From physical to virtual expos: with an eye on the future
Anastasia Papadopoulou
In the ongoing COVID-19 crisis live event expos have been disrupted but virtual expos are right here and are booming. Direct interaction at booth spaces are not possible at the moment. Today, event organizers have realized the value and the benefits of virtual expos and try to benefit from the new digital tools for wider audience reach. Global audience, less expenses (you avoid transportation, food, and accommodation and so on), data analytics features and track of performance in real time, improve engagement are only some of the benefits of the virtual expos.
Thanks to adaptation of technology, virtual expos and virtual events are becoming a strategic resource from many companies and not only. Cyprus has decided to hold its first virtual exhibition the “Meet in Cyprus” during April to promote tourism. Its first virtual exhibition is for travel agencies and event organizers. Participants through the cutting-edge technology will receive information about Cyprus as a tourism destination. This event according to Clima Cyprus will give opportunities for one-to-one online meeting, interactive events, workshops, discussions and other activities. At the same time Cyprus is planning to run various campaigns on social media for tourism as destination.
Being digital in virtual expos cloud improve digital marketing efforts and capitalize all these available opportunities for every organization. Virtual lobbies, virtual halls, virtual booths, virtual meeting spaces seems now competing as almost everything is still happening from home. According to Forbes virtual events have grown 1000% since the COVID-19 and competing platform like On24, Communique, The virtual Show, Hexafair, Inxpo, vFairs, Accelevents, Eventx, 6Connex, GRT and much more are globally boosting.
A comparison of 5 virtual trade show platforms
Virtual shows are complex events and many are not familiar with virtual expo solutions that are out there. However, more and more innovation and redesign is available around us and virtual shows looks incredibly dated on these platforms. There are a plethora of software to choose for a virtual event. Virtual expos can be a great channel for highest engagement and wide audience and software makes the big difference when running virtual expos.
Virtual expos and results
Some of the first results of the virtual exhibitions are impressive. On the August 17th 2020 the first UK manufacturing virtual expo Backing Britain 2020 held with over 200 virtual exhibitors, 36,544 total stand visits and 26 live shows. The first virtual Potato Expo on January 2021 in U.S. had over 70 exhibitors, more than 20 sessions and over than 1000 industry members (U.S. and international) joined the expo.
Although, an August survey from Tradeshow Logic a virtual event solution company reveals that 43% of exhibitors will not do it again as were unsatisfied from gain leads and sales. The survey identified some major problems like that there wasn’t time for the preparation of content, there was lack of participation in halls and engagement of the attendees, they was a need for new methods to connect with prospects and finally there was a burden for learning the platforms.
Digital event marketing is always to put yourself in the customer’s shoes. A virtual exposition experience is really challenging and organisations must develop unique ways to deliver an experience that customers will thrilled to be taking part.
The re-viewing of physical events is a great opportunity for best digital marketing strategies to the right audience, provide them the best experience through a virtual environment.
Digital marketers in virtual expos should invest in relevant content, unique experience for the visitors of the landing page of the exposition, e-mail marketing, social media platforms, paid adverting, influencers, SEO of the landing pages, promotional event for the exposition and digital media.
As it seems, virtual exhibitions are here and will stay along with the real exhibitions when life return to normal. Virtual enviroment is not easy and require more and more planning in every step but organizations that will make it right can increase brand visibility and attract more and more audiences.
In conculsion, there are many virtual event platforms to help a company to organize a virtual expo without sacrificing value for online exhibitors, on line speakers, on line visitors and digital sponsors. Companies must make leaps for get ahead in our digital world.
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