Ready to host your first online event with Hustle Pads?
This definitive guide on how to host a successful online event will guide you through everything you need to get started.
To host a successful online experience you need a unique event idea, a quality video conferencing service, an engaging video backdrop, proper lighting, quality audio and these framework on how to deliver a strong online performance.
What is a Hustle Pads Event or online Airbnb Experience?
An online event delivers engaging cultural rich experiences delivered through the internet and helps people bridge the gap between local culture and virtual travel.
These events are delivered in a few different formats and most events are group activities but can also be individual user events as well.
What does Hustle Pads or Airbnb look for in an online event?
Both Hustle Pads and Airbnb look for quality over quantity. The topic must be unique and something that a guest could not easily experience on their own.
The presenter should have a strong background on the topic and their level of knowledge must be high enough to offer value to the guests.
Both platforms require an application to be submitted for each event topic. This helps to ensure a good fit between the host’s proposed event and what guests are looking for.
Hustle Pads goes one step further by also leaning further on business friendly events like team building, marketing masterminds, entrepreneurship learning opportunities and more.
What is a successful online event?
A successful online event is one where a guest leaves like they experienced something they could not get anywhere else without having to go through great effort.
A successful online event also leaves clues of its success like high review, repeat business and social media praise by your guests.
How to Deliver a high quality virtual Event performance.
These are 5 presentation tips you should use when delivering your event content.
1. Bring your expertise.
2. Create Moments of engagement.
3. Create Simple and Easy events.
3. Easy to do events.
4. Story telling.
5. Technical performance.
Let’s dive into these in more detail.
- Bring your expertise – Guests are coming to be entertained, learn something or participate in a social way… So bring your experience to the table so they leave your event with something special.
- Create moments of engagement – Create opportunities throughout your experience to get feedback and ask questions. Interactive polls and open Q&A’s go a long way.
- Create simple and easy events– Don’t try and deliver a chemistry lesson to people coming to learn how to cook a turkey. They want a bit of entertainment and a unique experience.
- Easy to do events – Your event should require a low level of supplies and prep to participate.
- Story telling – regardless of what your event is about, all great presenters are great story tellers. Keep them brief and relatable and age appropriate!
- Technical performance – This means being able to actually hold a video conference call successfully with no technical issues.
When hosting Hustle Pads Online Events we focus on delivering great experiences to our remote workers, entrepreneurs and retirees. Bring your event to Hustle Pads by becoming a host today.
Video Conference Services
Choosing the right event gear includes the video conferencing service for your online event.
Choose a service with the least friction for your guests. Stay away from niche video conferencing services that require guests to install anything new. Zoom has become the most installed service and thats the one we recommend for your online events.
However, if your event needs to be more technical and your guests would expect a more interactive experienced for those larger events like Marketing Masterminds on Hustle Pads, then you’ll need to spice things up.
One tool highly recommend by many is Open Broadcast Service (OBS) since its free and easy to add to your conferencing toolset. The best thing about OBS, is that YouTube is filled with tons of content for you to learn from on how to use this free tool! The great thing about OBS is that you can use it with Zoom to help with overlays and other advanced features.
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Quality Lighting for Online Events
For individual hosts you really don’t need much in terms of video lighting! For less than $50 you can get something to get you started and it might be all you ever need. We recommend anything with the following features.
- LED lights
- Adjustable colors
- Remote control
- 12″ wide at least
- Mounts for your webcam or cellphone
- Bonus if it has internal batteries to make it mobile
A great entry choice is this 12.6″ ring light with adjustable color tones and comes with a solid tripod.
For larger productions or your require a certain consistent look then you’ll probably want to get some softbox lights. This Mount Dog softbox light is soft, dimmable, is color temp adjustable, includes a remote control, light bulb, a stand and carrying case all for ~$50! Best of all you can get two for under $100!
Quality Audio for Online Events
First you need to ask yourself how big your production needs to be. Don’t let all of those YouTube videos about the perfect setup make you think you need a large setup or that you need to spends lots of money.
For individual hosts and if your not going to be moving then a good lavalier like this Rode Go Pro mic is perfect and you can plug it into your phone, laptop or camera. This is a great solution for less than $60 typically.
For larger productions or when there needs to be two people then multiple lavalliers are required. But if you’re doing interviews a wireless option is best and easier. A great solution with lots of reviews from many YouTuber’s is the Rode Wireless GO II.
If your online events includes things like doing virtual tours like exploring a beach while filming then you’ll want to go with an option like this. Another great option is a shotgun mic as well .
3 Nice to have items that will Improve Your Virtual Event
First let’s be clear, these are not absolutely needed. At the ned of the day your presentation skills and ability to get guest engagement will go further in getting you repeat customers than any of this gear will ever do…
That said, this gear will definitely level-up your online event.
- Spare hands. Bribe your kids or the neighbors kid for help with you setup.
- Sound dampening. Throw some pillows in front of the direction where you’re talking to absorb some of the reverb in your audio. These are some cool ones that both serve to reduce some of reverb and they look great!
- Sound Board – For the more advanced event hosts that stream and need sound effects and better audio fidelity then the Rode RODECaster II is a great choice. It’s been well received in the TWITCH and YouTube community.
These products have been reviewed by our editorial team or other users. By using our links it helps to support our Hustle Pads Travel Magazine and we may earn commission.
