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Virtual Event Ideas

July 8, 2021

What is a Virtual Event?

Virtual events are becoming a commonplace replacement for traditional physical-based events. At their core, virtual corporate events can translate relatively seamlessly from their in-person counterparts. Trade shows, product launches, and team-building meetings can all be held on a digital platform, such as Zoom. With only an internet connection, you can still network with some creative virtual event ideas.

The Best Virtual Event Ideas 

It can be daunting to switch over from the tried-and-true physical gatherings of traditional corporate events. However, with a virtual event company (proper planning, adding some twists with modern technology, and incorporating innovative techniques) you can find some unique ideas for virtual celebrations.

Here are some fun virtual event ideas to get you started.

Team-building Games

As the world shifts toward a mindset where remote work isn’t only acceptable, it’s preferable, there are some downsides to this structure. One of the major drawbacks is a lack of camaraderie between co-workers. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. Your company can find ways, such as hosting a team-building competition, to foster camaraderie.  One such social event idea is organizing a large-scale online board game with dedicated teams. If you want to up the game, you can schedule a virtual escape room, in which cooperation is necessary to succeed. 

Virtual Networking Seminars

Building meaningful connections with others in your industry is one of the largest draws for attending any corporate event. And, just because you’ve switched the meeting space to a digital one doesn’t mean you need to forgo this critical aspect. As far as virtual networking ideas are concerned, you can still arrange a setting that fosters the creation of professional connections.  

Virtual social event ideas can include making specialized “rooms” explicitly designed to meet with industry peers, creating a by-appointment meet-and-greet with known delegates and sponsors, or holding a fireside chat model for people to attend remotely.

Sponsor Branding

If you’ve secured sponsors, the networking sessions you’ve arranged offer an excellent opportunity for them to brand the event. The best virtual events bring some aspect of themselves into the physical world. Aside from networking opportunities, people love swag. You may try and organize with the sponsor to deliver some of their branded merchandising to the attendees in a similar manner that they would receive at a physical event.  

Activity-a-Thons

With many people locked away in their homes, health and wellbeing have been on a decline. As a company looking for virtual events ideas to boost morale and productivity, you may look to event ideas that promote physical movement. Whether you opt for a low-impact yoga session or a digital walk-a-thon, it will give your attendees the motivation to move their bodies between or in addition to the more business-related aspects of the event.

Host a Virtual Party

While in-person get-togethers may continue on the back-burner for a while, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t celebrate a team’s achievements. In terms of virtual event ideas, an online party may seem impossible. However, with a clever itinerary, you can certainly create a welcoming environment for people to enjoy themselves. While it may not be the same as an open bar affair, you can still post a cocktail menu with the recipes attached.  Don’t forget to book a live band that can stream to everyone connected. 

Organize an Online Skill Learning Course

Virtual courses have become an industry, and the number of skills to choose from can be staggering. One of the best virtual events that have a real-world impact is an online cooking course. You can gather all of your team members and have a real professional chef guide you through any number of cuisines. The best part is that after you’ve finished the class, you have a delicious treat or meal to enjoy. 

Virtual Trivia Night

Nothing gets people more excited than the opportunity to flex their brain muscles, and a trivia night is a perfect venue to let them shine. Play much like a bar trivia night; simply organize your employees into teams. With the right digital background, you can create an exciting event that features a little healthy competition.

Digital Murder Mystery Dinner

Like every aspect of the traditional murder mystery dinner, each participant enters the scene as a predefined persona, and then tragedy hits. There’s been a murder, and it’s up to the guests (in character) to solve the mystery of who-dun-it.

Dance Challenge

As platforms such as TikTok and Instagram have proven, you don’t need to be a trained dancer to bust a move. If your company wants to build awareness around a cause, or you just want to organize your team members to show off at the next gathering, learning a dance challenge has proven time and again to be one of the more successful virtual event ideas.

Virtual Events: Tips for Success

While these virtual event ideas are a great jumping-off point, there are some tips you should be aware of before you dive into hosting a virtual event.

Make Downloadable Content Available

After an event has wrapped up, it’s common for people to want something to take away from the conference. 

Ensure that the Keynote Speaker is Comfortable with a Virtual Format

Before you begin the conference, ensure that the conferences speakers are prepared to speak online. You’ll want to check that all audio and video is streaming perfectly and that the speaker’s background is appealing.

Offer Additional Value to the Event

One of the main draws of many events is that they offer Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credits or certification for completing a virtual training course.

Organizing a successful virtual event can be complex. Luckily, you can rely on SmartWorks. As an industry leader in event planning, we’ve designed exceptional virtual event ideas that have consistently proven to be showstoppers. Contact us today to see how you can make your next virtual event the best it can be.