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Fighting Tech Fatigue: The Future of Virtual Events
After a year of rolling with the punches and adapting to a virtual workforce, media leaders have made significant changes to continue to connect with their audiences. While adhering to social distancing guidelines and city-wide lockdowns, live events and large in-person meetings were canceled or transformed into virtual events.
What of the “new normal” is permanent and what will continue? Are the virtual meetings and video conferences that replaced in-person events a permanent change?
Businesses seeking to not just survive the changed landscape but thrive in it can combine recent trends to improve their virtual event approach. In the absence of physical closeness, video became the go-to medium for entertainment, communication and collaboration. Competitive businesses have kept their offerings evolving since that initial surge of the virus. New video platforms are the way to do it.
Fighting Tech Fatigue:
As media leaders, we were never crazy about video conferences. Now our organizations are catching up with us and the standard Zoom or Microsoft Teams calls that once felt like a new way of communicating have quickly gotten old. The desire for branded professional video has returned twice fold. So what do we do to make the brand marketers happy and shake things up a bit for our subjects?
Here are a few ways to combat tech fatigue from a viewer standpoint:
- Develop a video or no-video checklist for subjects. It is ok to say no at times, and find alternative ways to communicate your objective.
- Infuse professional video capture into the mix for high-impact videos. If the subjects are comfortable, book a one man crew for a half-day session
- Build a plan or adopt a technology for remote capture that engages the internal teams in that capture. Input on lighting, audio, focus and exposure can go a long way when coming from a media guru.
- Consider a virtual studio for broadcast events. They allow for brand personalization and professional delivery.
The use of video call tools skyrocketed in 2020. One virtual platform reports a 1000% increase since COVID-19. We are all aware of the basic video conferencing tools we all use to communicate internally with our teams and colleagues (Zoom Happy Hour anyone?), but large virtual events require more.
At the beginning of the pandemic, user-generated content and web-cam videos was forgivable. But with new technologies and the ability to safely shoot on-location now available, there is no excuse for bad quality. 32% of respondents in this study who chose not to run a virtual event in 2020 did so because they couldn’t provide the kind of value their members need in a virtual environment.
A simple broadcast of a standard Zoom or Webex meeting is not always sufficient from a presentation perspective. Working with purpose-built technology and an infusion of external talent will allow these businesses to produce gatherings that are up to high standards of presentation. There are other steps to take virtual meetings to the next level.
It’s All About Presentation
With a surplus of events going virtual, things can get repetitive and boring. Going the extra mile in these virtual events will help for you to stand out among your competitors and secure your place as an expert in virtual events.
Keeping a consistent look and feel for corporate communications is hard when hosting a meeting through a common piece of office technology such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams. These video calls also lack the professionalism us video specialists are used to bringing our audiences. After all, that’s why we went to film school.
Depending on the program you use, there is additional software to download which can be a hassle. This also rolls in strange firewalls and security to navigate. In order to maintain audience retention, you need a program that is easy to use, encompasses corporate messaging, engages attendees and projects energy.
Enter CSTV:
If the user-generated content we suffered through at the beginning of the pandemic wasn’t proof enough, high quality video production is essential to maintain strong video communications.
Crews Control CSTV is a fully custom branded virtual studio created to align with your corporate identity and gives you the professional standards expected for live events at the C-Level. Crews Control CSTV brings an unparalleled virtual event experience, including live switching by a professional production team with over 25 years of experience.
With virtually no limits, from single stage presenters to panel speaker and moderators, your virtual event can match your presentation style of choice. Integrate videos, interactive motion graphics, lower thirds, and other media elements exactly as you would during an in-person live switched multi-camera event.
“Our clients are definitely feeling the tech fatigue of video conference events,” Crews Control’s SVP of Operations Eliana Hassen said.
“Brand teams are tired of the monochromatic events with little opportunity to brand. I am thrilled that we are able to bring a live broadcast solution and branded studio for our clients to give them the professional crews they are used to working with. Although nothing will ever replace a cinematographer with a camera on their back and producers in the room with subjects, we think this is a close second.”
The Future of Events:
Both the immediate and far off future of event relies on video. It is our prediction that near-term events will remain virtual, and tech will be the big player for virtual live events. We recommend incorporating high quality video elements into your event to stand out. By failing to use video to your advantage, it is highly likely you will fall behind during this critical time for businesses.
Crews Control CSTV allows for presentations through live streaming and offers a curved virtual 3D set that is customized to your brand, with dynamic windows and interactive graphics in real time.
Let us know if you would like to learn more about how Crews Control CSTV can complement your corporate in-house communications plan and schedule a demo, or click here to fill out our free quote form.
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