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Leading Learning

The Community for Learning Leaders

This page features resources that complement The Virtual Conferences Report, a free publication that provides data, in-depth analysis, and case studies for the rapidly evolving trend of virtual conferences, and trades shows, and other virtual events.

You can read through the whole page or use the links below to jump to the topics that interest you. To explore other resources, go to our main Resources page.

Webinars

Interviews & Audio

The following Leading Learning Podcast episodes (each with extensive show notes) focus on virtual events:

Definition of Virtual Event

We use the following definition of virtual events in conducting surveys on the topic:

A virtual event is a Web-based event that replicates many aspects of a traditional place-based conference, membership meeting, or trade show. It may take place on a standalone basis or in conjunction with a place-based conference (i.e., a “hybrid” event).

Virtual events feature multiple sessions (not just a single Webinar or Webcast) and may include keynote presentations, training and education workshops, discussion areas, social networking opportunities, exhibit areas for vendors, and various other features. Activities in a virtual event may take place in real time (synchronously), on demand (asynchronously), or some combination of the two.

Guidance for Successful Virtual Events

Various resources for helping you with planning and executing a successful virtual conference or other virtual event.

  • The Complete Guide to Virtual Event Creation (Download from Event Garde | Ricochet)
    Authored by digital experts at Ricochet and event experts at Event Garde, this paper explains the phases of virtual event development and includes a complete 147-item event creation checklist to help ensure your success.
  • 20 Tips for a Successful Virtual Conference (Blog post |PDF)
    This downloadable PDF provides just what the title says–tips drawn from our online surveys and discussions with a wide range of associations who’ve offered virtual events to help you make your virtual event a success.
  • Engaging Learners in Virtual Conferences: What You Can Try Online (Blog post)
    This blog post provides a comprehensive overview of engagement techniques we have used at our own virtual events.
  • ACM Virtual Conferences Report
    An effort by the Association for Computing Machinery to provide concrete advice to turn your event into a state-of-the-art online gathering.

Virtual Conference Examples

The following are links to the Web pages or micro-sites for a range of organizations that offer virtual conferences. This is not meant to be anywhere near a comprehensive list. It is just intended to give you a feel for the way a range of different organizations are approaching virtual events.

Here are some other sites that are tracking virtual conferences and events:

If you host a virtual conference or other major virtual event or know of others that could be added to this list, please contact us.

Survey on Hybrid Events

Results from a survey conducted by Digitell on Why Do Professionals Attend a Hybrid Event. See also the Association Now write up on the survey: Study Dispels Myths About Virtual Events.

Pricing a Virtual Conference

To  determine pricing for the first Learning • Technology • Design™ (LTD) virtual conference we used the Van Westendorp Price Sensitivity Meter. The following video is a recording from an LTD 2017 session in which we explained this  approach in detail. If you would like to do this type of analysis for your own virtual conference pricing (or pricing of other educational products), contact us at Tagoras.

Virtual Conference Platform and Service Providers

The following companies provide virtual conference platforms, services related to use of those platforms, or both. We’ve focused the list on organizations that provide a full-featured platform and/or services (which is why you won’t find Adobe Connect, GoToMeeting, WebEx, Zoom, and the like below.)

Be sure to also visit The Essential Guide to Virtual Conference Platforms.

If you have experience – good or bad – with any of the companies above, please contact us and share it. We are often contacted by organizations looking for guidance on platforms and would like to be able to offer as community-informed a perspective as possible.

Also, if you have another virtual conference platform or service provider to suggest – or any other resources you feel it would be valuable to add to this page – please contact us.