9 common mistakes to avoid when organizing an online event

Organizing an online event requires careful planning: the program, the invitations, the logistics, the scenography, etc. Even with a good organization, missteps may still compromise our virtual event's success and taint our professionalism.

9 common mistakes to avoid when organizing an online event
Doriane Stagnol
Doriane Stagnol

Online events: avoid these 9 mistakes!

A well-organized online event requires careful preparation, including the program, the invitations, the logistics, and the scenography. We can still make mistakes, even with good organization, which may compromise our virtual event's success and tarnish our professionalism. To help you provide your audience with a memorable digital experience, we've outlined the 9 common mistakes to avoid.

A lack of clear objectives

Any project must have objectives, but sometimes these are not properly defined beforehand due to lack of experience or lack of skills. You will not only fail to communicate effectively, but the schedule you develop will also be irrelevant.

Therefore, it is essential that you answer these questions precisely:

  • What is your target audience?
  • After the event, what are you hoping the public will do?

You can use the answers to guide your next steps. By setting clear objectives, you can establish a coherent program that adds high value to the public.

Online events have the advantage of allowing you to collect real-time statistics (time spent, interactivity, etc.) as well as audience reactions. All this data will be difficult to exploit if your objectives are unclear.

Last-minute action

Because logistics are less of a concern for an online event than a face-to-face one, one might believe it is quick and easy to organize. It is not! It takes time to prepare for a virtual event, whether it's a concert, a business meeting, a webinar, a masterclass, or a tutorial.

The audience will be able to plan their attendance if they are informed early enough. Furthermore, booking speakers or artists who are in high demand should be done as early as possible.

Remember that there will always be unforeseen events! A good anticipation will allow you to make adjustments with some wiggle room.

A long-lasting online event

Events that last too long tend to bore participants quickly. It is especially true when they are held online. In the face of constant solicitations, the public quickly loses interest behind their screens.

What is the solution? The event can be split into a number of 30-minute sessions, or it can be spread out over a number of days.

Present bland and monotonous materials

Use attractive and original visual aids to compensate for the absence of a physical meeting: animated slides, videos, etc. By doing so, you will make a lasting impression on your audience and prevent them from becoming bored.

Be careful, however! Too much color and text tire the eye.

Disregarding the venue

You must choose a venue that is well thought out to make your event memorable, even if it is a digital event.

Lighting, sound, and decor all contribute to the audience's experience. By staging your performance carefully and coherently, you can completely immerse your audience in the universe you want them to experience.

Concerts and theatrical performances are particularly affected by this.

Don't hesitate to put your company's logo on background supports for corporate events.

Incorrect communication about the event

Promoting the virtual event correctly means choosing the right channels. You shouldn't rely on word-of-mouth. Get your announcement in front of the right people by having a well-targeted strategy.

Use all the tools at your disposal: newsletters, email campaigns, stories, influencer marketing, etc.

It is important to keep in mind, however, that each social network has its own characteristics. Promoting a rock concert on LinkedIn, for instance, would not be a wise idea. Analyze which social media your audience uses. Communication about the event should begin at least four weeks prior to the event.

Unsuitable platform selection

Your event's success depends greatly on the technology you use to broadcast it. An audience may become annoyed if the tool is too complicated to use or does not perform its functions properly.

Your choice will obviously depend on the type of event you are planning. Your video conferencing platform will need to be powerful and intuitive in any case.

List your needs in detail before the meeting to make it easier. You might find the following features useful:

  • a live chat tool ;
  • screen sharing;
  • a digital whiteboard;
  • a private room for group workshops;
  • an integrated payment system, etc.

Not including time to interact with the audience

For a digital event to be successful, interactivity is essential. A large part of your audience will be lost if you ignore the participants during the live event.

Therefore, schedule a time for the audience to participate, interact with one another, or with the presenters. A variety of formats can be used, depending on the event: question and answer sessions, live chats, small-group virtual workshops, polls, etc.

Not planning follow-up after events

Plan post-event marketing actions whether you are organizing a webinar, a course, a masterclass or a product launch for two reasons:

  • to gather feedback from participants in order to improve future events;
  • to keep them engaged and loyal. You want to keep them interested in your offers until the next event

Prepare ready-to-send surveys and questionnaires.

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