Event and Video Production Trends For 2023
In 2023, virtual and hybrid events and video production are trends that are on the rise. As digital platforms become more popular, creating videos and putting on events that engage your audience has become a must for any event planner or marketer looking to stand out from the crowd.
This year we will still see a ton of virtual events and the video production trends will continue to grow. Let’s take a look at some of the cool things to come this year in our industry!
Time To Up Your Video Marketing Game
Video marketing is here to stay. Wyzowl reports that more than 86% of marketing professionals use video as a marketing tool. If you’re still not using video in your organization or event marketing efforts, you’re missing out and video must be in your plans for 2023. If you’re utilizing video marketing for your events, whatever you’ve been doing, plan to do more of it in 2023.
From internal communications to social media marketing, video marketing is driving communication. Shorter, consumable videos that are convenient to stop and watch have taken over. It’s even better if you make the video content so it’s effective with no sound. Yes, silent videos!
A survey of U.S. consumers found that 92% view videos with the sound off on mobile and 83% watch with the sound off, according to a report from Verizon Media and ad buyer Publicis Media.
And 80% of consumers are more likely to watch an entire video when captions are available.
So be sure you add captions to all your videos and include graphics and visuals that tell your story in the video – with or without sound – and you’re providing more accessible content. (Psst! Keep reading about accessibility in 2023).
If you sell physical products, this year be sure to educate your audience with product videos and tutorials, share behind the scenes content, and use the best voices in your organization to share the information necessary to build trust with your audience in your organization or event.
Tap Into User-Generated Content
Many organizations and event planners are tapping into user-generated content (UGC) to add to their marketing efforts and build their marketing funnels. The authenticity and word-of-mouth that UGC can provide is giving influencer marketing efforts a huge boost in 2023 and beyond.
While it may not be the quality you’re expecting, people are looking for authenticity. If you can find videos of people using your products and they have a following, tap them for some endorsed influencer marketing spots. Build even more trust through their audience. These days raw and rough in user generated videos is a good thing.
Make Your Videos and Events Accessible
As we move into a post-pandemic world, you still need to accommodate your audience. We see our event planner clients all across the United States working hard to ensure their audiences’ needs are met at online and in-person events.
We are here to say that it is possible to produce accessible videos and inclusive events. And you know what? Asking your audience about their needs ahead of time is the best thing you can do to make it happen! Planning ahead for accessible, inclusive video and events in 2023 is imperative to the long-term success of your events.
If you’re working as a business or organization that produces video content throughout the year, ensuring that your audience has the video tools they need to be properly educated and entertained with your video content is critical.
Regardless of the purpose of your content, you want it to be accessible to as many people as possible. When it comes to video production, accessibility should be one of your priorities. For example, you might have attendees that need captioning or image descriptions. Perhaps you have several people who speak another language. It’s best to find out what your audience needs before you pull the trigger and just create your videos without thinking ahead.
Making sure your videos are captioned is essential for viewers with hearing impairments, and offering multiple language options is important for viewers who speak different languages. The use of screen reader technology and streaming audio descriptions can also help make your videos more accessible.
Creating inclusive events online can even include some of the accessibility features mentioned above, but the logistics for in-person events may take some extra effort.
Think Green: Focus on Sustainable Events
The last three years have been SO hard to navigate personal challenges. We think a global pandemic has something to do with that…. But now is our chance to take charge of our well-being. We must also make it a priority to prioritize our social responsibility. This includes focusing on creating sustainable events.
Earth is our venue every day, and it’s up to us to take care of it. Sustainable events – or green events – have become increasingly popular in recent years. Event planners have been working hard to move forward on the path to hosting eco-friendly events. To create a sustainable in-person event, consider focusing on solutions like carbon offsetting, picking local suppliers and reducing food waste.
For many event planners, this is an opportunity to reduce costs, too. Take time to plan out what your organization can do to make your event more green this year.
“More Than Zoom” Virtual Events
Many companies are not racing back to in-person events yet. Virtual events are keeping event budgets in check and attendees safe from any health risks that are still lingering. Virtual events offer a unique way of connecting people from all over the world, no matter their location or time zone.
