Intelligent CXO Issue 01 | Page 37

INDUSTRY UNLOCKED

The value of virtual

We would all love to believe that come the summer , our lives will go back to pre-COVID ways , with us heading straight back to live events , conferences , packed sports games and full arena shows . In reality , this past year has fundamentally and permanently changed the way events will run . Jake Ward , Business Development Manager at Groovy Gecko , web streaming and webcasting specialists , talks about the impact and value that virtual events can bring to brands , sponsors and audiences , and why brands will have more success with their physical events by using a hybrid model .

The pandemic forced businesses to engage their audiences , who have been confined to their homes for months on end , in new ways . As the pandemic lengthened , Groovy Gecko felt the pressure to help their clients stay front of mind and relevant in a rapidly changing world , and this is where our expertise in virtual events took centre stage .

It ’ s no secret that there has been much debate over the last year about the value of in-person events versus online as the world adjusted to online meetings , events and entertainment . This ‘ new normal ’ has not only demonstrated the huge opportunities that live streaming and virtual can create for brands , but also what happens to those who choose not to adapt .
Lots of the approaches being used are not entirely new . Groovy Gecko has been in the industry for over 20 years but there is no doubt the current conditions have accelerated the uptake of virtual experiences . Over the past 12 months , we ’ ve seen a marked increase in the perceived value of virtual , enabling traditional in-person events to succeed online . Even when travel restrictions and social distancing are no longer , intelligent brands will need to adopt a hybrid physical and online events model to deliver maximum impact .
There is no doubt that in-person events will always have their place , but now is the time , as lockdowns begin to ease , for organisations to consider hybrid models . The majority of event organisers we work with won ’ t be going back to solely physical events . Why ? Because we ’ re solving many of the problems that come with both physical and virtual events and delivering cohesive and interactive events for both the real world and online audience .
Below are some of the key benefits that virtual provides to businesses and brands .
Breaking down barriers
By offering an online element to your event or conference , you are making it accessible for those with both distance and physical limitations . Most events have a geographically diverse audience even if only appealing to those in the UK , so it is likely they will need to travel further to attend physical events – creating a barrier to participation . By offering a virtual option to your conference , you ’ re also making the content accessible to anyone who may have health conditions , for whom a two-day physical conference is too exhausting .
Virtual content lends itself well to engaging with those who speak other languages . Multi-language and sign language interpretation is cheaper to do virtually with remote translators , making content
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