Everyone Zoomed out? Me too.

What a blessing it’s been these past months. Imagine if we hadn’t had the internet or apps like Zoom. They saved us from absolute paralysis.

But Zoom fatigue is real. Some preservation organizations are resuming safely distanced activities like walking tours, but none of us really knows when or how we’ll be able to gather otherwise.

Plus, we’ve seen the great benefits of opening up our organizations to people all over the world. Who’d want to let that go?

Hybrid approaches, mixing virtual and in-person events, may well be our new reality.

As you continue taking your events online, I thought I’d share some examples and tips from what I’ve seen recently, in case you find anything helpful.

Art Deco Society of Los Angeles’s Virtual Avalon Ball
This four-hour extravaganza had music, dancing, fashion shows, cocktail lessons, hairstyling videos, and more—all of the period, delivered to you with “Flash Gordon technology.” More than 400 guests attended, most dressed to the nines and dancing on screen. It was one of the best expressions of community I’ve seen.

Restore Oregon’s Mid-Century Modern Design Series
After a year of planning, RO took this signature program online in just a few weeks. They put their event booklet online with embedded videos, 360° tours (produced by real estate photographers), and webinars (which started with a brief video by the major sponsor). They had one live event—a happy hour and raffle—but you could enjoy the digital materials at your own pace, for up to three months.

Landmarks Illinois Annual Meeting
Anyone could attend their Zoom meeting, which they also broadcast on Facebook Live. They mixed it up well with remarks from different people, videos, and a special report from the Springfield office. Members voted on the board slate using a simple Zoom poll.

What makes a great virtual event? Here’s what I’ve noticed:

People
Most in-person events — especially conferences — are heavy on networking. Plus, we really miss each other. The best virtual events let us all see each other, ask questions or have discussions live (not just in the chat), and hear from a number of different people, not just one presenter.

Using tech to suit the purpose
The Avalon Ball is a signature event that draws people from around the country. The Art Deco Society of Los Angeles knew their people really wanted to see each other (see above). So they enabled everyone’s cameras, highlighted best-dressed guests in “speaker view” (think JumboTron), and left the session open after the program, unmuting everyone so they could just talk.

Clear, easy-to-use info
It was great to get thorough instructions in advance on what to expect and how to use the tech. The Arizona Preservation Foundation embedded Zoom links in its conference program, and Pasadena Heritage sent a handout for its virtual pub crawl with tech tips and tasting notes.

Well-paced, diverse elements
The best events kept us engaged with interaction (polls or Q&A every 10 minutes or so), multimedia (talking heads, archival footage, video, slides), and several speakers to bring in different voices. The very best had music or other sound—which any podcaster will tell you is crucial, though it’s trickier than I thought.

A positive, let’s-give-it-a-shot attitude
Of course things will go wrong. Of course that video won’t load, even though it worked in every one of your 20 test runs. So what? We might be in the most forgiving moment we’ll ever see. What matters is that we try.

That said, you might want to have a backup plan to fill that awkward space as you get the tech on track. It could be as simple as having whoever’s speaking at that moment ask for questions, pitch membership, or remind guests about an upcoming program.

There is so, so, so, much great advice out there about virtual events, including this free webinar by GrantSpace/Candid.

New ideas emerge every day. I just registered for Tadaima! A Community Virtual Pilgrimage and can’t wait to see how it works.

What great virtual events have you done, seen, or heard about? What tips do you have? Let me know in the comments below!