes it fails when you need it the most. You should always have experts available who can assist you with your technology and hopefully get it running. Still, if an immediate fix is not available, then you need to make sure you have a backup plan in place. You will want to have an alternative technology for every technology you are using and an alternative activity for every activity that you plan if something does not work. The most frustrating part of virtual events is waiting around for the hosts to fix the technology because they do not have a backup plan. Don’t let your attendees walk away irritated. Show them that you are running a smooth operation by recovering quickly from any hiccups and giving them a meaningful experience.