We’re Far From Back to Physical if You Ask Gates and Bezos
Welcome to The Lookout newsletter from PIRATEx. Here are some of the things we’ve been excited about in the virtual event world this week.
Online event takeaway of the week
Don’t take technology for granted. You might have a setup that has been double checked, triple checked, and quadruple checked, but don’t leave anything to chance. Always keep a livestream visible alongside the audio feed monitored during the event. Make sure there is always a person that is watching and listening to the stream while you’re producing, just to be sure of the signal that you are sending out.
Recent happenings in remote events:
Bill Gates hasn’t made any friends this year: Due to the lack of spontaneity after in-person meetings, Microsoft founder Gates says the move to remote meetings and events has impacted his opportunity to make random connections. While encouraging software developers to do more (I guess he hasn’t tried INTRO.chat), Gates predicts business travel will be greatly reduced, and more online events will take place, even after COVID-19.
Remote ushers in event Golden Age: Speaking at the recent Cvent CONNECT Europe event, Cvent CEO and founder Reggie Aggarwal highlighted the important role of remote and online technology in bringing events to a wider audience, and the possibility of creating “a Golden Age” for events. We couldn’t agree more.
Hosting providers lean into marketplaces for Online Events: Zoom, Hopin and Crowdcast are just three event hosting providers that are working to build greater functionality for their clients by offering more visibility for the events on their platforms. As event platforms increasingly become a destination for audiences to find events, expect more benefits for consumers as the competition between these providers continues to heat up!
Amazon seeks to disrupt online event world: Online events, Jeff Bezos has entered the chat. Amazon Explore facilitates 1to1 online experiences between viewers and hosts around the world. The service is aimed at those looking to shop, learn or explore new destinations with professional guides. Amazon’s entry into the online event and experience space is an exciting new entrant to the online event space, as well as a huge validation of the industry.
Elsewhere in the PIRATEx Universe:
It has been a busy week for us at PIRATEx as we’ve produced six different projects for clients. We’ve learned a lot and it’s been a great joy to work with so many excellent partners.
We have been incredibly busy this year and are looking forward to new crew and collaborators. If you are interested in joining the crew:
Top reads:
- Virtual Events Are Not the Enemy — Superspreader Events Are: Event Manager
- Full-scale venues open online for virtual events: Design Products and Applications
- How to monetize virtual events: Exhibition News
- 4 Common Mistakes You’re Probably Making While Producing Streaming Virtual Events: Eventbrite
- Carrying the true value of events online: Exhibition World
- Insights from virtual events buyers: Exhibition News
- How one agency MD pivoted to virtual overnight: Virtual Events Institute
Thanks for reading!
That’s it for this edition of the Remote Events insider. In the meantime, don’t forget to check out our Guidebook!
If there’s anything you would like to read about when it comes to remote, or digital events, let us know! We’d love to hear your comments and suggestions.
Don’t forget, you can subscribe to our weekly newsletter to always be updated on the news from the online event world!
The Lookout Newsletter #2
Written by:
Felix Josephi
PIRATEx Managing Director
