Lisa Fraser, a director of content strategy at Stoke, started her career in instructional design. When developing her lesson plans for students, Lisa knew she couldn’t just create dull learning objectives and rote assessments. She needed to tell a great story.
“We’re naturally inclined to follow a story,” she says. “Even if what we’re talking about is relatively dry material, we’re all looking for a strong narrative throughline.”
Lisa kept this mindset when she transitioned to B2B marketing at Stoke, where she plans and hosts digital events. With storytelling as her North Star, she’s successfully launched hundreds of digital events for clients.
Digital events are growing. In a more flexible and interconnected work world, they help brands expand access to information, spark connections, and reach audiences globally. And with nearly half of B2B business owners planning to prioritize digital events, strategizing an effective storytelling experience is more important than ever.
In this blog post, we’ll share how to turn a standard digital event into a standout experience. You’ll walk away understanding:
- Why digital events are unique
- Common pitfalls in digital event planning
- Digital event strategies that really work
“You don’t just want to entertain your audiences,” Lisa says. “You want to change them — to have them come away feeling one step closer to solving a problem.” In essence, tell a good story, and the rest will follow.
Why digital events are unique
Digital events differ from in-person events in three key ways: scope, audience, and format. Understanding where these elements intersect and how they affect event strategy is critical to building and executing an impactful experience.
The scope
Unlike live events, digital events often target broader audiences and buyers in the early stages, meaning creating shorter sessions and more accessible content. However, given the versatility of digital events, this messaging strategy isn’t always what the audience needs.
Digital event audiences are usually looking for a wider scope of topics and ideas before they commit, like an in-person conference or summit.
The audience
With a wider scope comes a broader audience, so attendees for virtual experiences are less segmented than they are for in-person engagements. With fewer travel or time zone barriers and lower costs, digital events are more accessible and, therefore, attract a more diverse audience.
Without time for a deep dive into a product, tool, or idea, digital event producers adjust their content to stay at a high level — to keep the “big picture” in frame — and tell a general story with plans to engage deeper down the funnel.
The format
In the early days of virtual only, connecting online was difficult because of technology issues and attendees’ lack of technical literacy. “We all remember how ‘You’re on mute!’ was something we’d hear in every single virtual event,” says Jordan Hall, associate director of content strategy at Stoke. But, digital event etiquette and understanding have drastically improved for both audiences and production teams. Now, audiences expect clean, intuitive experiences, shorter sessions, and built-in opportunities for connection.
In late 2023, RingCentral, one of the world’s leading providers of digital communications, introduced two new technologies: an AI-powered customer service center and a groundbreaking digital events platform. The company needed a way to share the news with prospects and existing customers.
Enter Stoke. In partnership with RingCentral stakeholders, our content strategists, video editors, and project managers designed and produced a global virtual launch event to feature the new products while staying true to RingCentral’s brand.
In less than eight weeks, we produced scripted video, motion graphics, demand content, promotional assets, and derivative assets to support RingCentral’s international broadcast launch, which broke every company attendance record and achieved a 51.5% conversion rate.
Read more about RingCentral’s launch event.
Common pitfalls in digital event planning
As with every innovation, drawbacks evolve alongside the advances. Digital events require a new approach to strategy, especially regarding attention and engagement.
Short attention spans
Cognitive research shows that attention spans have steadily shortened over the past few decades. Today’s audiences consume fast, visual content. Video is key to capturing — and keeping — their focus.
“Audiences today expect clarity and connection,” Lisa says. “They respond best when we show them the story visually — which is why video-based content consistently outperforms other formats.”
Divided focus
Not only are audiences expecting content to be faster and shorter, but they’re usually engaging with multiple kinds of content at once, all while multitasking with life tasks (such as washing dishes or answering emails). To compete, your content must be sharp, clear, and immediately valuable.
Missing personal connections
Although digital experiences have become the status quo, they still limit our ability to engage with one another in traditional ways — no side conversations, no handshakes. Creating opportunities for interaction is essential.
Digital event strategies that really work
To earn attention in a noisy digital landscape, your content must be so clear, compelling, and valuable that audiences not only tune in but want to come back for more.
Let’s break down what it really takes to capture — and keep — your audience’s attention with a digital event.
1. Know your audience
Michael Craddock, a senior content strategist at Stoke who produces digital events, says everything starts with research. He does this in two key ways: learning from the target audience and getting familiar with competitors.
“Be tapped into your audience through ‘boots-on-the-ground’ viewers,” he says. This means seeing the event from your audience’s perspective and planning accordingly. Then, listen to your competitors.
“You should be going to their events,” Michael says. “See what you like. Where do they succeed?” This kind of reconnaissance is easy since digital events are often free, so take advantage of the opportunity to conduct market research with a search engine.
2. Replicate in-person engagement
Make a virtual space just as meaningful as a live one by fostering networking opportunities and audience connection. Open virtual rooms early so attendees can mingle. Use chat features and breakout rooms to encourage engagement.“Folks that have met before the show will engage in different ways,” Michael says. “That drives energy.”
The same goes for presenters, who may feel disconnected from viewers when they’re not in the same space. “Detach from talking about the presentation to engage the audience and take time to answer questions,” Michael says. By including time for connection, audiences and speakers can get to the heart of the topic they’re discussing in a way that feels personal, just as they would at a live event.
3. Encourage reruns
Supplement live sessions with downloadable guides or evergreen assets to keep the value going. And host your content in a virtual space that audiences can revisit. One of the benefits of virtual events is their special type of permanence — while you can’t return to a conference center when you want to re-listen to a great keynote, you can rewatch a webinar. Take advantage of that accessibility to reengage your audience.
4. Integrate AI for better connection
Digital events require a lot of real-person power to run successfully. However, unlike in-person events, you can more easily implement digital assistance tools that can relieve some of the pressure.
AI tools can automate tasks and enhance digital events. Use bots to field FAQs, transcribe sessions, or generate follow-up materials to engage with your audience after the event. But remember: tools don’t replace ideas. “Creating derivative content like blog posts and reports is taking less and less time,” Lisa says, “but that means the story you’re telling really needs to stand out.” AI can lighten the lift when it comes to crafting the collateral, but it can’t make up for poor ideas.
As Lisa says, “Keep asking yourself, How can I stand out? How can we invest more in research and data analysis so we can offer fresh perspectives that are different than anyone else?”
For the past few years, Adobe and Stoke have worked together to produce weekly webinars designed to ensure creatives get the most out of their Adobe programs. These digital events feature new products and enhancements to existing ones, niche creative workflow techniques like aerial video trailer editing and campaign storytelling, and trends impacting social media and marketing strategy. Adobe is no stranger to generative AI. As it becomes a more integral part of the creative process, Adobe wanted to be candid about its models and how its training systems use content ethically. Stoke-produced webinars are one of the main avenues Adobe uses to stay in conversation with its users, especially as its products become more advanced and leverage AI in new ways.
Digital events make an impact
Digital events aren’t just convenient — they’re powerful when done right. Success depends on knowing your audience, creating a story worth telling, and delivering content that resonates.
This success requires experience, preparation, and a willingness to learn. Strategizing with experts who are plugged into both the industry and your audience involves investment, just like a live event. Learn what you can, and then identify what you don’t know so you can learn that, too.
“More than ever, digital events need to rely on fresh data and fresh perspectives at an even more honed level,” Lisa says. “Look to make an investment in the story you’re telling.”
Ready to create a digital event your audience won’t forget? Partner with Stoke to craft virtual experiences that inform, inspire, and convert.
LET’S GET STARTED