How to Plan a Virtual Event: Designing Unforgettable Experiences

Self Esteem Brands’ 3D environment.

How to Use Business Goals for Guidance

Let the business goals for your virtual event drive your decision on 2D vs. 3D.

For example, is your objective to educate customers on your latest product offerings, with peer-to-peer engagement a secondary goal? A simple, responsive design may be best, so that the focus is on the educational content.

Alternatively, do you want to facilitate like-minded attendees to find one another and interact? Perhaps a 3D environment, with virtual lounges and networking areas, can facilitate this.

You also need to be honest and ask yourself: “How do you want attendees to feel?”

If the answer is “I don’t know,” or “that question isn’t relevant,” then a simple, 2D environment—or, one of the basic 3D environments provided by the virtual event platform—may suit you just fine.

If, however, you want to take attendees’ breath away—if you want to impress and wow them—then a custom-designed 3D environment may be the right answer.

Why Is the User Journey Important?

While no two virtual event user journeys are the same, we recommend that you craft the desired user journey and optimize your strategy and plan around it.

For example, do you want maximum attendance at your keynote presentation? Or, do you want to maximize visits to sponsor booths, so that exhibitors have the best lead generation results?

Perhaps you want both. What order should they happen in: keynote attendance first, followed by booth visits? Or does the sequence not matter?

Here are some ways you can guide attendees toward the desired user journeys:

• Use the Event Schedule to Drive Actions: Users will consult the event schedule to decide what to do and when. Be intentional with the design of your schedule, keeping your desired user journey in mind. Don’t schedule your two most sought-after speakers for the same time slot, since half your audience will miss out. If you want to drive visits to sponsor booths, carve out times (e.g., 30-60 minutes or more) that are labeled as such.

• Use Design Elements to Guide Users: The welcome area is one of the most visited spaces in a virtual event. It’s the place users land when they login. Use key navigational elements in this area to guide users where you want them to go.

• Use Platform Features to Get Users Where You Want Them: Let’s face it: sometimes you need to escort a user to an area rather than subtly nudging them in the right direction. Use features like scheduled pop-up announcements to guide users to the next session or to a specific sponsor’s booth. Don’t assume that attendees will follow the right path. Sometimes, they need to be told what to do.