Pros and Cons of Hosting A Virtual Conference?

If we compare business life to outer space, we would not have followed the wrong path. Business sector that is endless and unclear highlights the experts and the people who are best integrated with the current events in the market. If you follow the rules belonged to 20 or 30 years ago in the sector that you have just started, you will probably make insufficient progress. Traditional facts and experiences always add value to our lives, but remember how important it is to update yourself!

Consider especially the 10 years we have returned to digital life completely. How has everything changed? All companies have started to carry the conferences that they organize to develop themselves and their target audiences to the virtual environment. Besides, when hosting a virtual conference is cut out for some people, it becomes a new thing that can not substitute for the old one to others.

What are the pros and cons of hosting a virtual conference that have become a topic of discussion?

PROS

1. Lower Cost.

The biggest difference between hosting a virtual conference and a physical conference is the cost. Even someone who is not competent can imagine how much the difference in costs is. Someone who chooses to organize a virtual conference will get rid of high-budget expenses such as accommodation, food and beverage, transportation, venue insurance, rent and material printing price.

2. Saving On Time. 

Any activity performed virtually provides benefits in many ways. First of all, you can finish your job in a shorter time. The reason for this is that virtual conferences generally spend a shorter time than physical conferences. While saving time, you consume less energy and increase your productivity while reaching your goal. Your participants will get the maximum efficiency while they are saving time at least as much as you.

3. Better Logistics.

Hosting a virtual conference is much faster than traditional methods. While a virtual conference can be set up and activated in minutes, a physical venue may require a day's planning. Also, sending invitations online is much easier than sending a printed invitation.

4. Efficient Marketing.

Sharing information about your company in a virtual conference is easier and more effective, as your potential customers will be just one click away from your products and services. You will notice a decrease in your potential customer base due to the limited space in the activities you organize physically. Most of your potential buyers have limited time and energy to walk around and research companies. Therefore, you can reach your goals in a more practical way by doing virtual events. 

5. Data Gathering. 

Thanks to conferences taking place on a virtual platform, participants can collect various data and information. In this process, data loggers like surveys can be distributed to the participants and data can be collected within the scope of the event. The data collected at the end of the event allows the efficiency of the event to be measured and a roadmap for future events.

CONS

1. Lacking Human Contact. 

The biggest disadvantage of organizing a virtual conference is that live human contact cannot be established. This is one of the major disadvantages in virtual platforms. While communicating which is one of the most basic elements that makes us human as mutual and lively, putting a receiver in between may not always create the same effect. For this reason, live and face-to-face communication is still becoming the preferred method.

2. Less Excitement.

Think about a conference attended by hundreds of people and imagine that you are a speaker here. It will be very difficult to compare the feeling of excitement you will feel in this physically prepared conference with a lot of expense and effort with the conference held virtually. Participating in virtual conferences of people who want to feel the excitement of the conference that they will attend to the maximum level may cause a negative result in this context. 

3. Distractions. 

Virtual conferences do not guarantee hundred percent to catch the participants’ attention. Participants in the conference can enter the virtual platform from their homes or when they are in a crowded environment. The happenings around them can distract the participants and so, they may not benefit from the conference at the maximum rate. Another common situation is that other social networks may get attention during virtual conferences that are logged in via online platforms. They may suddenly find themselves dealing with something else for a long time.

4. Less Effective Sponsorships.

Some brands do not prefer to choose digital platforms for their sponsorship works. Due to the lack of intense customer communications in digital environments, many companies consider sponsoring physical fairs more guaranteed. 

5. Limits Technologically Illiterates. 

Although we live in the age of technology, there are still many people around us who are not good with technology. The chance of a person who does not know how to use the Internet to attend a virtual conference is also quite low. Therefore, the target audience of physical conferences is wider than a virtual conference.