Even with a vaccine being rolled out and talk of returning to normal at the end of the spring, the UK is under the fog of increased infections and the threat of additional lockdowns. For the Midlands, this means increased and continued disruption to the lives and livelihoods of millions of working people and hard-working families. In this piece, we’ll look at how you can host an online event – whether for your community, to share your art, or to launch a business – as Birmingham continues to be hit with lockdowns in 2021.
Your Event
What is the scope of your event? Online events are still rather novel, and while people are now getting used to listening to lectures online or watching a lesson on the internet, they’re less used to the feeling of being at an event in the online world. As such, you need to think strongly about how you’re going to offer your online event – and what it might be replacing in the real world.
For instance, it’s perfectly possible to host a Virtual Trade Show – something that might generate a huge amount of buzz. The same can be said of product launches and speeches. Look to DB Pixelhouse for a full-spectrum idea of the kinds of events that can be hosted online.
Your Plan
Now that you’re sure of the kind of event that you want to host while the likes of the Bullring are still closed to the public, it’s important to find a way to make your event seen and heard across the UK’s second-largest city. You may want to begin on social media, where you’re able to find interested groups of people to send invites to and nudge towards ticket purchases.
Elsewhere, you may use email lists that you’ve already built up of previous customers or simply of friends and family who you think might be interested in your event. Be ruthless in your ambitions to promote your event as far and wide as possible – across the UK and even the world, if applicable.
New Features
While online events are seen as generally substandard compared to their real-life equivalent, there are many ways in which hosting an online-only event is actually more exciting and stimulating than hosting an event in person and in a venue. For instance, people can attend your event from home, which means they don’t need to get dressed up or prepare for that long before attending.
Further, certain digital tools make it easy to communicate and collaborate over the internet – and wise engagement with these tools might actually create an interesting experience for your attendees. A tiny idea that’s being used for online speeches is the ability to poll an audience in real-time, which helps with interactivity and the speaker’s responses to their audience.
With all of these tips in mind, it’s time for you to start concentrating on planning your virtual event in Birmingham and the Midlands in the coming weeks and months.