Good morning, Marketer, we hope you had relaxing weekends.
Here at Marketing Land (and our sister site Search Engine Land), the break was a nice rest after putting on SMX Next, a virtual event for search and performance marketers that had 40+ sessions. We’ll share some of those highlights below, but first here are a few things we’ve learned about virtual events.
- They are not easier to pull off than live events. Different? You, bet. But you need a good team structure, a solid foundation of project management, and producers with digital experience know-how to pull off effectively.
- Vendor selection is key. Events platforms are in huge demand now, but how easily they are to manage, the experiences they yield for the audience, and the pricing and support models offered can be a bit inflexible. If you plan to do multiple events, don’t be afraid to experiment (a.k.a. shop around).
- Content is still king. Put on a good session that is truly helpful to your audience and you can’t fail. Interactive Q&A, live polling, and other virtual bells and whistles are nice, but they are moot if the content stinks.
Have you learned anything from either producing or attending virtual events? Let me know at hpowderly@thirddoormedia.com.
Henry Powderly
VP, Content
