Virtual Conference Platform

Virtual conferences have become the meeting format of choice for many organizations today. Demand skyrocketed during the global pandemic, and now that companies and workers have seen how these tools create a positive and professional conference experience, many are choosing not to go back to the traditional on-premises event.

Demand for virtual conference software is at an all-time high. However, selecting the right platform for your virtual conference can be challenging. Finding the right mix of features from a virtual conference vendor with good customer service and an even better end-user experience is hard.

The Onstream EncompassPro virtual conference platform offers an unparalleled experience for your target audiences. From registration and exhibit hall networking to reporting and analytics, we specialize in engaging your customers in ways that inform and excite them about your brand.

To understand how to select the best virtual conference platform, you must first understand the application of these tools. The term “virtual conference” can be interpreted in several ways, but these events are generally web-centric meetings that mimic all of the features you experience at an on-site conference. Any company or organization can host one of these events, but they all have two things in common: 1) They are digital-only events held in the virtual space; and 2) They offer the same interactive break out sessions, vendor engagement, and networking opportunities as an on-site event does.

As you might imagine, it takes a pretty sophisticated software product to pull this off effectively.

There are typically four types of online virtual events, including external hybrid events, internal hybrid events, virtual conferences, and webinars.

  External hybrid events are open to the general public and incorporate the best features of an in-person and a virtual event.

  Internal hybrid events are open to employees or other stakeholders in an organization, offering a mix of on-site and online activities.

  Virtual conferences have all of the features of an on-site seminar event, including breakout sessions, networking, and vendor exhibits, but are held online.

  Webinars are one-off online events designed to educate, sell, build brand awareness, or engage a target audience.

We expect hybrid events will grow more popular in the coming years, as more conference organizers offer the option of either going to a traditional onsite event or attending virtually.

A software platform for a virtual conference should be able to fully support all of the activities we’ve mentioned. These tools should include:

  Live-streaming capabilities for real-time interaction between participants.

  The ability to offer multiple simultaneous streaming sessions, not just a single webinar.

  Landing pages that allow a single user interface for the agenda and registration capabilities.

  The option of hosting and managing concurrent conference sessions.

  An exhibit hall.

  Ways to showcase sponsors of the event.

  Opportunities for networking within the software, such as instant chat features to engage participants.

  A way to store and manage conference-related content such as speaker PowerPoints or other materials.

  A separate portal or dashboard for managing speakers and vendors in a way that also gives them a good experience with the software.

  The option of offering continuing education credits to attendees.

  A way to manage or integrate with session and conference evaluation tools.

  Scalability without experiencing a lag in performance.

But is selecting the best virtual conference platforms just about the features? It shouldn’t be. Finding the right virtual summit platform should also focus on knowing more about the track record of the company, their customer service, and the volume of repeat customers who are big fans of not only the software, but also the company itself.

If your organization seeks to reach a wider audience with engaging, informative content, but you lack the budget of some of your larger competitors, a virtual conference will help you reach those goals. For event planners with shrinking budgets, partnering with a virtual conference platform can save them 50 to 75% off the cost of a traditional on-site event. You can cut costs on everything from staff to setup, venue prices, travel, meals, and so much more. The biggest expense is the cost of the online virtual conference platform. But without the added costs of an on-site event location, audience registration and vendor fees should allow you to increase profit margins on your virtual conference.

Flexibility is another huge benefit of working with virtual conference software companies. What would it be like to have a fully-branded, secure, online multi-use event space? What if this tool were accessible to your company 24/7 from any location around the world? From a best-in-class professional board meeting experience to product demos, seminar events, and more, these online software tools can help you engage and interact with your target audience in ways that will keep them coming back for more.

Scalability is a huge feature of online virtual conference platforms. When you’re limited by the meeting space, you limit your reach; but online seminars can scale up as you need it. Instead of scrambling to add on-site rooms or a larger lunch buffet, you simply work with your virtual conference software provider to scale up.

Productivity increases with virtual conferences. Because platforms like Onstream EncompassPro have easy-to-use templates and an online conference organizer dashboard, the productivity of your conference organizers will increase. Freeing up their time spent organizing the event means they can focus more intently on conference registrations and promoting the event. But a virtual event means that the busy executives and professionals that you invite to your conference will also be more productive. Forget traveling to the hotel, checking in, getting the lay of the land, and all of the other tasks associated with attending a conference in the past. Today, you can attend a seminar from the comfort and convenience of your home or office.

Onstream EncompassPro offers our clients a secure, robust virtual conference platform. We have a proven track record in corporate online and hybrid event production. Our software is easy to use both for your event planners and the customers you’re hoping to attract. Click here to demo our product and take the next step forward.