How To Choose An Event Platform: 5 Key Questions To Ask

What’s the best event platform?

Whether in the form of hybrid events or standalone productions, virtual events are a significant part of the event landscape and this makes choosing the best virtual events platform a key part of your events strategy.

We’ve spent time over the last couple of years thoroughly researching the range of virtual events platforms on the market, building relationships with the industry leaders, and in some instances, even helping them to develop new features.

Our team conducted research into 90+ virtual events platforms and while the platforms have a number of similarities, they all differ in their specialism and suitability.

So if you’re looking to find the best virtual events platform for your own event, based on our experience and research, here are five questions we think you should be asking.

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5 questions to ask to find your perfect event platform

1. What is the pricing structure for my virtual?

All virtual event platforms have different price structures. It’s important to ask plenty of questions regarding how they price their services in advance of signing on the dotted line, to guard against any unexpected surprises that might impact your budget further down the line, especially as your requirements evolve.

Factors to consider:
Some of the factors that you’ll want to consider will include the number of attendees you can host for the price agreed upon, and which specific features of the platform will be available to you at the price point you’re working within.

You’ll also need to make sure that the price you’ve agreed to include the functionality your event will require, for example, the need to run concurrent webinars. The length of your event will be another factor that might impact price, so shop around to find the best pricing structure for the way that you’ve built out and balanced your event schedule.

Finally, remember to ask about the levels of customisation you’ll be able to apply to alter the look and feel of your event’s visual presentation. You’ll also want to get total clarity on the amount of technical support you can expect to receive on the day.

2. How can my branding be applied across the virtual event platform?

Branding has always been a core element of great event production. Your event is an extension of your brand, and each touchpoint at your event should be on-brand, including the online experience at your virtual event.

Faced with the challenge of creating a memorable experience and connection with a remote audience, when it comes to choosing a virtual events platform, top-notch, fully customisable branding capabilities should form a non-negotiable element of your research.

Once you’ve narrowed down your list of likely partners, dedicate some time to discussing branding opportunities in all elements of your virtual event, and do some careful comparison. The way that your event is visually presented counts for so much when you’re restricted from some of the theatre and spectacle that a live event can lean on – make sure it forms a large part of your decision-making processes.

3. What kind of support package can I expect, and how will time zones impact this?

Typically, when signing up for your platform of choice, they will provide a support package or team as part of your agreement. These are not all created equal, so we strongly recommend a thorough discussion to outline expectations in advance.

Think about what kind of support you might require. This will depend on a range of factors specific to your event, including its complexity and the level of experience (or anxiety!) you might have with regard to the technicalities involved.

The virtual nature of these events means that you could select software created and run by teams anywhere in the world. Keep in mind how this might affect the support you receive, especially with regard to time zone differences. This is an important factor not just for event day, but also in the run-up and planning stages.

If you think you’ll need fast answers and are keen on having help on hand instantly, be sure to work with a team that can provide support within your timezone, or that offers 24/7 live support.

4. What specialist sector experience does the virtual events platform have?

When choosing your own virtual event platform, have a look at the portfolio of clients that they’ve handled in the past, and look for sector or vertical alignment. Each platform has been developed and refined over time, adapting its features to benefit the customers who most commonly use it. So not only will their technology be better suited to the specific needs of your event, but their support staff and account managers will also be more experienced in the requests, problems, and solutions that you might require as a direct result of the industry you’re representing.

It can also pay to look at the format of events they’re used to hosting. Whether you’re looking for a high-energy award ceremony, inspirational AGM or productive board meeting, chances are you’ll get the best results from working with a platform that’s well-used to handling events of the same nature.

5. What governing law will my contract be subject to?

When using a virtual events platform, it’s important to understand that you are entering a legal agreement. For some clients, this won’t matter at all. For others, it won’t matter until something goes wrong!

By entering into an agreement with your virtual event platform of choice, you will be legally bound by the T&Cs of that contract, unless otherwise stated or agreed. Because of this, you need to ensure you know exactly how the agreement is governed. That is to say, under which country’s law.

If litigation arises, will legal proceedings be able to be brought in your country’s own courts, or is the platform operating under another governing law, for example, India or the United States?

This is, of course, something we hope you’ll never have to act upon, but if you’re delivering an event for a client, or working within a larger organisation, thanks to the border-spanning abilities of modern software, it’s well worth digging into this and checking compliance with any internal legal personnel.

We’ve spent a lot of time not only researching event platforms but working with them too. If you need any advice or recommendations, please get in touch.