The Rise of the Digital Event Manager

To say that we are currently living through unprecedented times is an understatement. For the first time ever, pretty much the whole world is under some form of lockdown or practicing social distancing. 

Physical events are banned almost everywhere.  

For the first time ever, the only way to organise an event right now is digital. 

We have been talking about virtual/online/hybrid events for many years now. But this is probably the time in history where we shall see the switch. Running a livestream is no longer a luxury, but a necessity currently. 

While we are all grappling with the effects of COVID-19, the truth is the world will be a different one when we recover from this phase. Lots of us will lose jobs. Businesses will close. And yet there will be brand new companies solving real problems, or existing companies who would have pivoted. And new skills will be required to be relevant. 

If I am to focus on the world of events, then I’d say the future is digital. 

Companies are taking bold moves.For example, Microsoft has cancelled all of its in-person events (both internal and external) until July 2021 (not just this year!). Instead, Microsoft is adopting a digital-first experience approach for all of its events. 

Events are currently going all digital. That’s because we’re living through special times. But, I believe that events of the future will take a hybrid approach. 

These changes have created a void in the industry - the need for a Digital Event Manager. 

“Traditional” event management companies are today scrambling to get their events online. Everybody knows that events have to be virtual right now. But the question is how to do it? It’s not just a matter of using a tool. It’s about the designing of the delivery of content in a whole new format and medium, and engaging attendees in a different way. 

It’s not enough to simply use Zoom to be able to run a 3hr or full-day online conference with multiple different speakers. Just adopting a tool is not the answer. You need to consider the whole digital experience. 

Do you have a break during the online conference? What happens during the break? How do you keep your audience engaged?

Beyond the break, how do you keep your audience engaged throughout, say, a 40mins session?

At a physical tradeshow, exhibitors would pay for a booth and get their ROI. Is it even possible to move this concept online? I’ve seen attempts of online tradeshows where exhibitors are waiting online behind their laptop for a “visitor” to come and visit their online “booth”. Does that even work? 

Running events online will require a whole lot of new skills. Being technically competent is key. Even though online platforms are getting easier to use, the ones who’ll be able to create a great digital experience will be those who understand what can be “hacked” and pieced together in the online world. 

The role of the Digital Event Manager will require a blend of various skills - digital content curation/creation, tech, experience design. 

It will require looking at whole new other worlds for inspiration, for eg: 

• Monetisation of Video Content @ YouTube Creator Academy
• Understanding what makes the Gaming audience on Twitch super engaged 

At GEVME, we’re looking at embarking on a whole new journey of discovery, learning and sharing with our community. We’re kickstarting a series of webinars where we will be looking at various aspects of running a Digital/Virtual event. In each episode, we have a segment on “In Conversation With”, where we bring in a guest speaker to share about practical experiences. You can check out our first episode here. 

On our next episode, we’re looking at defining and having a conversation about the role of a Digital Event Manager. I’d love to hear what you think.