Do you want to organize a digital event and are wondering where to start? Whether it's a conference, webinar or virtual team building: the basic question is always the same. How do you ensure that your event runs smoothly from a technical point of view and that your participants really stick with it?
This guide will take you step by step through the entire process. From the initial goal setting to the choice of platform to the follow-up after the event.
Book a demoand see how Streavent maps your digital event from registration to recording on one platform.
What makes a digital event successful?
A digital event rarely fails due to technology. It usually fails because the target group was not clearly defined, the content was too long and too passive, or the marketing started too late.
The good news: All three problems can be avoided with the right preparation. If you follow the following six steps consistently, you will have the basis for an event that your participants will remember.
Step 1: Define goals and target group
Before you open any platform or block an appointment, answer a single question: What should be different after the event?
Three classic goals for digital events:
- Product presentation: You want to bring a new feature, a new offering or a new partnership into the world.
- Network and community: Your participants should get to know each other and make contacts.
- Knowledge and qualifications: You want your target group to be able to do or understand something after the event that they couldn't do before.
Once the goal is clear, the target group follows. Who exactly should take part? What does this person expect from a digital event? What makes them inattentive? And what keeps her going from the first slide to the last?
These questions sound obvious, but are often skipped in practice. This pays off at the latest when it comes to the content plan and the choice of platform.
Step 2: Choose the right platform for your digital event
The platform is the foundation. It determines what is technically possible, how your participants experience the event and how much effort you have to put into setting it up.
For simple internal formats, a video conferencing tool such as Zoom or Teams is sufficient. Once your event is larger, more professional, or more outward-looking, you'll need more.
A dedicated event platform offers you, among other things:
- Live streamingfor real-time interaction with many participants at the same time
- Interactive toolssuch as surveys, Q&A sessions and live chats that actively combat passivity
- Sponsor and partner presenceso that you can set up your event in a commercially clean manner
- Registration and ticketingdirectly on the same platform, without media breaks
- Evaluations and participation trackingfor proof to stakeholders
With Streavent you plan digital and hybrid events on one platform: registration page, event app, streaming, check-in and analytics all come together. No clutter of tools, no data loss between systems.
View all features of the Streavent platform
Step 3: Plan content strategically
Content is what your participants signed up for. And at the same time the most common reason why they start checking their cell phone after twenty minutes.
The biggest problem with digital events: lectures that are too long, too passive. If someone listens for 90 minutes without taking any action, their attention will be gone after 30 minutes at the latest. This is not a failure of the target group, this is physiology.
What you can do about it:
Shorten keynote speeches.Eliminate anything that doesn't directly contribute to the goal of the event. 20 precise minutes work better than 50 minutes of filling content.
Include breakout sessions.Small groups, specific topic, discussion or working together. Participants learn significantly more in breakout sessions than by just listening because they have to actively think.
Use live polls and Q&A.A quick vote every 20 minutes is enough to significantly increase engagement. Answering questions from the audience during the lecture seems more authentic than a block at the end.
The learning pyramid shows why this works: listening is at the bottom (approx. 5% retention rate), active discussion and application are at the top (50, 90%). Your content plan should reflect this.
Step 4: Market your digital event
There is no event without registration. This sounds banal, but it is often addressed too late in the planning. Start your marketing early enough so that you don't end up sitting there with an empty attendee list a week before the event.
The channels that work best in practice:
- Email marketingto an existing contact list. Particularly effective if you write to recipients who have already shown interest in a similar topic.
- Social mediaon the channels on which your target group is really active. LinkedIn for B2B events, Instagram for community-oriented formats.
- Paid Adsif you want to reach new target groups that you can't reach organically.
- Collaborationswith other companies or professionals that have the same target group and are not direct competitors.
Important for every channel: Communicate clearly what specific benefits the participants will gain. "Log in" is not an argument. "After this 45-minute webinar, you'll know how to complete your check-in for 300 people in under 10 minutes," already.
Step 5: Technical preparation
A technical glitch at a digital event is not like a projector that breaks down briefly at an on-site event. Online means a serious breakdown in the worst case: event over.
That's why the following applies: test everything before it goes live.
Technical preparation checklist:
- Test run with all speakers and moderators (not just a short “Do you hear me?”, but a complete run-through)
- Check microphone, camera and internet connection for everyone involved
- Plan a backup connection, for example a hotspot on your smartphone in case of an emergency
- Schedule technical support during the event. Someone who solves problems in the background without slowing things down
- Test the recording function if you want to share the session afterwards
It's better to plan half a day for the test run than to improvise during the event.
Step 6: Feedback and follow-up after the event
After the event is before the event. What you do now will determine whether your next digital event will be better.
Get feedbackimmediately afterwards or no later than 24 hours afterwards. A short survey with three to five questions is sufficient. What did you like? What would the participants change? Would you recommend the next event?
The participants are usually open and honest, especially if you ask clearly and do not require fifteen mandatory fields.
Provide materials.In the follow-up, send the participants the presentation slides, the recording or a summary of the most important points. This extends the value of the event beyond the day and strengthens the bond.
Thank you.A short personal email or message via the event app costs little and leaves a lasting impression.
With Streavent, follow-up is automated: you can send thank-you emails, materials and feedback surveys directly from the platform without using another tool.
Plan digital events with the right software
When planning digital events, many event managers juggle five or more tools at the same time: one tool for the registration page, another for the stream, a third for the app, a fourth for evaluation. This costs time, causes data loss and makes preparation unnecessarily complex.
Streavent bundles everything on one platform:
- Registration and ticketingincluding branded event website
- Streaming and live interactionfor digital and hybrid formats
- Mobile event appfor agenda, networking and engagement
- Check-in managementfor hybrid events with an on-site component
- Analytics and reportingafter the event
The result: 4 to 20 hours less effort per event. Time that you can invest in the content and impact of your event instead of in list comparison and tool troubleshooting.
Create your first digital event for freeorbook a demoto see how Streavent fits into your workflow.
Conclusion: This is how you plan digital events successfully
Planning digital events is not rocket science if you proceed in a structured manner. The six steps at a glance:
- Define goals and target groupbefore you do anything else
- Choose the right platformthat suits your format and number of participants
- Actively design contentwith breakout sessions, surveys and targeted brevity
- Start marketing earlyand clearly communicate the specific benefits
- Test technology thoroughlyincluding a complete test run with everyone involved
- Collect feedback and send follow-upimmediately after the event
If you consistently implement these steps, you will have the basis for a digital event that inspires your participants and achieves your goals.
Create an event now for freeorBook a demoand plan your next digital event with Streavent.
Frequently asked questions about planning digital events
How far in advance should I start planning?For smaller webinars, four to six weeks’ notice is sufficient. For larger conferences or multi-stage formats, plan at least three months so that marketing, speaker coordination and technology do not suffer from time pressure.
Which platform is suitable for digital events?That depends on your format. A video conferencing tool is sufficient for internal meetings for up to 50 people. For professional B2B events with registration, branding, interaction and evaluation, you need a dedicated event platform like Streavent.
How do I keep the attention at digital events?Short, concise keynotes combined with interactive breakout sessions, live polls and Q&A. Research shows: Active participation significantly increases retention rates compared to passive listening.
What does follow-up after a digital event include?Feedback survey within 24 hours, thank you message to participants and materials such as slides and recording. If you do this in a structured way, you build a basis for the next event.
How do I avoid technical problems at a digital event?Schedule a full test run with all speakers, check microphone, camera and internet connection, set up a backup connection and ensure technical support for the duration of the event.
Additional resources:
