Imagine this; you have a great idea for a conference. It’s a hot topic sure to generate a lot of interest. You have reserved a venue that can seat a huge audience and acquired a good lineup of speakers, all specialists in their fields and known to have brilliant ideas.
The good news is that many people are interested. The bad news is that a good many of them are in another part of the country, or in another country altogether, and have no means to pay for a trip there, let alone the accommodations needed for them to be able to attend the conference.
The solution is to live stream your conference. It will be as if your audience from far away is present at the conference, hearing every word from the speaker, although they are actually in another location.
The challenges of hosting an online conference
Collecting online payment: Many organisers think twice before holding an online conference because they feel they will have a hard time setting up the payment scheme for the audience away. As technology has improved, so have different payment options. This is a common practice nowadays. Organisers can make money from an online audience, increasing revenue they otherwise may have lost. Delegates pay a one off fee to be able to view the conference live online. A few suggestions may include:
- Integrated payment systems: Some live streaming platforms will have a payment wall for online delegates to purchase a ticket at the point of logging on.
- Advanced payment: This is quite an admin heavy option however sees a higher return on investment as customers have a point of contact and you aren’t paying a third party to collect payment. Delegates can purchase a ticket through your existing methods of communications and closer to the time of the event, they will receive logging in information.
- Eventbrite: Along with other platforms, there are now integrated platforms that can host the collection of ticket sales along with the facility to mass communicate to your online audience. This is the least admin heavy option however holds higher processing fees.
- Payment wall on your website: If you have an in house web development team, you may look to integrate a payment wall on your website to give access to users. If you are looking to collect more information on your demographic, this may be an option to look into further.
Holding an online attention: As online conferences have become more popular, it’s essential to keep up with competition. There are a few strategies that can be used to hold the attention of your online audience:
- Multiple angles: Utilise multiple camera angles to make your stream more visually interesting
- Pre record: Integrating pre recorded videos to break up the monotomy of the room can give concentration breaks for your online audience
- Schedule more breaks: Looking at a screen for long periods of time is tiresome. Ensure there are regular breaks throughout your conference to ensure your audience can maintain their attention on your content.
- Audience interaction: Offering polls to attain your online audiences views and opinions is a great way to easily interact and engage with them.
- Q&A: If your event is hybrid, you may have an in person audience who have questions. Open your Q&A session to your online audience and alternate in person and online questions so that everyone feels involved in your event.
- Lighting: Ensure your venue is lit correctly for the cameras. This will give a more professional finish and hold attention.
- Internet: Ensure your venue has sufficient internet speed to handle your live stream. This will avoid your video buffering and lower online user frustrations.
- Distribute materials: Having a visual aid can help keep attention. This can be in the form of a PowerPoint or other conference materials ahead of the event.
- Recording/ live later: The beauty of making your event available online is that audiences can log in at a later time. This may be included in your ticket price, or an opportunity for future sales for delegates to purchase a live later version of your conference.
Live event streaming is our specialty
Distance is no longer an issue when it comes to conferences nowadays. Technology has found a way to bridge the gap, use it to your advantage and bring the conference to the audience if they can’t come to you.
Email info@redshellproductions.co.uk to discuss live streaming your conference or event.