Why Authenticity Matters in Virtual Events
Rachel Elnar
Sr. Creative Producer @ Adobe | AIGA National Board Member | Design Director, Educator, Showrunner, Event Producer, Writer, Typographer, and Community Builder
As someone who’s produced hundreds of live virtual events, I think about this a lot—fake “live” webinars are a terrible idea. Here’s why:
When I launched my first webcast interview in 2016, called Typography Dojo, I had no clue it would open so many doors. But what made it special wasn't fancy production—it was the real, live engagement with our audience of 67 attendees asking genuine questions.
The energy of a live audience, even virtual, creates a magical interaction you can’t replicate with pre-recorded content. When you treat attendees like passive watchers instead of active participants, you miss the whole point of virtual events—building authentic connections.
Real community engagement can’t be faked. When people discover your “live” webinar is pre-recorded, you’ve broken their trust.
Customers subconsciously judge experiences in the first seven seconds, so why start with a lie? A relationship built on dishonesty, even with the best intentions, won’t last.
Give your audience what they truly want—an authentic connection. Respect their intelligence and their time and they will respect you back. If you want to play a pre-recorded asset, be clear about it. Be transparent, be honest, and be real.?
What are your thoughts on fake “live” events? Have you joined one before??
#virtualevents #authenticity #community #digitalevents #creativeconnections
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1 个月Love it. Yes. Virtual events where the chat is popping and the speakers/host engage with attendees feel so much more valuable for everyone than when it's just a one-way presentation.