You've probably heard of the Metaverse, but you may not know exactly what it is or how to plan an event in it. The Metaverse is a shared, virtual space where people can meet and interact with each other. It's similar to the internet, but it's three-dimensional and interactive. Think of it as a cross between the internet and a video game.
Metaverse events are becoming increasingly popular as more people are spending time in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). These events can be used for marketing, training, conferences, and more.
If you're interested in hosting a Metaverse event, Virbela can help. Our team is here to help get you started. Email sales@virbela.com
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Use this Countdown Guide to develop your Metaverse event, get everyone at your organization onboard, and begin inviting attendees. As you continue the countdown to your virtual event, you can check out the rest of this series, exclusively from Virbela, for more instructions and inspiration:
Countdown Guide: 2 Months Before Your Metaverse Event (Part 1)
Countdown Guide: 1 Month Before Your Metaverse Event (Part 2)
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Build a Run of Show
A run of show is a breakdown of an event, including granular, behind-the-scenes details.. It’s built off your agenda, but it has other details that help technical and support staff. During a physical event, you might use one to keep production crew, speakers, and other contributors on point with regards to where to be and what to do.
In the Metaverse, your run of show can include command instructions for actions you need speakers to take, chatbox prompts for moderators to engage the audience, and other VR-ready bullet items. For instance, you might remind people how to use the Go-To Menu to teleport to a breakout session.
Distribute the run of show to in the week leading up to your virtual event, so that you have plenty of time to answer any questions or provide training to Metaverse newbies.
Send Welcome Packets to Attendees
Your welcome packet helps attendees get excited about the event, while getting them oriented in the Metaverse. You can use this outreach to explain more about how Virbela connects attendees to each other and event contributors and encourage them to enjoy everything Virbela has to offer.
Here are a few things you may want to include in your Welcome Packet:
- Link to download Virbela
- Step-by-step login instructions
- Quick tips to create your avatar
- A short description of the Welcome Area
- Map of the Virbela campus
- List of common commands
- Your event agenda with speakers
The welcome packet can also help dispel any anxiety new users may have about the Metaverse. While many attendees may be familiar with gaming and other uses of spatial technology, if it’s their first time in Virbela, a few basic instructions make it simple. Virbela is designed for anyone to be comfortable navigating the Metaverse within minutes.
Do a Dry Run
For speakers, presenters and event staff, Virbela encourages a dress rehearsal around two days prior to the event.
This gives each person involved in your event a chance to ensure they know what to do. The dry run can do a lot to help everyone build confidence and get excited about the actual day.
- Greeters - Have them position themselves at the welcome desk and give practice directions or recite answers to general questions
- Moderators - Invite moderators to run through opening remarks for the audience. They can try ad libbing a little or introducing speakers. This gives them a chance to make sure they have the pronunciation of everyone’s name right.
- Speakers - Let them run through scripts, practice using presentation tools and get comfortable with moving on stage.
- Tech Support - Test audio and give presentation materials a dry run to ensure everything looks good on web boards
- Chatbox Manager - Try out commands, prompts, emoji, and more to ensure functionality and practice message timing.
If you need earlier or additional help, event experts from Virbela can provide presenter training or other Metaverse support.
Day-Of Checks
On the day of the event, there are a few basic steps to take to get everyone on the same page and ready to execute on the day’s agenda.
- Staff the Welcome Area: Schedule your greeters to be in the Welcome Area early in case attendees pop into Virbela to get acquainted with Open Campus.
- Presenter Audio Checks: Run through mic checks with everyone to ensure they can hear and be heard.
- Proof the Go-To Menu: Take a final look at the Go-To Menu and teleport around Open Campus to make sure navigation is locked down.
- Final Signage Check: Walk around Open Campus and make sure your signage is live and that all web board links are active.
- Last-Minute Registrants: Check for attendees who may have signed up last minute or who have entered Virbela on their own to join the event.
As you make your way through the event, you can make notes or keep mental track of lessons learned to refine your event planning process for next time. With virtual and hybrid events becoming more common, having a checklist to guide you through the planning and execution can help you define exactly how you share your messages and engage your audience. For more on getting your event started, email sales@virbela.com.
