One of the most valuable functions of virtual events is often the most overlooked: community building. While “virtual” might not be what immediately comes to mind when you think about community building, it can provide a wealth of meaningful, cost-effective opportunities for helping people become and remain engaged on a long-term basis.

As companies large and small look for ways to facilitate strategic growth, virtual events have emerged as a way to foster connections, build community and share information, bringing remote attendees together to discuss, engage, learn and re-energize.

It seems incontrovertible that the future of in-person events has been altered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual Events may have been an emerging trend, but today they have carved a permanent place center stage. Today they account for the primary meetings and events implementation method. As we move forward, we are likely to see a healthy blend both of virtual and live events. As an organization with over 40 years of helping companies stage events to educate, energize, reward and engage a wide variety of audiences, we have a uniquely informed viewpoint.