Virtual fairs and exhibitions are some of the latest attractions happening in 2021. With these events and shows happening online, their success depends on the virtual platform and features you decide on.
Although the virtual stage was imposed on us by the hard times of the pandemic today, it seems like an opportunity. Several event planners have been highly creative and thoughtful while planning virtual events in recent times. Today, with a reliable Internet connection and the right technology you can deliver immersive 3D event experiences.
For a successful virtual fair, it’s the key features that make the event unique and remarkable. Here are some of the most important features that we have discussed below;
User-friendly Interface:
A virtual platform is a replica of a physical environment. During virtual trade shows, exhibitions, expos, fairs, and other online events, attendees have most of their experiences of the platform itself. Hence, it is vital to keep the platform navigation super simple. The different virtual spaces like a networking lounge, a virtual lobby, a conventional hall, or an auditorium should be titled and clickable. It is an effective strategy to create a unique virtual event experience.
Multi-device Compatibility:
While selecting an all-in-one virtual event platform, make sure the check the device compatibility. With such a large number of attendees, people might be visiting the event either from their laptops, tablets, or mobiles. Make sure that the virtual event platform is accessible from all these devices. Also, check for the software compatibility, the virtual fair should be accessible on both Android and iOS platforms.
Customizable Landing Page:
The landing page provides the first glimpse to the attendees regarding the virtual fair. So, try to make it quite attractive in terms of content and visuals. Use eye-catching imagery, visuals, and clips of renowned speakers to draw more registrations. A platform that allows you to customizable the landing page based on the business needs makes it easier to deliver the purpose of the event rightly to the audience.
Customizable Virtual Booths:
Exhibitors’ booths are the key points of any virtual job fair or career fair. These booths are represented by recruiters or sponsors who expect a lead from virtual events. You can choose to keep a customized template for these booths. Also, with online events, you can add your brand colors, logo, and content exceptionally to attract more individuals. Employers and exhibitors can also integrate PDFs, documents, videos, and presentations at their booth. It will give the attendees a deeper understanding of the brand and their organization.
Attendee Engagement Features:
Engagement is the primary tool to keep the participants involved and hooked throughout the event. While choosing your virtual event solution, remember to take a free demo and explore the engagement opportunities that it provides.
An incredible event technology holds the ability to conduct live polls, surveys, Q&As, and games to make your virtual exhibition fair even more exciting. You can also leverage push notifications to promote on-event announcements on the platform. It will keep the audience notified about all live and upcoming speaker sessions. This way, you can increase the dwell time of the participants on the platform.
Games are another effective means to make your online fair even more enjoyable. Spin the wheel, tic-tac-toe, crosswords, word games, temple run, etc are some great examples of exciting games. Some leading virtual fair platforms like Dreamcast also include an AI matchmaking tool to let attendees connect and interact with like-minded people. It is an excellent way to let people make new connections, even when residing in different parts of the world.
Live Chat Feature:
You can recreate the experiences of a physical event if the attendees can interact with exhibitors and speakers in real-time. The live chat feature allows the audience to have engaging 2-way communications during the event.
Networking Opportunities:
Networking is an important reason why most people attend virtual fairs. Therefore, event planners should look for virtual event software that provides endless opportunities for attendees to connect or exhibitors to obtain leads. Business card exchange, virtual networking tables, B2B meetings scheduler, etc are some useful functionalities that make way for new connections.
Live-streaming and Social Media Integration:
Live-streaming is a vital method to enhance the outreach of your virtual event. You can leverage social media channels like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter to spread awareness about your virtual show. You can also practice multi-channel live-streaming to welcome more people to your event. Live-streaming is a unique feature possessed by the top virtual event platforms. Besides this, you can post relevant pictures, updates, or videos using event-specific hashtags to maximize your reach to your followers and fan base.
Detailed Reporting & Analytics:
Analytics is the key to gauge the success of any event. Make sure that your platform provider is competent in providing detailed insights into the event’s each aspect. These insights help you with a count of the number of registrations, downloadable content, questions asked to the exhibitor, the knowledge of the most attended sessions, and more. It helps you learn if the event is running in the proposed direction.
24/7 Customer Support:
Attendee experience is a significant aspect of any virtual or hybrid event. When you decide to host a successful virtual fair, remember to include the 24/7 customer support feature. It will ensure that attendees do not face any issues while signing up or logging into the platform. A mindful team is capable of solving any unforeseen technical error. If attendees can be helped with immediate assistance, this will minimize the chances of attendee drop-off. Hence, this is an essential feature that is a must for an ideal virtual fair platform.
Wrapping Up
Let’s be practical and acceptable, we all know that people are relishing the idea of attending events from the comfort of their remote locations. Hence, virtual fairs, trade shows, conferences, meetings, etc will continue to stay and prosper. In fact, virtual events and hybrid events are the future of the event industry in the times to come. With a customizable, scalable, and feature-rich platform, you can not just host online events but can also make them highly lucrative.
