Virtual Conference Best Practice: The Orientation Video
Having worked with many dozens of clients to host 389 virtual events in 2020, we’ve assembled quite a collection of virtual conference best practices which we’ll be sharing in the pages of this blog. But one of the most important lessons is that it’s vital to orient your conference attendees properly right from the start — especially when they’re encountering your event for the first time.
This can be done, of course, by having a clean design, a sensible organization, and clear wayfinding that makes it easy for attendees to locate the programming, content, and meetings that they came for. But if your conference is rich in different kinds of content, exhibits, networking opportunities, and entertainment, it’s helpful to create a short orientation video to help attendees get their bearings.
Of all the conferences OpenExchange worked on in 2020, October’s Content Marketing World was one of the most complex, and in our opinion did the best job in setting the stage for its attendees. In subsequent posts, we’ll write about many of the creative aspects of the conference itself, but we thought you should see the orientation video that CMWorld’s staff prepared for the conference:
As orientation videos go, this is a long one — over eight minutes long! But it does cover the entire breadth of the conference, and encourages paid attendees not only to explore the full depth of the content, but also to participate in many of its community activities. The analytics confirmed that this video held the attention of the viewers, garnering a relatively high engagement score: more than half the viewers who viewed more than a few seconds stayed all the way to the end.
One of the keys to being able to create this orientation is that some of the content was pre-recorded and the showcase built out a week in advance — even those elements which would be presented as “simulated live” presentations. This allowed the creator of the orientation video to include brief screen recordings that looked more realistic and true to the actual experience of the virtual conference.
Here, for your convenience, is the transcript, along with my notations about structure.
Host Welcome
[00:00:10] Hey, everybody. Welcome to Content Marketing World 2020. I’m Stephanie Stahl, general manager for the Content Marketing Institute, and I thank you for being here. We have some amazing speakers and content lined up for you for what’s sure to be an interactive, educational and fun week. We want you to have the best experience ever, and the following information will help.
Sponsors & Virtual Exhibit Hall
[00:00:32] First and foremost, I’d like to thank our incredible sponsors and a big shout out to our gold sponsors NewsCred and SiteCore. Be sure to set some time aside to visit our sponsors in the Solutions Hub.
[00:00:45] You can easily access the hub by clicking on these tiles any time during the day or just click the CRM World Solutions Hub tab at the top of the page. Each company has resources and videos and assets you can check out any time.
[00:01:00] And while the Solutions Hub is available all day, there are special times when our sponsors will be able to chat live. If you’d like to see a demo or speak to someone in person, just drop by their Zoom Room and say hi. Or you can schedule a one-on-one meeting with any sponsors by clicking on their “Schedule Time With Us” calendar link. These are some of the most innovative companies in the content marketing space, so please be sure to drop by, check out their cool products and services and help us thank our sponsors for making CMWorld possible.
Orientation to the Conference Showcase
[00:01:32] Now, we want to take you on a quick tour of the platform so you know what to expect this week. When you log in each day, you’ll be taken directly to the home page. Before keynotes, you’ll see a screen counting down to that day’s live stream. The live stream will automatically launch.
[00:01:52] Each day’s agenda is arranged in a row across the page, clearly marked in chronological order. Or you can find it on the main navigation bar across the top of the page. If you join a session late, no worries. You can catch up by advancing to live, or you can watch from the beginning at your own pace. And it’ll be available on demand so no worries either way.
[00:02:15] When it’s time for breakout sessions, just click on the title to review the different sessions being offered. Breakouts are arranged by track topic. Clicking on the grey section will give you a description of that session. Just hit the play button when you’re ready to watch.
[00:02:32] Each presentation includes a rough transcript. If you’d like to read it, just click on the “T” in the upper right hand corner to review. If you don’t see the T for some reason, just hover over the top right of the video screen and you’ll see it pop up. The transcript, by the way, is also searchable. Then at the end of each live stream or breakout session, you’ll be directed to the next scheduled event. So you won’t miss a thing.
[00:02:57] At any time you can select “Main Program” from the top navigation bar or click on the home button in the upper left to get back to the main menu. Easy, right?
