How to Get the Best Virtual Experience at #AACTE21
As AACTE’s hosts its first virtual Annual Meeting, we talked with our AV production company, Manor Hill Productions, to share information on what the attendees can expect during the meeting.
Many associations have transitioned their conference to a virtual setting due to COVID-19. What are important aspects for a successful virtual conference/platform to ensure attendees have a valuable experience?
To get the most out of their virtual experience, we encourage you to explore the platform and familiarize yourself with where things are and how to navigate around. Similar to entering a hotel or convention center and finding where the meeting rooms are, the same can be said about a virtual environment. Click around the space and follow the links to understand where everything is located. Visit the exhibit floor, see where the breakouts and main stage sessions will be. Look at the agenda and decide when your desired sessions will be taking place. Everyone wants to network. If you are looking for specific people you can seek them out to chat and catch up. Just because it is a virtual environment does not mean you lose the ability to connect.
How are you working with AACTE to incorporate these aspects into the 2021 Annual Meeting?
Manor Hill has been working with AACTE to make sure the platform itself is engaging but not overwhelming. There are several virtual platforms out there, and by choosing Hop-In for the virtual platform for the 2021 Annual Meeting, we are able to get rid of the unnecessary fluff that can bog down or confuse a virtual experience. Rather, Hop-In provides a streamlined experience so that attendees can find what they are looking for quickly, at the appropriate times and also have the ability to connect with other users, colleagues and friends.
How should attendees plan to navigate the Manor Hill virtual platform for the 2021 Annual Meeting?
All attendees will be given a unique link before the meeting. This link will take you to the landing page. When the event is open, links will become available to click on. This happens during event hours. We encourage users to click away and self-navigate throughout. Find the General Session stage, the breakouts, the exhibit floor and the poster session links. Again, links are active and rooms are open based on the agenda for the event. If someone is looking for a specific session, it will not be available until 5 minutes before that session starts. But once you click on that session, you will be brought into the session room. There, you can interact with others in the chat feature, and create dynamic dialogue with your fellow attendees.
What are some ways Manor Hill differ from other companies in providing attendees a unique conference experience?
Manor Hill strives to bring a stress-free and enjoyable experience to all attendees and speakers. While there is a bevy of platforms out there, some can be very overwhelming. It’s all about having and sharing dynamic and engaging content, and that’s where Manor Hill wants to reside—in quality of content for everyone in attendance.
If you have any questions about the Annual Meeting or the virtual platform, please contact events@aacte.org.
Visit www.aacte.org for conference details, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and join the conversation using #AACTE21.
Come experience the reimagined AACTE Annual Meeting – One community. One purpose. One voice.
Tags: Annual Meeting, events
