Livestreaming is one of the most exciting sectors to be involved in right now. The recent advances in technology, combined with the rapid growth of virtual and hybrid events, which was accelerated by the pandemic, makes this a fascinating time to be working in the industry.
One of the most rewarding aspects of being part of the team at an award-winning professional livestreaming company like Virtuopo is the breadth of clients we work with on a daily basis. No two days are the same, it’s quite possible to start the day delivering a town hall meeting for a leading pharmaceuticals company and finish up streaming a global conference for lawyers around the world with a social media livestream taking place somewhere in between.
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to work at a specialist livestreaming and virtual event production company, here’s the lowdown on what a typical day looks like at Virtuopo.
8.30am: The day starts with the team delivering a town hall meeting for a global pharmaceuticals company we work with on a regular basis. We have a well-established relationship with the client, which makes us feel like an extension of the in-house communications department.
9.30am: Rehearsals begin for a conference we’re delivering later today for over 7,000 lawyers from law firms around the world. The event requires multi-camera livestreaming from a conference centre in Portugal with live content being broadcast to delegates around the world. Navigating different time zones and real-time translation into multiple languages is all part of the process with an event of this scale so it all has to be planned to perfection.
10.30am: A meeting is scheduled in the office with a client who wants to discuss ideas for a social media livestreaming project, which will be simulcast across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. It’s great to be involved in the early stages of planning as that is when we can really add value by helping to shape the creative content and brainstorm ideas on how to drive engagement.
11.30am: We have a crew out on location to deliver a live broadcast from a dairy farm in Yorkshire. Our job is to link up an interview with three generations of dairy farmers with a virtual event in Denmark, which is being streamed to an audience across Europe. As you might expect, the connectivity in the middle of the countryside isn’t the most reliable, so we’ve organised an outside broadcast satellite truck to provide a stable feed.
12.30pm: Time for a virtual meeting with a new client who is planning a high-profile hybrid event. A common misconception around hybrid events is that it’s simply a case of adding a virtual element to an in-person event. Our approach is to work with clients to create very different experiences for the two separate audiences, enhancing in-person opportunities for delegates on site, whilst providing compelling content to engage remote attendees.
1.30pm: Set up begins for a two-hour virtual event we’re delivering from the green screen studio with a TV style set, combining a sizzling suite of graphics with some interesting VTs. We have also created a bespoke virtual backdrop to sit behind the presenters. Using a VR backdrop can be a great time and money saver for clients and it’s a much more engaging approach than a series of PowerPoint presentations. Livestreams and virtual events are ultimately more successful when attendees connect with the content and there is good interaction from the start. Producing great live events that people will enjoy and remember begin with creative planning and using a VR backdrop is an excellent way to add interest.
2pm: The global law conference we’re working on kicks off, following this morning’s rehearsal. We have a dedicated crew on hand to make sure it all runs smoothly. The event features a keynote from a high-profile speaker, board member voting and a live Q&A so it’s vital to monitor every minute of the event.
3pm: We invite a group of marketing and comms specialists, all working in the e-commerce sector, to attend a workshop on how to make the most of the latest retail trend, which is expected to account for up to 20 percent of ecommerce by 2026. As more brands and retailers embrace the livestream shopping space, which is a great way to build trust with potential customers whilst driving sales, we provide some useful tips on how to blend entertainment and creative shopping for a successful social shopping experience.
4.30pm: Time to finalise a post-event evaluation for a recent project we delivered for an FMCG client. The evaluation process provides a good overview of event success as well as a valuable insight into how well different types of content have performed, which is useful for planning future events.
5.30pm: We wrap the day by bringing the team together to prioritise tasks for the following day with the crew who are working off-site joining remotely. Time to re-charge for another busy day tomorrow, which will see a crew head off to stream a client event in Amsterdam, whilst the rest of the team head into the office.
Find out more on how Virtuopo can help your business with live streaming events by contacting us on 0151 662 0275 or email info@virtuopo.com.