What’s in store for digital and virtual events?

The way we approach events has changed

The way people consume and interact with events, whether it’s in the physical or digital space, has changed dramatically due to advances in technology. In fact, these changes have transformed the face of the industry. Now, more than ever, a digital presence is an important part of most events’ overall strategies.

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But are virtual and digital events still relevant? Are they on their way out now that we can get together again? Or are they here to stay?

The evolution of how we consume information has fundamentally changed the way that events are planned and executed around the world. While many traditional event elements haven’t changed much—we still have keynotes, speakers, exhibitors, sponsorships, networking opportunities—all aspects of event planning have been impacted by the advent of social media and other tech tools allowing people to connect virtually. We expect most of our experiences to involve a digital component and in-depth analytics. The event industry is not immune from this phenomenon.

We expect a digital element in our un-person experiences

Technology has opened up new venues for increasing engagement and allowing attendees, sponsors, organisers, and keynote speakers to connect with each other and the content in ways they weren’t able to before and they all still expect that at in-person events, just as much as they did at digital ones.

The obvious concern about the drop in digital and virtual event attendance is that it would imply a decline in the overall enthusiasm for and interest in these types of events, but this is not necessarily true. The virtual events bubble as we knew it was bound to pop, and using metrics from the last two years won’t tell us anything meaningful.

Is there still a market for digital events?

The market is bound to cool down after a period of extraordinary growth, but the future remains bright. Industry experts predict that the demand for virtual solutions will continue to grow, though there may be fluctuations.

In-person and virtual events are complementary technologies that will each play an important role in the future of event programming.

In the past year, we have seen several trends emerge: more people attending multiple kinds of events; virtual offerings becoming more robust; and professionals moving toward blended program models for their attendees.

The digital versus in-person event debate rages on, and each has its merits. It can be a pain to travel for an event—especially if you’re doing it multiple times a year—and the costs can add up. On the other hand, nothing replaces the human touch of meeting in person and building personal relationships with people who share your interests—not to mention the potential for spontaneous collaboration and serendipitous conversations that might never have occurred otherwise. The answer isn’t to pick one or the other—it’s to find a way to blend the best of both worlds.

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