Covid has really shaped the way we approach team building and corporate events. In the last few years virtual events have taken over and have become one of the only options for most teams and companies.

This is a trend that is likely to stay as remote work is becoming a new normal and travel is still a challenge for most.

If you have been navigating this new norm already, when it comes to the virtual events industry, you know that some events in 2021 have really stood out in terms of organization and execution. So, let's take a deeper look at those events and what made them special.

National Geographic Storytellers Summit - It was all about quality content

Even though this event took place at the beginning of 2021, it is still one of the most talked about ones in the industry. The goal was to bring together changemakers from around the world to celebrate the art of storytelling.

With different mediums for storytelling, the organizer was able to put together a social wall that was rich with contributions from photographers, filmmakers, illustrators and journalists.

Now comes the immersion of participants - this feed transported viewers to magical corners of the world and let them experience things as the storytellers saw and envisioned them.

One great lesson we can take from this event is the virtual social wall. It proved to be a great access point for the attendees to immerse themselves into the event itself and have enough time to explore the content of the event. There is one scheduled for 2022 and you can check out the content here.

Tomorrowland - A new approach to sponsor promotion

It is definitely no small feat to get sponsors for a virtual event and ensuring that they are visible can get tricky. There are no banners or complementary bags that you would distribute at a live event. So organizers of Tomorrowland have found an adequate solution - sponsored ads.

This is a well-designed solution that enabled their sponsors to receive a prominent advertisement space on the festival's official social feed. In addition, they collaborated closely regarding landing pages so that each link in the ad would take the visitor to the page of the sponsor's choosing.

When done right it ensures sponsor visibility as well as minimal visitor spamming.

DJ Chris Moyles - visitor interaction at its best

Virtual events cannot be deemed a success if the people attending don't feel included and seen. This is why when organizing virtual events there needs to be an approach that makes the whole thing as interactive as possible. This is even more true if these virtual events are based on music or entertainment. Someone who leveraged this approach the best in 2021 was DJ Chris Moyles.

Covid hit music industry harder than some others. The inability to perform live or go on tour made a lot of artists rethink their approach. What made DJ Chris stand out was the simple, yet inclusive approach - he has broadcasted virtual sets for over a year. The best part is the simplicity and leveraging his social media presence - he promotes his sessions on Twitter and makes sure to deliver captivating experiences for his fans.

When it comes to the immersive part it comes from encouraging his fans to post on social media with the hashtag #ChrisMoylesDJSet. During the sessions, he alternates the live stream between him on camera and messages from fans and viewers so everyone feels like they are participating in the event. Gary Lightbody from Snow Patrol did something similar; he collaborated with fans on Instagram, which resulted in an album that was later sold for charity.

Virtual entertainment events are here to stay. They are bound to become more immersive, interactive and innovative as they become the new normal in the entertainment industry. This is why it is important to follow trends and learn from the most successful ones.

Apart from hiring the best possible entertainment for virtual events, the platform, organization and sponsorships are just as important to create an event people will want to visit year after year.