Virtual vs. Digital
From virtual events to digital communication environments
In the last six months we’ve seen a transition take place in the virtual trade show space. Virtual Trade Shows initially were focused on platform rather than user experience, and technology was the driver taking an inordinate amount of time to educate, manage and administer. We are seeing a clear shift from virtual trade shows to what we at UBM Studios are calling digital environments, events and communities. Audiences today engage in digital environments that range from webcasts to briefing centers to content rich communities with the additional benefit of interactivity. User Experience is the key. User Experience including content, functionality, relevance and context create successful interaction for both the customer and the audience.
Part of this shift is the actual definition of the category itself. The term “virtual events”, lifted from the early stage of virtual worlds and Second Life, served as a simple place holder to describe business presentations or meetings held online.
The term “virtual events” is limiting and dated.
Audiences and marketers are focusing on digital environments today and see digital events as a very natural and increasingly core part of their information and marketing experience. The era of media segmentation is over as marketing mediums begin to intersect via digital environments. Our clients have embraced the new reality that their customers are leveraging digital environments to gather information, consume content, educate themselves and seek out those that have similar interests in areas that are important to them. Customers want to move seamlessly between mediums as they are all seeking reliable, trusted content wherever they are.
Furthermore, as businesses models morph to encompass digital environments they can communicate to audiences at new levels. These solutions can reach targets where they live and provide content audiences trust. They can build programs that harness the power of multimedia solutions, emerging technologies and strategic partnerships.
What are you doing on the digital environment front? We’d love to hear about your experiences. If you’d like to hear more about the new digital environments we’re creating and managing at UBM Studios, send me an email at kate.spellman@ubm.com.
