Mastering virtual conference planning: Strategies for success with accessibility in mind

Virtual conferences offer a flexible, scalable and cost-effective alternative to traditional in-person gatherings. With the rise of hybrid work and increased global collaboration, virtual events are no longer just a backup plan — they’re a core strategy for engaging diverse audiences.

While in-person conferences come with networking benefits and a sense of occasion, virtual conferences offer global reach, lower overhead and greater attendee convenience. Whether you’re hosting a professional summit, educational seminar or internal corporate conference, the success of your virtual event hinges on strategic planning, clear goals and a strong focus on accessibility and inclusion.

Below is a quick guide to virtual conference planning and event strategy, with tips on how to deliver a seamless experience for attendees, speakers and stakeholders alike. Consider this your go-to resource for building a winning virtual event — and how Verbit’s solutions can help ensure you hit every mark.

Start with clear goals and KPIs

Before diving into platforms and speakers, define your virtual event strategy. Why are you hosting the event? What are your desired outcomes? Establish clear goals and key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with your audience and objectives.

Examples include setting expectations around the number of registrants and live attendees you anticipate, engagement metrics (poll responses, chat participation, Q&A activity), feedback and satisfaction scores, revenue generated (ticket sales, sponsorships) and content downloads or lead conversions.

Knowing what success looks like helps guide your agenda, tech stack and promotional tactics.

Choose the right virtual event platform

A major component of effective virtual conference planning is selecting the right platform as the features and user experience of your platform can directly influence your event’s success.

Key features to look for include:

• Breakout rooms: For smaller, topic-specific discussions or workshops
• Sponsor and exhibitor areas: To give visibility to partners and generate revenue
• Live chat and Q&A: To drive real-time engagement
• Interactive tools: Polling, whiteboards, reaction emojis
• Platform integrations: CRM systems, registration tools, marketing automation
• On-demand content capabilities: To support content repurposing post-event

Some of the more popular event platforms include Zoom, Ring Central Events, Webex Events and Cvent Attendee Hub. Your platform should align with your virtual event strategy, technical requirements, budget and audience preferences, and it’s also a good idea to consider in advance each platform’s ease of use and accessibility features.

Boost attendee engagement

One of the main challenges of virtual events is keeping attendees engaged in the absence of physical presence. Here are several proven tactics to increase interaction and reduce drop-off:

• Blend live and pre-recorded sessions: Live sessions encourage real-time participation, while pre-recorded ones ensure smooth delivery without technical hiccups.
• Offer varied session lengths: Mix shorter, TED-style talks with longer workshops to accommodate different attention spans.
• Gamification elements: Use badges, leaderboards or raffles to reward engagement.
• Interactive features: Incorporate live polling, chat discussions, surveys and Q&A segments.
• Networking opportunities: Create spaces for informal conversations like virtual coffee rooms or themed breakout sessions.

Prepare speakers and moderators

Even the best content can fall flat if presenters struggle with the platform or lack preparation. Ensure your speakers and moderators are ready to shine by providing such things as training sessions on platform tools (screen sharing, polls, Q&A); a tech checklist (microphones, lighting, internet speed); proper time to rehearse with moderators to align on session flow; and guidance on audience interaction and accessibility. Additionally, it’s a good idea to assign a dedicated tech support contact to each session so presenters can get real-time help if issues arise.

Prioritize accessibility and inclusion

Inclusive virtual events reach more people and deliver better experiences for all attendees. Verbit’s captioning and transcription solutions are purpose-built for all conference and event needs. We provide live captioning with real-time accuracy through AI and human editing, transcripts for all sessions, ready for download or repurposing, audio description services for videos and visual materials and a wide variety of integrations with leading event platforms to make accessibility seamless.

Leverage Verbit for a seamless event experience

Verbit’s technology is designed to support event organizers from pre-event planning to post-event engagement. Here’s how Verbit fits into your virtual conference planning checklist:

• Before the event: Add captions to promotional videos and prep materials. Use transcripts for speaker scripts and accessibility reviews.
• During the event: Provide live captions and real-time transcription of sessions. Verbit’s AI-backed tools can handle multiple speakers, accents and technical jargon.
• After the event: Transcripts can be repurposed into blog posts, summaries or searchable content libraries. Captioned session recordings increase the long-tail value of your content.

Post-event follow-up and content repurposing

The end of your event doesn’t mean its value stops. A strong follow-up strategy helps you maintain momentum and drive long-term ROI. Key post-event activities include:

• Sending thank-you emails with links to recorded sessions
• Sharing captioned and transcribed recordings on your website or YouTube
• Surveying attendees to collect feedback and ideas for improvement
• Repurposing content into articles, infographics, podcasts or social clips
• Analyzing engagement data to refine your virtual event strategy

Verbit’s accurate transcripts make content repurposing efficient and SEO-friendly. You can also use these transcripts to identify quotes, highlight top-performing sessions and create summaries that extend your event’s reach.

Reach out today and explore how our              captioning and transcription tools can                    elevate your next virtual event.   

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Make your virtual event a success

Planning a virtual conference is a multifaceted process that requires foresight, flexibility and the right partners. From selecting the ideal platform to ensuring accessibility and the repurposing of valuable content, every step is an opportunity to build better engagement and deliver measurable outcomes.

With Verbit’s AI-powered solutions for captioning, transcription and accessibility, you can deliver an inclusive, professional and scalable event experience that resonates long after the final session ends.

As you build your own virtual event strategy, keep Verbit in mind as your trusted accessibility and transcription partner. Whether you’re planning your first online summit or optimizing a recurring webinar series, Verbit will help you hit every milestone on your virtual conference planning checklist.