With virtual meeting platforms, people can connect via audio, video, instant messaging or web conferencing. Participants can easily share documents and files, chat in real-time and discuss ideas with ease.
Utilizing virtual events through technology is also becoming increasingly popular. However, virtual events are more than just a “Zoom” call. Many virtual meeting platforms offer user-friendly features like games, interactive polls, document sharing, networking opportunities and breakout rooms for smaller group discussions. Ultimately, virtual meetings make it possible for people to connect and collaborate quickly and easily no matter where they are in the world.
While Zoom is a great platform for meetings and webinars, after months at home during the COVID outbreak, chances are your virtual attendees are probably all “zoomed” out.
Just because your organization is interested in keeping your meetings or conferences virtual doesn’t mean you should skimp on the production of your virtual conference. When it comes to virtual events, attendees expect more than just another webinar. They’re looking for entertaining, engaging, immersive event experiences that will stick in their minds. “Experience first” events are what people look for in live, hybrid, AND virtual events.
While augmented reality (better known as AR) is more popular in the gaming world, it’s slowly creeping into the event world.
Augmented reality is revolutionizing the virtual events industry. AR technology provides event organizers with powerful solutions for engaging audiences, enhancing their event experiences, and providing a more engaging way to interact with content. It has the potential to create immersive environments and provide interactive ways of delivering content and information.
AR enables event organizers to create interactive visuals that draw in viewers, as well as provide interactive experiences that engage and entertain audiences. From live streaming events to virtual trade shows and more, augmented reality is transforming the virtual events industry.
By leveraging the power of AR technology, event organizers can provide viewers with engaging visuals, interactive experiences, and more. Through the use of interactive visuals and immersive experiences, AR helps to draw in viewers and hold their attention, giving them the opportunity to actively engage with content.
From virtual trade shows and live streaming events, to custom 3D experiences, AR is breathing life into the virtual events industry and transforming it in ways never seen before. This technology is changing the way people experience events, taking them to new levels and creating exciting opportunities for both event organizers and their audiences.
Virtual reality (also known as VR) has also been gaining traction in events over the last few years and will continue to grow in 2023.
At a virtual event, virtual reality can provide an immersive experience like no other. Attendees can be transported to virtually anywhere you want them to go. By wearing a VR headset and utilizing special controllers, users can interact with 3D objects, explore different environments, and engage with different characters in ways that would be impossible in the real world.
As the user moves their head around, the virtual environment changes in real-time, creating a truly interactive experience replicating the look and feel of being in an actual location. An example of this could be attending a virtual music festival, where guests can explore different stages filled with avatars performing live, walking through and interacting at a virtual tradeshow exhibit floor or attending a virtual charity event where donations can be made through a digital auction. No matter the virtual event, VR can provide an engaging and memorable experience for everyone.
Check with VR headset companies to see if you can get a bulk discount off the headsets and then work the cost into the price of the conference for those attendees that want this virtual world experience. Send them their VR headset well in advance of the conference along with any instructions they will need for the event to utlize the VR features of the virtual event.
Keep in mind that you will need to plan ahead, get developers involved and need a big budget to support a VR event experience.
If you’re not interested in getting THAT deep into your event production just yet, it’s easy to find a virtual event platform to meet the needs of your event and still impress your audience!
Another thing event planners seem to forget is that social media is a HUGE drive for virtual event attendees. It’s the singular constant thing that will exist beyond the dates of your virtual event. Social media is always in the palm of your hands and everyone uses it.
The core of social media? Networking! Having a strong social media presence from the moment you announce the event to months afterwards, your audience can remain captivated if you focus on the connections and care that your attendees crave in a virtual event setting.
Plan Ahead for 2023 with Wired Production Group
Not sure how to attack your 2023 marketing and event plan? Let our team of event and video professionals help! Contact our crew today. We can either serve as a consultant on your next video or event production, help you run your live, hybrid or virtual event – or any other combination that works best for your business or organization. We’re ready to make 2023 the best year yet.