Filling Seats: How Livestreaming Makes Events Accessible

June 27, 2024/ Elisabeth / Blog, Industry News, Vocalmeet Industry Insights

The live stream industry is booming all around the world. In 2017, Facebook’s head of video, Fidji Simo, reported that 20% of all Facebook videos were broadcast live, and watch times had grown four times in the course of just one year. Over time, the live industry is projected to be valued over $70 billion. For obvious reasons, organizations everywhere are increasing their investments in live streaming and discovering new ways to incorporate it.

There are a variety of ways live streams can help your association, but increasing the reach and accessibility of your events is one of the best and biggest. In fact, member-based organizations can expand their events in many ways through live streams! In today’s article, we’re going to be highlighting and discussing the major ways that organizations can transform their events through the art of live streaming:

1. Combat Attendance Caps

Since live streams come with a cost, some event planners may question whether it makes sense for their association. The truth is, there is no minimum organization size or attendance number to which live streams are limited! In reality, while bigger events may bring in far larger live stream viewership numbers, smaller associations may actually require live streams more in order to appease their audience.

With live streams, event attendance is no longer confined to venue capacity. Organizations don’t have to upgrade their venue size to accommodate unsecured attendees. If the in-person event sells out, organizations can offer live stream access to last-minute guests. This can be especially useful for workshops that might attract new participants during an event. Rather than scrambling to find an adequate space, organizations can simply live stream the workshop to interested parties!

2. Discover a New Marketing Tool

Events are one of the best ways for associations to market their services and their brand. Getting prospective members to the event, however, can offer up some unique challenges. Thankfully, with live streams, much of the heavy commitment is removed for prospective attendees. Sure, there is often a cost associated with tuning in, but it is usually a fraction of the price of attending in person. Additionally, of those who do watch the live stream, a significant number will attend the same event in person the following year! This fact makes live streams a powerful promotional tool to grow events.

After the live aspect of these streams is gone, the video content can be reused in various ways for advertisements and marketing clips. On social media, video content is marketing gold, as 48% of consumers share brand videos on their social media channels. With so much video content gleaned from a live streamed event, event planners can promote their events better and more effectively than ever!

3. Reduce Travel (and Costs!)

Perhaps the most obvious way that live streams enhance the availability and accessibility of events is by reducing the amount of travel–and travel expenses–required for attendance. It’s largely because of these conveniences that some people fear that live streams may cut into in-person attendance numbers. And, while research indicates that live streams may actually increase in-person attendance for events, digital availability is, admittedly, a highly attractive option.

Yet, no matter how much they may want to attend, people can miss out on  events for any number of reasons. They may not have the money to register. The event may be too far away. They may be sick. They may not be able to get the time off work. They may have other commitments. Live streams may not be able to solve all of these issues, but they certainly provide more options. Aspiring attendees can watch from work or from home, and some live streams even allow for video replay, which removes time constraints as well! Live streams don’t remove in-person attendance; they make events accessible to those who wouldn’t be able to come in the first place!

4. Reach All Kinds

Your event could offer the most useful and beneficial content ever put together, and there would still be a large group of people who would rather not attend. Whether due to social anxiety or do-it-yourself attitudes, in-person events just aren’t attractive to some people. Regardless of why, live streams may offer an enticing alternative. People with physical limitations, for example, can access online events more easily. Introverts can attend without having to drain their social batteries.

For many, the greatest element of an in-person event is the powerful networking potential it offers. Yet, event networking has been dominated by a very specific type of person for a long period of time. Various groups and types of people who don’t fit this mold have been pushed to the sidelines, unable to participate. For these people, live streams provide a refreshingly alternative and more welcoming space.

5. Increase the Scope and Engagement

With the understanding that live streams actually improve attendance numbers–both online and in-person for future events–event planners can grow their events in a variety of ways. In addition to increasing the actual size of events and growing revenue, live streams can lead to extended presentations and workshops. Since engagement with live streams is longer, lengthy videos shouldn’t lead to a decrease in online attendance. With more viewers, event planners can also look to grow the scope and variety of topics discussed at their events.

According to some data, users are more interactive and engaged with live streams than they are with recorded videos. This gives event planners another element to consider when designing their event, as forums and various other outlets for discussion can be incorporated. Many live streamed events even allow viewers to speak with presenters, event exhibitors, and administrators while the event is ongoing. This helps enhance the presence, personality, and availability of an organization in the eyes of consumers–making your event both delightfully engaging and memorable!

You may also like: Boosting Your Revenue Potential with Live Streamed Events

Conclusion

When it comes to events, live streaming is the way to go; you can bypass attendance caps, find new methods of marketing, minimize travel and costs, expand your audience, and increase your event’s engagement. Give it a try next time your association runs an event–you’ll find yourself pleasantly surprised!

Sources

Tags accessibilityassociationsBest Practicebrandingcontinuing educatione-learningengagementeventsHub: Event Managementhybrid eventinteractivelivestreamingnon-dues revenueonline eventtechnologywebinar