Online Event Terminology

Probably the following conversation between two colleagues sounds somehow familiar to you.

“Hey, are you going to the XY event next week?”
“Yes, I’m really looking forward to the live sessions.”
“But I thought it was only virtual?”
“Well, it’s online but I mean the live, face-to-face discussion with the speakers…”

If these frequently used terms – live, virtual, online, and face-to-face – are already confusing between association and meeting professionals, how do we make sure that attendees, sponsors, members, volunteers and even boards understand what we are talking about? And how do we effectively market events in the digital age?

Virtual, digital, and online

Virtual /ˈvɜrtʃuəl/ adjective is generally used in the sense of “almost, but not exactly or in every way” like “the COVID-19 pandemic caused a virtual standstill“. But of course, nowadays it is also used to describe “something that can be done or seen using a computer and therefore without going anywhere” and “not in a real place” unlike a real conference room. The challenge for organizers of virtual events is NOT to understate the value of the content, connections, interactions, and the fact that people are meeting and learning for real – they are just not (physically) in the same room. And certainly not to be confused with riding a rollercoaster using a VR headset that will trick your senses.

Digital /dɪdʒɪtl/ adjective – did you know that this adjective also means doing something with a finger? But of course it also stands for “using or relating to digital signals and computer technology” and widely used in marketing and communication today. When we talk about a “Digital Event” we are describing rather the technical means that will allow us to host the event than where the event is held. The same is true for the term online which means “something is available or done on the internet or something/someone is connected to the internet”.

When it comes to meetings and events, these three terms are nowadays all in use and are just synonyms.

In-person and face-to-face

When we use the terms in-person and face-to-face, things become a bit more complicated. We need to be aware that there is some potential for confusion here. Currently, they are still often used to designate events with a physical presence.

However, the technology available today allows us to see and talk to someone directly via video conferencing and video chat. (Read more on how to select an event platform here) For me this is an in-person or face-to-face contact too, since we actually see the person and their face with all the expressions. And moving to more virtual meetings and events in the future, my guess would be that here we will also see a broader use of these two terms.

Live events

Per definition “a live event is broadcast or seen at the same time it is performed or happens”. The place of the event is not important – this means a live event can be consumed online or onsite. Everyone understands what “live tv” means but it seems that we are still in a transitional phase since some are still talking about “live events” to designate onsite events. Therefore, it is important to clearly communicate about what you mean and offer.