‘Kalayuga’ signifies an age of ‘Kal’ which means machinery in Sanskrit. Going by this analogy, it won’t be wrong to say that we live in a ‘Digital Yuga’, driven by Virtual/ Hybrid technology. People from all strata of society- rich to poor, toddlers to old, literate to illiterate, living in rural or urban areas, are in possession of intelligent gadgets that connect them to the virtual world in some way or other. Right from buying delicious meals to expensive jewellery, or from accessing information on Wikipedia, to connecting with a distant friend- all you need is to click on a link! People are so habituated to the ease & convenience given by technology, that it has become very difficult for the organisers to attract audiences to physical venues. We are not dismissing the natural engrossment and high octane of physical events. Still, when technology is delivering the event to home, with less cost, time & effort, virtual could be the first choice for a large number of attendees.
Metaverse takes the virtual format to a whole new level. What organisers basically need is 100% attention of attendees, with minimum expenditure. But do you really think physical presence is a mandatory to achieve that? Not necessarily, you just need to arrest their senses, with or without physical presence. Metaverse does exactly this but on a virtual platform. Yes, physical presence automatically guarantees 100% attention from the audience. But metaverses are an effective and much cheaper option, definitely worth giving a try! And as an experienced and successful Event Technology Company, ibentos, can guarantee its successful outcomes. Let’s talk about the best ways to incorporate your events into a Metaverse Platform.
- Choose a good Metaverse Platform.
Metaverse technology is picking pace day by day and software companies are coming up with new platforms, designated for different applications. You must keep yourself well informed about newly introduced Metaverse products. Some of them are Horizonworld, Microsoft Mesh, Party Space, Decentraland, Roblox, Gather and many more. Each platform has a different operating mechanism and financial dynamics.
Hire a professional technology vendor and convey your requirements in detail. They will come up with best-suiting environments, and avatar designs. They will pick the right metaverse from the latest ones available in the market. Your platform should be captivating, easy to navigate, possess surprise elements, scalable and should have smooth/speedy operation. Metaverse platforms require minimum hardware, software & network levels, but the organisers must also have basic versions, operable on average devices.
2. Train your Attendees on the Metaverse Platform.
Metaverse platform allows the organisers to create their 3D virtual world which is expansive, captivating, explorable, informative, interactive and solves the purpose of the event in the most effective ways. Attendee movements within its virtual terrain could be independent or guided. But sometimes due to the lack of awareness on correct usage, attendees may be lost and clueless. If you want the users to take 100% advantage of the platform, initial training or orientation is a must.
3. Work on the event content
Metaverse platforms do bridge the gap between physical & virtual events, but the ultimate success of your event relies on its content. Metaverse platform can definitely, add glitters to your event. But as it is said- “ All that glitters is not gold”. So work hard on the content of your event. Include good speakers, use multimedia content, keep your sessions short and to the point, share sensible data, encourage interactive sessions & positive discussions, have designated event emcees and keep virtual & manual assistants to guide the user throughout the event.
4. Include Realistic Avatars
Avatars are the fun elements of the Metaverse platform. They are the virtual identities of the attendees. The closer they resemble the attendees, the greater will be the amusement factor.. The organisers must, therefore, do thorough research about their target audience. Appearance, voice modulation, postures, language, cultural background, facial expressions etc are a few things to be kept in mind. The avatars available presently have limited facial expressions and body elements. But considering the pace at which this technology is growing, there will be soon more realistic and unique Avatar options. There are metaverse applications that develop instant unique avatars of the users based on their photograph or facial/ body scans!
5. Include real-world merchandise
An effective way to connect with your users is to deliver them some event merchandise before the event. They can be anything from some Munchy Snack to be enjoyed together during the session, to a Treasure-Hunt Kit based on the virtual venue! It helps to improve the involvement of all their senses ( including the Taste Buds) in the events. Use your imagination and creativity at this.
6. Provide AR/VR Gadgets flexibility
Augmented Reality/ Virtual Gadgets are electronic devices like Eye Goggles or Microphones that enhance the 3D feel of the virtual environment. These gadgets isolate the attendees from their actual environment and teleport them to the virtual event universe. They have been more of an accessory hardware until now, but in the coming days, they will be as common as a mouse or a portable hard disk. However, your metaverse platform should function effectively even for those users who don’t possess AR/VR Gadgets.
7. Let the attendees explore your event world.
Isn’t it thrilling to meet your acquaintance accidentally in a physical venue? Metavesres open such possibilities in virtual venues too! Imagine you are visiting a Virtual Art Exhibition and you come across your office colleague. You recognize him by his personalised avatar and engage in a casual conversation.
Organisers must allow attendees to explore their virtual territory as much as possible. It will allow them to intermingle and form networks, just as they do in the real world.
8. Maintain the security level
Metaverse platform is a virtual world where the digital avatars represent real people, it has its own laws & codes of conduct, that have to be followed by all participants. There could be some zones containing restricted information and requiring a password entry. The Seminar Halls may not allow entry once the LIVE session has started. Random movements of avatars in formal areas may disturb the speakers and other participants. The attendees are expected to follow some mannerisms & postural composure while inside the formal event. The organisers must ensure that their attendees are educated about these general dos & don’t. This increases the real-world feeling and also maintains the event discipline & security.
So, aren’t you feeling enriched, by Metaverse Technology already? We have numerous other blogs that can update you further. We invite you to visit our metaverse gallery at https://ibentos.com/best-metaverse-platform/. Ibentos metaverse platforms are non-complex, are interoperable, allow you to have the most customised Avatars, are enabled with NFT displays and generate highly captivating Augmented Reality experiences for your attendees!
