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November 2, 2022

9 Steps to Running a Successful IT Event Online


Hosting an online IT event is a great way to connect with your audience and share your knowledge. However, making your event run smoothly can be a challenge both for beginners and experienced hosts.

In this blog post, we will discuss 9 steps that will help make your online IT event a success. Whether you are new to running events or a seasoned pro, these tips will help you create an engaging and informative experience for your attendees. Let’s get started.

How to run a successful IT event online

Define your goals for the eventBefore you start planning your event, take a moment to step back and think about what you want to achieve. What are your goals for the event – would you like to educate your audience on a certain topic, or perhaps you want to generate leads or promote your brand?

Whatever your goals are, make them SMART – that is, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. This will help you focus your event planning and keep you on track towards achieving your objectives.

Identify your target audience

Who do you want to reach with your event? Knowing the personas of people who make up your target audience is essential in order to create an event that appeals to them.

Consider factors such as their age, job title, location, and interests. This will help you not only determine the content of your event, but also how best to reach them – for example, young professionals may be more likely to engage with your event if it is promoted through social media channels such as LinkedIn or Twitter.

Once you have identified your target audience, segmenting them into different groups will come in handy for creating more targeted and effective promotion. If, say, your event is for IT experts, you could segment your audience by job title (e.g. developers, project managers) or company size (e.g. entrepreneurs, enterprises).

Choose the right platform(s)

There are a number of different options available for hosting your online event, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Some popular choices include webinars, live streaming platforms such as Twitch, and video conferencing software like Zoom.

The best platform for your event will depend on a number of factors, such as your target audience, the type of event you are hosting, and your budget. For example, if you want to reach a global audience or host a large event, webinars may be a better option as they can accommodate a larger number of attendees.

After you have selected the platform(s) you will use for your event, remember to test them out ahead of time to ensure that everything runs smoothly on the day. This includes setting up your audio and video equipment, as well as testing the platform’s features such as chat and screen sharing.

Set a date and time for the event

First think about when it would be convenient to run your event according to the time zone of your target audience. Then take into account any major holidays or events that could potentially conflict with your event – for example, you should avoid hosting it during Thanksgiving if you are targeting people who live in the US.

Also keep in mind that people’s schedules can fill up quickly, so try to give your attendees as much notice as possible. A good rule of thumb here is to send out save the date emails at least one month in advance.

Plan content and speakers

The success of your event will largely depend on the quality of its content, so take some time to plan out the topics you want to cover and the key points you want to get across. If you are featuring any guest speakers, make sure to brief them on the topics beforehand and give them an idea of the audience they will be speaking to.

In addition, consider creating some sort of content that attendees can take away with them after the event, such as an eBook or whitepaper. For example, Mustard IT has a special ebook called The Small Business IT guide, and it can definitely be added to a follow up webinar email.

This will not only serve as a valuable lead generation tool, but also show your attendees that you are invested in providing them with valuable information.

Decide on a schedule and stick to it

Having a clear and concise schedule that attendees can follow will help to keep your event running smoothly and prevent any awkward pauses or dead moments. Try to leave some buffer time in between each session in case things run over, as this will also give attendees time to network with each other or visit your virtual booth.

Remember to stick to the schedule as closely as possible on the day of the event, which may mean being firm with speakers who go over their allotted time.

Create an online signup form

Make it easy for people to register for your event by creating an online signup form and placing it on a dedicated landing page of your website, including a clear CTA (e.g. a “Register Now” button). Add all of the relevant information about the event there, such as the date, time, agenda, speakers, and how to access the event.

You can also use this opportunity to collect additional information about your attendees, such as their name, job title, and company. This will come in handy later when you are trying to market similar events or products to them.

Market your event online

There are a number of different ways to promote your event, but some of the most effective methods include email marketing, online ads, and social media. For the latter, use relevant hashtags and post eye-catching images or videos that will pique people’s interest.

You might also want to reach out to any relevant influencers or thought leaders in your industry and ask them to promote your event to their followers. They can feature your logo design as a prompt to remember the brand.

Manage registrations and payments

If you are charging for your event then you will need to set up a way to process payments and manage registrations, and there are a number of different platforms you can use for this like Eventbrite or RegOnline. You can include information about the price, payment methods, and cancellation policy on your event landing page.

You should also have a system in place for managing any refunds or transfers. It is also a good idea to send out confirmation emails once people have registered, and keep an up-to-date list of all attendees and their contact information so you can send out reminder emails leading up to the event.

Summary

Planning an online event, encouraging people to attend, and making sure it runs smoothly can be a daunting task, especially if you’re new to it. However, by following these simple steps, you’ll be well on your way to hosting a successful IT event online. Good luck.