The Vocus Virtual Conference on Social Media Best Practices Revealed Some Virtual Event Best Practices

Recognizing that virtual events have become an essential public relations tool, Vocus is offering an online version of its annual user conference. For $129, attendees (last count had over 300 online) will have access to valuable professional education programs (pre-recorded) featuring leading public relations experts on the ON24 Virtual Show platform. While the sessions are pre-recorded, the speakers are online to answer questions live.

The Vocus Virtual Conference is interesting as it is a pay-per-view virtual event that is an extension of a physical event. Because the conference is focusing on social media, it appeals to a broad range of public relations and marketing professionals. In addition, because it is virtual, Vocus is reaching a broader audience than could be attracted with the physical conference. Judging from the twitter stream and #vocus, it is a success. “The results of the event exceeded our expectations with regard to attendance. However it also added an unexpected benefit in the buzz this event has generated. For example there have literally been hundreds of Tweets about the event, which we attribute to both the uniqueness of the venue and the quality of the content,” said Inga Broerman, vice president of Marketing for Vocus.

When Virtual Edge asked about charging for the event given the popular conception that if it is on the internet it should be free, Broerman noted “Participants were quite willing to pay for the content and we believe this is due to the high quality: the speakers are all among the most respected public relations professionals in the industry – and though the sessions were pre-recorded, participants had unprecedented access during live chat sessions conducted during virtual networking breaks.”