EMS: The Solution For Organizing Virtual and Hybrid Events

The event industry is a sector that knows how to renew itself. Lately, the industry surprised us with the standardization of virtual and hybrid events (don’t miss our article on this). 

As an event organizer, you had to adapt in order to meet your clients' (internal or external) needs, as before. No sweat! Event Management Software is here to help you do just that.

There are a lot of advantages of using an EMS, it allows you to easily adapt to change. Let us remind you what makes a great EMS and, above all, why it’s the best solution for organizing your next event, whether it is in-person, virtual or hybrid.

What is an Event Management Software (EMS)?

An Event Management Software, or an EMS, is an event organizer’s best friend.

EMS offers a wide range of features to simplify the organization of an event. Whether it is the centralization of data or the automation of tasks, event management software saves event organizers loads of time.

A great EMS is a tool that is quick and easy to learn and can be used by any member of your team, whether they are internal or external. If you use an agency to help you, for example, your external providers are also able to use the tool. Of course, the software must offer functionalities whose aim is to simplify the life of the organizer. 

For instance, an EMS such as Eventdrive offers an increase of productivity both before and after the event. In particular, you can manage your teams by assigning roles and tasks to each member, which simplifies the event management aspect of organizing an event. Multiple features are offered to help you to manage things like participant registrations, check-in, or audience engagement during your event. All the data collected is gathered and stored for analysis after the event. 

Most Event Management Software solutions have also adapted to the health crisis the world is currently experiencing (and Eventdrive is amongst the firsts!). Some have added features using plugins or patches to organize virtual events. Others, like Eventdrive, have developed features within their own tool. In doing so, this kind of platform really stands out by offering an all-in-one solution suited for organizing virtual events. But what exactly are their advantages?

The advantages of using an EMS for your virtual and hybrid events

Choosing to organize a virtual event, or even a hybrid event, has become ubiquitous amongst companies. This choice is influenced by current health regulations, or simply for cost reasons, as this new type of event is less costly to organize.

An EMS remains the best solution to facilitate the organization of such events thanks to its many advantages.

Offer multi-session events

By using Event Management Software, it is possible to organize simultaneous virtual sessions, just like in a face-to-face event. When the attendee registers, they can access a personalized agenda and can choose an event track or select several sessions that they would like to attend. 

This kind of functionality doesn’t exist on a classic video conferencing software and can be a real plus for your project! An EMS provides you with the possibility to organize larger events, to call upon several speakers, and even to reach a larger audience by offering different types of sessions.

Propose a live broadcast

Whether your event is 100% virtual or hybrid, an integrated EMS such as Eventdrive allows you to live broadcast. You can broadcast live PowerPoint presentations or pre-record sessions.

There are many different options available to you. The first and simplest is to let the speaker use their webcam and share their screen. If you have a bit more resources, you can also film the speaker and switch between showing them on camera and displaying their presentation slides during your broadcast. For added convenience, you can also have one speaker do the talking and another person share their screen during the presentation.

To be in line with your brand image, you can customize the interface of your virtual event to ensure a seamless participant experience that represents your brand. The hidden purpose of your event is to showcase your brand, isn't it? You can’t do that on a regular video-conferencing platform that’s not made for virtual events.

Make it easier to engage your participants

An important point when organizing a virtual event is to maintain a high level of commitment. With an EMS, you can set up a virtual chat throughout the presentation to engage attendees who are participating remotely. 

This way the presenter can interact with remote participants at the same time as those who are on-site, as if everyone were in the same room!

When organizing a virtual event one should not forget one of the key elements of a successful event: a happy audience. By setting up a chat, you allow them to express themselves in real time and thus, feel engaged and a part of the event. 

With a platform like Eventdrive, you can also interact with your audience through different means. Do you want to know what your audience thinks about a topic? Start a poll! You want to bring a playful touch to your event? Don't hesitate to use word clouds to get a feel of the room!

Freedom of speech is one of the best ways to engage your participants and make your event a success!

Secure your data

EMS takes the protection of your data to heart and provides maximum data security.

For example, access to your virtual event can be password-protected. An access code that is only held by the event participants, who have been provided with a unique link to participate!

Some event management softwares go even further. Sometimes, it is necessary to obtain prior authorization to install some software on a professional computer, which is not necessarily simple. With Eventdrive, for example, it is not necessary to download any additional software to access your virtual event. Just use a link previously received by email and in 1 click, you’ve joined the event!

Your event on-demand

Although the organization of a virtual event facilitates access for a large number of participants, some may be unable to watch the live broadcast. Your event might also be so popular that your audience would enjoy the opportunity to see it again. This is entirely possible with event management software.

As soon as the event is over, you can make your event available on-demand directly on the event website. Notifying your participants about the recorded version of your event is also an opportunity to follow up with them and get their feedback post event using a satisfaction survey.

Finally, as an organizer, having access to footage can also be beneficial communication wise and used to create a short video that highlights the best moments, for example

Organizing an event, whether it be face-to-face, virtual or hybrid, requires a lot of time, effort and energy. The role of event management software is above all to make your life easier. Take the time to set your expectations and you will easily find the EMS that is right for you!