It’s time for you to take your conference online. During these uncertain times, we have had to adapt to the new normal, but this does not mean cancelling the top events in your calendar. This article will help explain why you should record your event, and it will also provide you with some ideas on what to include in these videos. While you don’t have to record and edit the conference yourself, you still have two main questions to answer: first, will you record your event? Second, what will you record?
A quick note before we start. While we continue through this pandemic, it is clear to see that the possibility of in-person attendees at a conference is close to impossible. However, this post can show you that your conference can continue with an online audience. Whether you choose to live-stream your event, upload pre-recorded and edited content, or both, hopefully, you can see that your event can continue, as long as you adapt.
1) Why is video conference recording and streaming your next best business decision?
Video Maintains Interaction
The interactions that occur at a conference or event are one of the most powerful benefits of attending. Like-minded people come together to discuss and learn about a topic and get to know each other. Taking your conferences online takes the community online. Whether that is through comments, Facebook or LinkedIn groups, people will be talking about your videos and sharing them faster than before. Keeping these interactions alive keeps the interest alive, so when we are all ready to bring back our in-person conferences, there will be a demand.
Videos are Forever
Content captured during an event can be used for several purposes. Here are some ways video content can have a lasting impact:
- Show off your Keynote Speakers – It can take a lot of time and effort to organise a keynote speaker. By recording their talks, attendees and others can view the content online, creating an impact long after the event is over.
- Archive panel discussions – Everyone loves a good panel discussion. It is the perfect opportunity to hear conflicting points of view and see audience participation. A video, especially with multiple angles, can capture the most interesting moments of these panel discussions and encourage the conversation to continue online.
- Create Marketing content for your business – One of the best ways to market events is through the use of testimonials and footage from the previous year. With a video production crew on-site, you can capture great footage of your talks as well as encourage the submission of testimonials from online attendees. All of this can be used in a brand video for the following year, or as general marketing content for your company.
Videos are cheap and accessible
Videos are incredibly accessible and digestible. They can be short and to the point, or descriptive and detailed. Having recordings of talks or conferences is an amazing gift to the community. People who cannot afford to attend or travel can still stay up to date and learn by watching videos. Graduates, career changers and dedicated industry lovers will all be able to engage and inform themselves from your conference videos. The TEDx brand, known internationally for its high-quality content, is a great example of this. Their talks are shorter and come with downloadable transcripts, making them very accessible and user-friendly. It is important to look to these as models for the future of conferences and talks.
2) What will you record? What will your conference videos look like?
It can be easy to go ahead with a video conference but deciding what that might look like can be much harder. Here are some ideas and examples of what conference videos can look like and include, and things to consider when approaching the filming and editing of videos for online consumption.
- Make your videos available offline: This means downloadable. Videos that are downloadable are more accessible, consumable, and convenient, Why? Because they can be watched on the commute, while cooking, working out, looking after the kids or even in the bath! Convenience is key with online content as you are working around everyone schedules and responsibilities, so think about making this an option for your viewers.
- The videos need to make sense on a small screen: It is unlikely people will choose to watch your video on a TV, so a laptop, tablet, desktop computer or smartphone is more likely. This means you need to consider the resolution, text size, angles etc. – all things you can discuss with your expert videographer or editor.
- Each video needs to be independent: Usually, at a conference, people will go to multiple talks and panels and therefore there may be an expectation of knowledge placed on the attendees. However, for video content, there cannot be any of these expectations as it will be harder to ensure everyone is equally informed. Of course, people can Google as they watch, but if they become confused, they will likely become disengaged, and once that has happened you’ve lost a viewer, so ensure each video makes sense alone.
- Consider your video length: The TEDx philosophy is useful here, longer is not always better. However, we understand that 15 minutes is not a long time. Therefore, the recommended length for a talk is around 30 minutes. If there is a Q & A portion to the presentation, then increase this to 45 minutes, to allow for pre-submitted questions. Of course, it would be lovely for everyone to stay engaged for an hour, but this does not reflect the TikTok/Instagram/Bite-size culture our society lives in, therefore shorter is better when it comes to digital content.
- Publish the slides: Remember being at university or in school and desperately waiting for lecture slides and handouts to become available? Apply this to your conference videos. Simply put, it’s easier to learn when you can remember what’s been said. Therefore, be sure to ask presenters if they are willing and able to share slides and content with viewers.
- Text content and visual content: While real-life conferences present logistical issues, an online conference also has a few things you will have to workaround. Instead of managing people, you will be managing content, and this could mean creating text content to match your videos. Transcripts and captions are incredibly helpful for viewers in other countries or with access needs. Furthermore, some people are visual learners and need content to look at while a presentation is taking place.
As we enter further into the digital age, taking your conference online is the way forward. However, although this information may be helpful to you, the prospect of doing it all alone can be overwhelming, but don’t worry – Splento is here to help, even remotely!
Talk to Splento staff today and they will be able to help make your idea become a reality, then hire professional and experienced videographers who will bring your conference to life; check out our portfolios now. Remember, if you have any questions or need advice, then you are most welcome to get in touch with us.
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