An Example of Why Live Events Will Thrive
Current trending reports still support the statement: live events will continue to be an instrumental piece of our society and will, in fact, see a steady growth pattern in the coming decade.
Big supporters of online, virtual, and social media developments in events would sometimes have us believe that the world of live events is being quickly taken over by these new technology options.
I think that most sensible event professionals will agree that hybrid events and incorporating virtual, social media and new technology into live events is really where our industry is headed. I agree. However, I’d like to make a strong case to support my first statement regarding the importance of live events and why they are here to stay.
I was recently in a position to watch a keynote speaker, who I was extremely interested in seeing, via a live video stream. He was speaking to 1000 or so people and I knew that his content would be fabulous. As I sat at my computer, watching him in a 12” version of himself, I found myself a bit bored. I thought that his delivery was a little slow and awkward. As I predicted, I enjoyed the content. However, he wasn’t everything that I expected him to be from a perspective of inspirational, motivational and dynamic.
I conferred with several friends, who had actually been there to see him speak in person. The reviews were GLOWING! “Best ever.” “King of all keynote speakers in our generation.” “Dynamic.” “Personable.” “Brilliant.”
Wow. Had we been watching the same delivery? Yes, he had been brilliant, but on top of it, the audience had gone crazy for him.
From my desk, the audience didn’t seen engaged at all. From what I hear though, they were totally engaged and enthralled. We can discuss at another time how, perhaps a more integrated virtual delivery might have engaged me a bit more from a far. But, for the time being, I’ll just say that this experience supports the notion that though our events are changing, the importance of our profession in live events and live event design is here to stay.
Meredith McIlmoyle, Publisher
Email me at meredith@event-solutions.com.
Limitations of current technology
I think we often underestimate the importance of experiencing the subtle details of body language and facial expressions that we perceive face to face but which get lost when viewing video remotely on small screens.
I participate in a weekly video chat with other event professionals, and though our personalities come through better than when we're just conversing via Twitter or text chat, there's no comparison to meeting these folks in person.
Immersive technology, like Cisco's Telepresence, works much better, but is currently rather expensive (though if it can effectively replace significant travel you can make a case for it).
As someone who worked briefly on high-quality teleconferencing systems in the 60's, it will be interesting to see what happens if and when current high-end systems become one or two orders of magnitude less expensive. I suspect, however, that it will be quite a while before they become feasible as a replacement for face to face events with hundreds or more participants.
-Adrian Segar-
An alternative view
Meredith,
Thanks for this discussion!
I would argue that I don't know an online, virtual or social media professional worth their salt that would try to convince anyone that online technologies will replace face to face - at least not in the foreseeable future. I do, however, think that the existing model of live events needs to evolve as our definitions of 'connections', 'networking' and 'education' are changing.
I would guess that you didn't pay the same ticket price to see this speaker online as the live audience did. This is where a hybrid component of an event can add value for both the organizer as well as the attendee. Those with limited budgets or time can gain access to limited information at a reduced price and for a significantly reduced impact on their schedule. The organizer gets to expand their audience beyond just the group of people who can afford to attend.
What's important for organizers of events to define is what they are trying to achieve by adding online experiences. And the focus, throughout the planning process, should be on how to add value for both live attendees as well as online attendees.
Your comment that you didn't feel engaged is a common one. Organizers often forget about their online audience. Best practices that I've seen are:
1) Having an online community manager live at the event - this person is responsible for engaging the online audience, collecting their questions, adding comments about experiences that the online audience is missing (if you've built an online audience, why miss out on the opportunity of selling them on the f2f experience?)
2) Having speakers recognize the online audience - it's a simple act, but by recognizing the audience, saying hello, asking them for questions, viewers feel more engaged
3) Holding interviews pre- or post- session for the online audience - this is where speakers can understand who's watching, what they're saying and what they're looking for
4) Recognizing that the community doesn't just crop up day of the event and go away as soon as the event is done. If organizers want to adopt technologies to spread word about their event or about speakers, they need to recognize that it's about tapping into or creating a community which takes time and is a process that begins long before and ends long after the f2f event.
Live vs Online Events
Meredith:
I think that the easiest analogy for live vs online events is the Grand Canyon. If you have ever visited it you quickly realize that it is impossible to capture the experience through your photographs or videos. One simply has to be there in person. It's the same for live events. How can the experience be completely replicated in two dimensions - OK maybe eventually 3D - and maybe two senses (sight, hearing)? Those extra senses add immensely to the experience.
Not only that, but if you are among a live audience, as you noted, there are other forces at work. Anthropologist Victor Turner called the sense of being one with your fellow audience members as "communitas." That feeling is impossible to achieve via a screen. Indeed, it is that feeling that more than anything keeps us coming back to live events.