The Future of Virtual Conferences [Infographic]

Are virtual events the future of business conferences? As we transition to remote work, all that continuing professional education and networking has taken a temporary back seat, but as the social distancing measures persist we will have to find ways around that. Meeting with each other virtually online is nothing new, but can it be used in new ways?

Globally, the business event industry is $1.5 trillion. Events have been canceled and indefinitely postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to significant loss of business not only for event organizers but also for attendees and businesses local to major events, as well.

Businesses depend on these events to educate their staff about what’s new in their industries, to network with other businesses that may be able to use their services, and to find new clients. Employees depend on these events for professional development and networking.

Fortunately, thanks to the tools we already have at our disposal, virtual conferences can be a placeholder until we are able to meet in person once again. While it sounds like a new conference, virtual meetings, networking, and conferences have been around for a long time, and now is their time to shine.

By next year it is estimated that 80% of web traffic will be video, including video conferencing. And while some may believe that virtual conferences would not be conducive to attentiveness, but 86% of participants in online meetings say they are as attentive as or more attentive than they would be in an in-person conference.

As things slowly begin to reopen, people will still be reluctant to go to big events, especially those that require travel. Virtual events will be bridging the gap for a long time to come, and they may be here to stay. Learn more about the benefits of virtual business events from the infographic below.

Infographic Source: Data Connectors