Many event teams (and attendees) agree that the magic of in-person events can never be fully replicated online. But virtual events offer unique benefits for host organizations and their attendees. They remain a critical strategic component of most event portfolios.
Hosting an engaging, effective digital event in 2025 starts with identifying their specific purpose and target audiences. In a recent episode of Event Perspectives — our video series featuring interviews with today’s top event leaders — Rodney Hart, VP of events at RainFocus, delved into virtual event strategy with Ghazwan Almoazen, director, global experiential marketing demand and communication at DocuSign.
Here are a few key takeaways:
- Align the event to an attendee engagement need. Virtual events can serve to fill the gaps between major in-person events, creating continuous engagement and communicating product updates.
Almoazen explained that DocuSign recently used digital events to support the launch of a new solution. Given the ease of attending compared to traveling to an in-person conference, these events successfully expand the organization’s reach beyond DocuSign’s in-person event attendees, which are more focused on those with past engagement or local audiences.
- Don’t skimp on planning and budget. Both the planning requirements and costs can be surprisingly high for a high-quality virtual event.
Recording and streaming needs, rehearsals, paid marketing, speaker preparation, and other elements all need budget and careful attention. Of course, using the same event platform for both in-person and virtual events helps streamline the process.
- Make attendance easy. Moving on to the specifics, Almoazen recommended keeping digital events short. For some, less than an hour is sufficient. Breakout sessions might be under 20 minutes each.
Registration should also be short. Unlike in-person events, which may require long forms covering everything from role-based fields to the attendee’s dietary needs, digital events often need just the person’s name and email to sign up. Reducing sign-up barriers can expand reach, Almoazen explained.
For more best practices on virtual events — including measurement, differentiation, and even whether getting a celebrity speaker is worth it — check out the full Event Perspectives interview here! You can also discover Almoazen’s journey to the events industry and get his advice for aspiring professionals.