Keynote and Interactive Sessions
[00:03:09] After every keynote session on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, we’ve planned a fun interactive “Ask Me Anything” live session with the presenters for that day. If you have a burning question for the keynote speaker, make sure you submit it during the keynote presentation in the Questions tab located in the upper left corner of the screen. If you don’t see the questions tab, just click on the contact line “hamburger” menu to open all the video player options.
[00:03:39] Speaking of keynotes, we have two awesome headliners this year. Digital and social media maven Luvvie Ajayi Jones will deliver her keynote Tuesday, October 13th, followed by a live Q&A. Then comedian W. Kamau Bell will close out our event on Thursday, October 15th, with a fireside chat and Q&A.
Request: Speaker Evaluations
[00:04:02] One big request from us. Please note the speaker evaluation forms. They’re located on the left side of the player. We want your feedback on every speaker you listen to this week. Thank you.
Special Features
[00:04:14] New this year, we’re having a Tech Showcase. It’s kind of like “Shark Tank,” but without the snarky investors, join us for this fast paced session and hear from some of the industry’s most innovative marketing and technology providers.
[00:04:31] All right, that’s a lot of context. We know, we know — your mind might need a little bit of a rest. We have breaks planned throughout the day. You can take the time to get up and refill your drink or move around. We will also be running some fun and interactive programing during these breaks, including a virtual dog walk, some easy desk exercises and more. If you miss anything, don’t worry. After every session or keynote, the content automatically moves to the On Demand section, which will be found toward the bottom of the home page. You can go back and watch sessions at your leisure for many months.
Networking Opportunities
[00:05:09] Also at the bottom of the page, you can find helpful info on networking and more. If you need help at any time, we have Content Marketing Institute staff working our Zoom Room Help Desk all week long. Just click on the title to jump in and ask your questions or just stop by and say hi. We miss our CMWorld community and would love to see your smiling faces.
[00:05:30] We know one of the most valuable parts of any event is the networking. With that in mind, we have live “Birds of a Feather” networking events planned for you. We’ll have several different topic based sessions going on. So just pick one, click the tile, jump in the zoom room and interact with other attendees and speakers. Then following the networking sessions on Tuesday, we have something fun planned. We’ll have an interactive trivia game with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Some of you may know we normally have our opening reception there, but since we can’t be there in person, we’re bringing the Rock Hall to you. So if you’re a music buff, be sure to join in. We have some great prizes planned. It’s a great way to relax and unwind with the CMWorld community after a great day of learning.
[00:06:16] And speaking of being social, be sure to follow us at @CMIContent on Twitter and use the hashtag #CMWorld, not just throughout the week, but follow us all year long. We have a great community and Twitter chats every Tuesday. We also set up an attendee only CMWorld 2020 Facebook group. So if you want to connect with attendees or dove deeper into topics, head over there, join the private group for some great discussions.
[00:06:45] Speaking of fun, be sure to check out our interactive CMWorld Bingo. It’s our twist on the classic game. You can find your card in the attendee Facebook group or on the CMWorld blog. Check out this URL to find all the details on how to play. And we have some super fun prizes up for grabs too. Join us!
[00:07:06] Also on the CMWorld blog, we have a bookstore featuring many of our speakers. It’s a great place to purchase a book, support our favorite charity, The Orange Effect. And many of our speakers are also offering some educational and fun things in return for your purchase. Check it out. And one of the most exciting part of CMWorld is the Content Marketing Awards. This year’s program will be on Wednesday, October 14th, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern. You don’t want to miss out on who wins some of the most prestigious content marketing awards in the world.
If you signed up for a Conference Plus all-access pass, your workshops will be available on Monday and industry forums on Friday. Check your email for details on upgrading your pass to access this content.
Help Desk Information
If you need any help, just go to the CMWorld Help Desk and we got you covered. If you don’t have a chance to check the agenda before each day, we’ve got you covered on that too. We’ll email all attendees every day with reminders and details on some of the fun, the content and the giveaways you can expect for each day. And just a reminder, our CMWorld virtual content is intended solely for the use of registered attendees of Content Marketing World 2020 and may not be reproduced or shared without explicit permission.
[00:08:27] Whew! I know that’s a lot of information. More than anything. We just want you to have fun. All of us at CMI are super proud of this one-of-a-kind digital experience we’re bringing to you this week. More than anything, we hope you can connect, make new friends and just take it all in.
[00:08:45] Thank you for being here.
