Virtual events are gatherings that take place online, allowing participants to join the event from anywhere in the world. Oniva provides the option to configure the entire event or individual booking options as online or virtual events, enabling flexible event registrations.
For virtual events, you can either mark the entire event as online or only specific booking options. Specific booking options are useful if the event is hybrid, meaning it takes place both physically and online, or if different sessions require different links. This ensures that only registered individuals can access the respective links, for example, in paid events.
When you activate the entire event as online, a single link is created for the whole event, which applies to all booking options. There is no need to mark each sub-option separately as online if the entire event is online and a single link is sufficient. This link will then be inherited by all booking options (see image).
Tip: Recoring link
A separate recording link can be created for the entire event. Oniva does not automatically record events; this link must be provided externally.
For hosting virtual events with external video solutions, Oniva offers the ability to integrate any desired video stream. After registration, participants are redirected to the external video solution via a button. Participation in the online event is tracked by clicking on this button, allowing the attendance of guests to be precisely recorded. One hour before the event begins, participation is recorded in Oniva. This way, during and after the event, you can check on the Oniva Admin dashboard and in the bookings how many participants attended the online event.
Live streams can be played directly on the event website if they are in a supported format. This allows guests to have a seamless experience without having to leave the event website. For other formats or online conferences where all participants use their cameras, an external link can be used.
The following streaming formats are supported for direct integration: aac, mp4, f4a, f4v, hls, m3u, m4v, mov, mp3, mpeg, oga, ogg, ogv, vorbis, webm (YouTube and RTMP are not supported).
Streams in other formats, as well as multi-stream video conferences where more than one broadcast is transmitted, can be handled through an external video link. Guests can then join through a button in the external solution.
One hour before the event starts, the participation of registered guests is recorded in Oniva. Admins can check the status of participants and see how many guests attended the virtual event in the event dashboard.
Tip: Do not send direct links
Note: If you send the direct link to your video stream via a campaign to your audience and your guests do not log in via Oniva, you cannot track participation numbers in Oniva. Therefore, we recommend sending the personal link to each contact before the event. If a guest joins the stream via Oniva’s personal link, the guest will be counted as "attended" in Oniva.
To ensure that all guests have the event link, it is recommended to resend the booking link shortly before the event (approximately 1-2 days). Sending campaigns to all registered contacts with a button containing a personal event link per contact is suitable for this purpose. This allows guests to log in to their own booking and open the embedded video link.
Before the virtual event takes place, it is advisable to test the streaming service. This involves checking whether the transmission of audio and video works on the provided link.
To ensure that all speakers know what to do, it is advisable to hold a briefing with the speakers beforehand so they know how to turn on the audio and share slides. In addition, speakers can be provided with certain framework conditions for the event (handling questions, dress code, desired lighting setting). For emergencies or technical issues, all speakers should receive an emergency contact.
For online events, there is a certain technical dependency on various tools and services (from the camera to the streaming provider to entry with Oniva), so it is important that the overall package works. If the user journey is interrupted due to an error in a link along the chain, the guest experience for participants may be limited. Therefore, we recommend conducting an end-to-end test before the event. This end-to-end test can look as follows:
In case of technical problems (audio/video/transmission/etc.), action must be taken very quickly. Guests may not know that the problem does not lie with them but affects the entire stream, and they could therefore be unsettled. Unlike physical events, guests do not receive feedback at this moment and may quickly decide to disengage from the event. Therefore, it is good to prepare emergency communication so that guests can be promptly informed about the technical difficulties.
To be able to act quickly and agilely in case of a crisis, responsibilities should be clarified. This includes defining a communication responsible and decision-makers.
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