In the COVID-19 catastrophe, we have entered a new world of virtual conferencing. With time, things got changed. However, this is not for people who are doing work from home. Schools and political system is running through virtual conferencing. It is no doubt that virtual conferences raise challenges for organizers, attendees, and speakers. We cannot say this change worthy because people are experiencing difficulties.
But, in this modern world, digital conferences have become a necessity. We cannot call a virtual conference a virtual meeting. These conferences are overlong and hosted online. Virtual conferences include panel discussions, live entertainment, educational sessions, training and certification, solution sessions, and more. To know more about the positive and negative aspects of virtual conferences, carefully read the article.
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Benefits and Drawbacks of Virtual Conferences:
You might be thinking about the pros and cons of the virtual conference. As we know, everything has its profits and losses. But these will help you to know about the investment and potential.
Why choose video conferencing? What are the reasons to run a conference online? You will get the answer to these questions after knowing the advantages and disadvantages.
Pros:
1. Low Cost:
The factor that makes video conferencing the choice of many people is its low cost. Many of us have seen the trial packs available of meeting software like Zoom and Webex. Also, their subscription price is of low-cost than renting a conference hall. Many people do not have to spend money on travel, speaker, and other charges. Do not worry about the success of the Virtual Conference.
2. Large Reach:
Virtual conferences provide you the opportunity to reach worldwide audiences. Attendees do not have to travel, plan, effort, and possible time away from family and work. Digital conferencing is a far better option in comparison to offline meetings.
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3. No Waiting for the Bathroom:
I like standing in the line for the bathroom said no one ever. It might be a funny benefit, but yes going to pee is natural. In virtual conferences, you do not have to wait in a cosplay line to pee. This benefit is a win-win for everybody.
4. Sponsorship Opportunities:
Virtual conferencing is not about spending money. It is much more than that. It provides you the opportunity to earn money. As you start to explore the world of online conferences, you learn there are nearly countless sponsorship opportunities. You can sell backgrounds, invites, websites, blog posts, and similar. Also, you can earn more than from your local work.
Cons:
1. Competition:
In this modern era, everything is online. From Netflix to Twitter, and people are showing their skills online. You can see the competition everywhere. To make your conference successful, you need to have unique qualities. Also, you have to be ready to compete at a high level.
2. Unstable Connections:
There are so many places in the world where there is less network. People face network problems daily. A good network connection is an early requirement to run a virtual conference. Sometimes we can upgrade our technical instruments but, other times, connectivity is beyond our control. The only option left is to use high-quality equipment. It is because most of the time, poor connectivity is due to low-quality hardware and software.
Photo by Yan Krukov from Pexels
3. Personal Contact:
It is a known fact that face-to-face communication is the best means of communication. Our facial expressions, emotions, tone, and body language matters a lot while communicating. Sometimes we can not express our thoughts in virtual conferencing. No doubt, virtual conferencing is a good option but not for all. Many people are not able to understand things during virtual conferencing.
4. Security issues:
It is the main reason behind the failure of virtual conferencing. We all want our information to remain private, confidential, and secured. If the attendees are not using the proper hardware and software, they can face this problem. When hosting a virtual meeting, there is the chance that this information meets a high risk. Many hackers try to obtain the details and misuse them. Trying to stay alert and up-to-date on security while sharing information over virtual meetings is necessary.
Conclusion:
Do not get scared to go virtual. In this pandemic situation, it is the only option. Many organizations are hosting a virtual conference to engage, inspire, and foster connections. The world is changing quickly, and events are changing along with it. Start taking advantage of virtual conferencing and make your event successful. It is also a fast and easy way to host a conference virtually. A digital meeting can make a good impact. And, now more than ever, there are great resources to take advantage of to learn more about hosting technological events. If you are planning to host a virtual conference, do not forget to plan. Go through the advantages and disadvantages properly. If you get the execution right, your online meet can be incredibly successful and perhaps even more so than an in-person equivalent.
