What role can video play in online events?

Producing video content for and at events is a big part of our year at Bouche, so as organisers are forced to cancel live events and travel looks unlikely to resume any time soon we’ve been looking at how they can adapt.

Some of the biggest B2B names, Real Estate’s showpiece Mipim in Cannes and Fintech’s Sibos (due to be hosted in Boston this year) have both announced ‘virtual’ versions of their events, and many smaller names will try and create substitutes for their awards ceremonies and networking gatherings. Platforms like Microsoft’s Teams and Zoom allow large audiences for a presentation but how can events that usually host hundreds or thousands of people offer something more substantial online and what role can video content play?

There seem to be two main options for virtual events:

Curated content

The simplest solution is dedicated sites of curated content, preferably with a live element. Creative software provider Adobe transformed their annual Las Vegas ‘Summit’ into a ‘digital experience’ site with a welcoming video from their CEO, keynote speakers recorded at home delivering their presentations and themed webinar calls acting as breakout sessions.

Adobe’s CEO addressing their virtual summit from home – view here

Virtual Event ‘Platforms’

Sites like Hopin.to and Remo.co offer substitutes for all the core elements of the event offering, ‘stages’ for the main keynote talks, streams to watch curated panel sessions and even exhibition stands, when you can navigate individual company offerings and chat with their staff.  Capacity can scale to thousands of attendees and organisers can offer ticketing through the site.

Hopin.to’s session scheduler –  view demo here

Both curated sites and virtual platforms can include streamed talks and sessions which create a ‘live’ feel but what role can video play in online events?

Here are some ways pre produced content can be used:

For organisers:

Kick off the event with a mood film

Introduce session speakers and themes

Short ‘bumpers’ to start and finish sessions or pre-recorded content

Sponsored or branded content opportunities

Techfest The Next Web’s kickoff video from 2019 – view here

Speakers

Use videos as inserts for presentation

Exhibitors

Company introductions and product explainers

Branded content to associate with themed sessions

After the event

Live-streamed content can be downloaded or re edited for social clips or converting into multimedia formats, like using the audio as a narration for animation.

The main attraction of attending events will always be the human element, face-to-face networking and unplanned encounters so replacing this is a huge challenge for organisers. But the online alternatives and their growing sophistication provide lots of opportunities to recreate some value. It’s going to be fascinating to see how companies adapt see and what opportunities emerge.

If you’d like to have a chat about content ideas for an online event please get in touch. nick@bouchemedia.com