You can gain a lot by understanding the features and advantages of this format and use the advantages of this tool to achieve your goals. Today it is not just an opportunity, but a modern weapon of every business. Specially 24 channels Yevhen Sakalo, head of the GlobalLogic university program in Ukraine, has prepared several relevant and useful tips.

The online format is the new normal, the tool can be used by anyone. Isn’t that power? An online event or panel discussion emerged as a mandatory measure at the start of the pandemic, but is now a new presence and an option for choice.

How can I make the event accessible to a wide audience?

What can be the formats of online activities. This is interesting because it’s not just about large-scale events like forums that appeal to thousands of people. An online event can be a stream on your YouTube channel or any social network that can film live. So, actually, you can start a panel discussion on your page and discuss something with your subscribers about popular skills in the labor market or the top 10 jobs that are currently in demand.

As with offline events, there is someone who rules the air online. This is the so-called moderator or someone who will not let the discussion go in the wrong direction. It is worth emphasizing three important theses here:

• Event moderator is a skill, not a given. Arguments like “I know how to speak in public” or “I understand this” won’t work, you have to learn.
• The moderator must be knowledgeable. It’s a story about the ability to joke, add facts and analytics in a timely manner, provoke an argument when it’s boring, or properly extinguish passions when it’s too hot. The ability to step aside when needed or participate in a discussion when someone “drops”.
• Moderation is not about “passing the word” or “introducing participants”. It is about flexibility, maneuverability and the ability to make the event interesting for its participants and listeners.

Life hacks, how to do everything perfectly

1. Print important information so you don’t take your eyes off the screen. Highlight key points and structure so you don’t lose your score.
2. Dress formally to look better than Agent Smith. Your appearance also indicates preparation for the event and arouses sympathy.
3. Pay attention to the background, light, sound and normal communication. Some of these work poorly – the attention of listeners and participants is automatically lost. Besides, everyone is wasting time.
4. Dispute what panelists have said or written before. It gives confidence and shows your education and competence.
5. Communicate with viewers, encourage them to be active and share interesting information. Without interaction, the most important thing is lost – attention.

An irreplaceable person on your virtual platform – assistant, preferably with technical skills in the backend, as many surprises may come up in the process. The assistant will help to cope with technological difficulties. It will also not be superfluous and chat co-moderator. Its main task is to read questions and answers.

The scene is post production

Like any communication event, a panel discussion should end with a logical last word. Participants may ask you for materials, registration, contact details of the organizers, links, etc. will be glad to receive it. If attendees have additional questions, you can answer them in writing. To understand what is good and what can still be worked on, it is worth creating a feedback form for comments and suggestions. If you can’t tick off any of these items, you have room to grow and evolve. Preparation for the event is always a responsible process, and first of all, there are many difficulties for yourself. Thanks to the systematic preparation, you will manage not to miss anything and you will receive three “yes” from yourself after the event.

Online popularity and its future

Long before the pandemic, humanity began to switch to instant messengers globally and then Zoom meetings specifically for communication. Currently, there are numerous programs that provide opportunities to organize high-quality communications from anywhere on the planet. Events in recent years have expanded the range of tools of such programs, now Zoom or GoogleMeets are indispensable in our reality.

Could the online format be better? Yes, it can. Maybe very soon, our projectors will sit on the desktop during the conferences and artificial intelligence will moderate the event. You can dream a lot here, but the result is as follows: the online format is an endless resource for opportunities and development. Of course, this is not the same as meeting a person in real life, looking at each other, shaking hands. But in conditions where the world is constantly changing, time becomes more and more valuable, or if you like to constantly travel and work from anywhere – the online format is the same tool that gives you the opportunity to spend more time.