Immersive experiences can engage customers and audiences like never before. For example, research suggests that 38 percent of UK buyers would be interested in 3D virtual reality (VR) shopping experiences due to their immersive and engaging nature. The value of this technology can be immense in enterprise use cases such as online events — precisely what virtual event platforms enable.
Unpacking the Concept of a Virtual Event Platform: Definition
A virtual event platform is a cross-industry, fully web-based solution that enables event organizers and exhibitors to leverage the potential of digital gamification to design engaging, online events without incurring conventional logistical overheads.
In an attempt to provide more immersiveness and involvement, event organizers are attempting to push the boundaries beyond standard 2D platforms like Microsoft Teams and Zoom. These cutting-edge technologies are partially or totally immersive, leading to the creation of a whole-new segment — virtual event platforms.
The first category of platforms offers interfaces that simulate real-world surroundings along with avatars or stock characters. However, they are not controlled by avatars and are more of a 3D shell for 2D content.
In contrast, other platforms provide genuinely immersive environments and are composed of 3D building components to provide unrestricted mobility inside a virtual world.
Many of these platforms are accessible through various devices, including smartphones and computers, offering variable levels of immersion inside the same event or experience. rooom eventCloud, WorkCast, Virtway, and even Horizon Venues are examples of this category of platforms.
How Does a Virtual Event Platform Work?
3D virtual event platforms convert physical events into an entertaining, informative, and engaging experience with minimal effort. Users may participate from the convenience of their workplace or home. Essentially, it aggregates a cloud-based worldwide attendee database.
In order to make the experience more lifelike, it also integrates 3D animated avatars to simulate individual users, bringing a sense of realism to virtual worlds. In addition, it enables visitors to interact with each other with real-time text, voice, or video conversation.
Ultimately, the platform transforms into a virtual private space for building connections, networking, and collaboration, spread across the world and consequently, companies can now bring together remote business specialists using a virtual events platform to remove physical boundaries.
Key Features of a Virtual Event Platform
Despite the fact that each platform offers a distinct experience, they all share a fundamental set of characteristics. This comprises:
- Infrastructure consists of an online event ticketing system, event themes, and branding recommendations, multilayer event planning and supervision, adaptive online events, and a user experience (UX)-focused dashboard.
- Virtual collaboration technologies offer event organizers and participants robust networking and collaboration tools such as integrated messaging services for video conferencing and text messaging, business cards, meeting planners and appointment schedulers, dynamic breakout sessions, and a networking carousel.
- Event analytics: With the technology’s extensive analytics capabilities, event managers can monitor attendee participation indices and guest demographics to provide business users with real-time data about the success or failure of an event, and also allows users to create reports that optimize event planning workflows.
- Integrations: Using APIs, organizers can connect the platform with their current booking, payments, social login, customer retention management (CRM), and information management systems, among others. This also enables businesses to automate their processes and tie event data to other business platforms.
- Templates: Typically, these platforms provide a variety of pre-built event venues users can customize to suit the event’s theme and branding. Using 3D, AR, and VR technologies, customers can often choose from sample templates or create wholly personalized business experiences.
- Whitelabeling: Using personalized templates, this functionality enables the introduction of corporate branding aesthetics into events and webinars.
- Sponsor support: The majority of virtual event platforms offer a designated place for sponsors and partners, and by setting up partner booths, companies can interact and engage with them. Users can also add ogos and interactive content like virtual sponsor walls, visual branding, live streaming, round tables, and online games.
Benefits of Virtual Event Platforms
There are several reasons why companies should consider investing in a virtual event platform, rather than a video event platform.
Firstly, they are designed to mimic physical trade events and can comfortably welcome scores of guests to the event. Participants can navigate the event platform, explore virtual booths, and invite participants to join speaking sessions or interact with other supplementary content.
Companies can also sponsor the event to generate leads and promote their brands. Virtual event systems enable users to automatically send leads to a sponsor when an audience interacts with lead magnets. Also, most speaking sessions on virtual events are pre-recorded, but also allow for live sessions.
Finally, they support hybrid events. Platforms like Orbits will reconstruct real-world event locations digitally so that both physical and virtual audiences can attend the same venue. Compared to real-world events, these platforms also go a long way toward reducing one’s corporate carbon footprint.
What’s Next in Virtual Event Technology?
As enterprises become more comfortable with online events, demand for virtual event platforms will grow. A major factor is the rise of 3D content – these platforms enable users to upload and distribute 3D material that is product-specific.
Importing simulations of complex equipment, consumer electronics, automobiles, and other products into the virtual space also enables remote collaboration and dialogue. Therefore, for this trend to really take off, one first needs to invest in high-quality corporate 3D content that can unlock the true potential of these platforms.
