A virtual event platform is a key to success when it comes to online events of any kind, whether you’re using them as lead generation tools or to connect with your customers on a more personal level.
What is a Virtual Event Platform?
A virtual event platform is a software-as-service product that enables individuals to set up events online. These platforms help planners manage everything from event registration to marketing, ticketing, and surveys. Many platforms also come with built-in social media tools for attendees to engage each other during an event. If you’re planning your next virtual conference or webinar, consider using one of these 15 best virtual event platforms
Why Should I Use a Virtual Event Platform?
If you’re planning a virtual event, there are many compelling reasons to use an online platform instead of developing your own. The most obvious reason is cost; building and maintaining your own software can quickly become expensive.
Additionally, professional platforms such as these often provide robust features that make organizing events easier and more efficient. Finally, using a third-party platform allows you to take advantage of other companies’ infrastructure—features like social media integration and registration management.
A virtual event platform is a service that helps presenters create and manage online events. Attendees can watch the presentations live or view recordings, download slides, ask questions via chat, share notes on social media, and more.
These platforms offer features like :
Live streaming – You can stream your presentation live to the event audience. The video stream is available online for replay forever so those who missed the live session can catch up anytime.
Presentation recordings – After you’ve finished your live session, the recording will be available as soon as it finishes processing. Presenters and attendees can view or download a copy of the slides and watch the entire event from start to finish whenever they wish.
Question & answer sessions – Stay connected with attendees throughout your presentation by answering their questions in real-time via chat. Attendees also have an opportunity to ask you questions before and after your session.
Follow-up surveys – Take feedback from every attendee immediately following your with a quick exit survey that tells
How much does a virtual event platform cost?
Virtual event platforms typically cost $10-$500+ per month depending on features and add-on services. There is a free version, but it usually includes fewer presentations and limited audience engagement tools.
Best Virtual Event Platforms:
There are a number of platforms out there, but we’ve compiled a list of 20 virtual event platforms to get you started.
Each one of these can help you reach your goals, so check them out and decide which one will work best for your needs!
Check them out and see which one fits your needs best.
Cvent
The Cvent platform handles all aspects of event management and simplifies processes such as registration, pricing, and payment. The platform also offers various integrations for integrating with third-party services including marketing automation tools. Customers can also use data from Cvent to track ROI, measure attendee engagement, and review meeting performance. The vendor offers a free 30-day trial period and comes with a money-back guarantee.
Additional charges apply for multi-event functionality, event customization and file hosting. The vendor features an extensive knowledge base. live chat is available 24/7. The platform supports integration with MS Office products as well as most email clients.
If you’re planning an event, it’s worth taking a look at Cvent, which is one of the most flexible and feature-rich virtual event platforms on offer. It comes with all kinds of integrations that can help you bring your team into one place for ease-of-use, and also has mobile apps for guest check-in (finally!) and registration.
Cvent is de facto industry leader when it comes to hosting events.
Bizzabo
There are plenty of virtual event management platforms out there, but Bizzabo brings some unique features to enable seamless collaboration. This cloud-based platform allows users to create an event website that includes interactive features like social networking tools and easy-to-access resources for event participants. There’s also a private, branded mobile app that attendees can use before, during and after an event. The best part is you don’t have to be a coder or techie to use it—just point and click your way through.
Aventri
If you need to connect and manage with attendees and speakers, you’ll like Aventri. The easy-to-use dashboard lets you see where people are signing up for your event, as well as those who have signed up but not yet confirmed. You can also manage your speakers and sponsors easily through Aventri by managing their information through one place. This platform is free for up to 200 people, or $29 per month for up to 1,000 users. It’s a great way to keep track of everything for small events without spending too much time on setup and management details that don’t contribute directly to your company goals. Most importantly: it will save you time and money—we love that!
Whova
The free virtual event software from Whova is a great tool for organizing an online event. With Whova, you can collect payments, assign delegates to tasks and send reminders, create private calendars that won’t be visible to attendees outside your company, and much more. These tools make it easier for you to communicate with your virtual attendees and ensure a smooth experience for everyone involved.
Hopin
While Hopin is very similar to Bizzabo, there are a few differences that set it apart. For example, Hopin has an event app feature, which Bizzabo does not have. The other key difference? Pricing—Hopin charges slightly less than Bizzabo does for its Basic Plan. While that plan only lets you list five events at once, you can expand to 15 events when you upgrade to its Standard Plan. It’s not quite as robust as Bizzabo’s Business Plan, but it’s still worth your consideration if you don’t want to pay too much for your event-listing needs. Check out Hopin here .
Skip Hopin if you’re just looking for a free, easy platform that allows you to create your own event landing page. Hopin costs $19 per month to use, but it includes some unique features not found in other platforms, such as hiding sensitive content from guests who aren’t registered for your event.
Swapcard
Swapcard has been recognized for its innovative use of gamification techniques to create a unique experience that appeals to potential clients while also improving overall event attendance. A wide range of businesses have taken advantage of Swapcard’s virtual events, including food and beverage, retail, hospitality and entertainment companies.
