Blog Articles

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the events industry status quo. And for companies to survive and thrive in our ‘new normal’, they need to rise to the challenge of hosting smooth, engaging events in virtual environments.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a key driver in the rapid adoption of virtual environments. 

This is not to say that their rise in popularity was unforeseen — the format has carved a niche in the events landscape and will continue to alter the DNA of physical events in the future. Hybrid events are expected to continue to gain relevance, catering to both on-site and remote attendees.

In light of the challenges presented by COVID-19, more and more events are taking place online.

When it comes to assessing the success of an event, a key variable to consider is audience engagement. Opinions, discussions, questions – these are all signs of audience engagement and, more importantly, proof your event is interesting.

As a result of COVID-19, events and conferences across the globe are being cancelled en masses to help mitigate the virus’ spread.

For many event organisers, the solution has been to move events online – delivering smaller, more intimate sessions for delegates. The results have been overwhelmingly positive so far.

As an industry that relies upon travel and thrives on face-to-face interactions (conferences, seminars and talks), the coronavirus is a pressing concern for many event management professionals and delegates alike.

I was on a flight from Barcelona to London recently and found myself contemplating the predicament event organisers face today when it comes to the use of technology.

Everywhere you look, there is change across the events industry. Against a backdrop of technological disruption, a shift in the dynamics that define the relationships between brands, agencies and consumers is taking place. It can be overwhelming to navigate through this change and to identify what conference delegates find valuable, what is just hype, and what you now need to make an event successful.