How to Prepare for a Virtual Live Event

With the hybrid workplace becoming more the norm than the exception, forward-thinking companies are using online broadcasting tools to keep in touch with their remote workforce through live virtual events.

However, hosting a live event involves more than speaking in front of a camera. There is a lot of preparation to ensure that your event looks and sounds its best to keep your audience engaged and entertained.

Much of the preparation for a live event parallels what live television broadcasters have been doing for years. With the advanced streaming technology available to companies and the general public, your company can create a professional event that rivals your local newscast.

Here is a comprehensive list of how to prepare for your next live event:

Plan it like you would any other event

Live virtual events need as much planning and strategizing as any in-person event. Here are some questions to discuss with your event committee that will help dictate much of the logistics:

• What are you aiming to achieve with your event, and how can you tailor your agenda to reach them?
• What theme can you use to keep your audience interested?
• Where is the bulk of your audience geographically located so you can work around time zones?
• How can we work our messaging into the agenda to ensure all our points are covered?
• Where should you hold the event that offers the right background and minimal outside noise interference?

Write your teleprompter script (speaker notes)

You don’t have to speak from paper notes in a live stream. Seasoned speaking pros can wing it on their own, but you’ll need a good-quality teleprompter and a script to deliver the most professional presentation possible. When writing or collaborating on your script, let the best attributes of your personality shine through. Authenticity is also key to building trust and keeping your audience’s attention. Once the script is written, practice reading it aloud and recording your voice to check for pacing or inflection issues.

Plan your wardrobe for the camera

You might love that plaid blazer or floral top, but the camera won’t! It’s best to stick to colours in the medium range, such as maroon, dark grey, or purple, to look your best to the viewing audience. Tops with collars are a great choice as they enhance a polished look.

Be sure to wear comfortable but appropriate bottoms as well; you should never assume the audience will only see you from the torso up.

Here’s what to avoid wearing on camera:

• Loud patterns such as plaids, florals, or bold stripes
• Anything that can reflect lights such as sequins, shiny jewellery, or zippers
• Jewellery or accessories that can rattle during the stream
• The same colours as your background to prevent blending into it, especially blue or green when using a green screen or blue screen

For remote presenters, make sure their camera is close to eye level and that they maintain good eye contact at all times. They should also avoid being too far away from the camera or looking too short to enhance visual presence.

Ensure you have optimal audio

Many attendees can forgive a bad video feed or no video at all. However, nothing can compensate for bad audio quality. If the audio is poor, your message will not be heard and your audience will begin to disengage.

Invest in an external USB microphone or a microphone headset to help maintain clear, crisp audio with optimal volume.

Use the right lighting

Proper lighting is crucial to looking professional on camera. Avoid overhead lighting that can create shadows, or light behind you, making it difficult to see you. The best choice is soft, flattering lighting that faces you so you can be seen clearly.

If you or another presenter wears eyeglasses, position the lights up and further away to prevent reflective glare.

Focus on your delivery with good posture, eye contact, and a smile

Stand or sit up straight with your shoulders slightly back to help improve your posture, which will also support your speaking voice. You can help by placing the camera you’re speaking into slightly above eye level to make your posture feel natural.

Maintain eye contact with the camera and avoid the temptation to look at yourself on the monitor. Be sure to smile while delivering your message. Convey enthusiasm and keep your audience engaged by being engaged yourself. No one will care about your message if you don’t smile and exude energy.

Designate moderators for your panel discussions

Moderators are key players in panel discussions and roundtables as they can help control the flow of conversation, ensure everyone stays on topic, and watch the clock to end the sessions once the allotted time is up. They also screen questions during Q&A sessions and guide switching so the person can ask their question in real time.

When choosing a moderator, only consider people who can improvise under pressure, make critical decisions on the fly, and facilitate dialogue without participating. They will also organize and brief all key players before the event starts so everyone is prepared once you start broadcasting.

Invite your attendees

Send everyone you’d like to attend your event an invitation that includes event details, date and time, and clear login instructions. You can email regular reminders to inform people of exciting additions to the agenda, updates, news, and a countdown timer to ramp up the anticipation.

Have a dry run before the event starts

There’s nothing worse than planning an event and building excitement only to have something fail just as you are about to begin. To prevent last-minute emergencies, test everything before the event, such as Internet connectivity, video and audio feeds, lighting, backgrounds, and your appearance on camera.

Event preparation might sound like a lot of work – but that’s only because it is! If you’re new to live events and don’t have time to learn, it’s wise to hire a livestream production team to take care of all the technical details for you. With their help, you’ll provide your attendees with an online experience they’ll always remember!

Partner with the right livestream production team

When planning a live event, having the right technical professionals working with you behind the scenes is crucial to making the overall production easier for your team.

Your dedicated VVC Live production crew has all the technology you need for every type of online event. Whether you’re planning a conference, AGM, town hall, or any other livestream, we’ll take care of the production needs so you can simply focus on delivering your message and enjoying your event.

Experience our streaming solution to discover how our cutting-edge technology will elevate your next livestream. Contact us today for a free demonstration!