Vfairs
Vfairs platform allows you to create an online event with an audio-visual quality that is close to face-to-face meetings and conferences. It offers a live chat and biographies and also serves as a blogging platform. Moreover, it has a powerful search function that can be used to find relevant contacts quickly. A single account costs $49 per month, but you can get up to 15% discount if you pay on annual basis.
Socio.Events
It’s a very cool platform that helps you to increase awareness of your company by showcasing different events which you’re going to host. A way for you to create a profile and invite people who have an interest in attending your event. With Socio.Events, it makes sure that there is a certain amount of work on your part but they help with some features such as registration and how people sign up.
Accelevents
For event planning, Accelevents is a great platform for everything from creating a virtual event to connecting with attendees before and after. When designing your event, you can select a pre-designed template or create something new from scratch. For virtual events, Accelevents offers online sign-in, slide presentations and video feeds of speaking events.
Airmeet
The AirMeet platform allows attendees to participate in a webinar via video and share their desktop, enabling them to take part in polls, participate in chat rooms and vote. More than just your average webinar platform, AirMeet provides businesses with an easy way to run virtual events and conferences online. With features such as event marketing campaigns through social media channels and lead generation tools for gathering contact information from attendees, AirMeet is a leading virtual event software solution for businesses looking to extend their reach beyond geography.
Brella.io
The Brella.io virtual event platform boasts an impressive array of features. For example, it allows you to include live webinars or short video presentations in your virtual events. You can also choose from a number of templates to help make creating your event quick and easy, while letting you easily share data across various social networks.
MeetingPlay
If you’re looking for a solution to manage your virtual events, MeetingPlay is definitely one to consider. The platform offers three solutions: Team Play, which allows event planners to communicate and collaborate with one another as well as their attendees; Marketing Play, an option that allows you to promote your event and solicit exhibitors; and Sales Play, a program that facilitates lead generation. MeetingPlay isn’t just about providing tools for people working on an event, either—you can also use it for attendees.
Pathable
The Pathable platform comes from a company that’s been hosting events since 1988. It’s used by many Fortune 500 companies, and boasts a solid feature set, including gamification options and social networking tools. But what really sets Pathable apart is its ability to work with any ticketing system or venue management software you currently use. There are even tools for integrating a meeting room reservation system or meal ordering portal directly into your event registration page.
Eventmobi
If you’re planning an event, it’s worth taking a look at EventMobi, which is one of the most flexible and feature-rich virtual event platforms on offer. It comes with all kinds of integrations that can help you bring your team into one place for ease-of-use, and also has mobile apps for guest check-in (finally!) and registration.
ON24
The Online Meetings Company (ON24) is best known for their virtual event platform which offers webinars, webcasts, online training courses and live events. ON24’s Virtual Platform is fully integrated with social media tools such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. The main focus at ON24 has always been to provide effective communication solutions that help corporations improve marketing ROI, boost sales productivity and boost shareholder value.
6connex
With over 80 integrations, 6connex is a powerful tool for event managers. The platform gives its users access to hundreds of tools and resources which saves on time and allows them to be more productive. If you’re looking for a versatile event management software, look no further than 6connex. Its virtual event platforms allow users to organize events from beginning to end while providing them with essential information that can be used in future events or processes.
Intrado
More than just online event software, Intrado offers marketing services that help connect your business with relevant attendees. A combination of powerful virtual-event tools and marketing support makes Intrado an ideal solution for companies that want to host events that move attendees to action. More than 300 companies use Intrado—including HP, Honda, Sony, FedEx and more—to reach their target audience through video conferencing technology at industry events across North America.
It also acquired Inxpo recently to grow its virtual offerings.
SplashThat
SplashThat provides top-notch virtual event solutions for boosting brand awareness, enhancing engagement, and boosting web traffic.
It is one of most popular online event marketing platforms. It helps its clients to create, launch and manage virtual events, marketing campaigns and webinars via its easy-to-use interface.
Hubilo
Hubilo is a hub for event professionals, It offers great customer service, customizable options and comes equipped with many features (such as registration fees). Plus, it’s easy to organize your own live or virtual event. One drawback: You can’t upload your own files, which makes it difficult to attach documents like PowerPoint presentations. Still, Hubilo is great for smaller-scale events (maximum 50 attendees) who need simple tools without much hassle.
RainFocus
Offering marketing, sales and marketing management solutions for startups, RainFocus is a complete event marketing solution that enables you to organize events online through an easy-to-use interface. With their technology, you can host live Webinars or Webcasts, manage attendees, evaluate leads and manage event results. All these features work together to offer an extensive platform that works for everyone – marketers, managers and individual users.
Conclusion
We hope this article has helped you decide on what to look for in a platform for your next virtual event. Let us know if you’ve used any of the tools mentioned above, or if there’s any other platforms we missed!