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Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Virtual Trade Shows
With "Green" and "Credit Crunch" beating us all up on a daily basis, it's only a matter of time before the old chesnut of "Virtual Tradeshows" rears its head again.
So to get in first, here's my view:
"Virtual Tradeshows" that rely on exhibitors/booths to draw in traffic are IMO often little more than online directories with an appalling site navigation system bolted on the front - they miss the entire point of a trade show, which is to meet people face-to-face and eyeball/touch/taste/smell their products.
But, they also miss the entire point of the internet as well.
When I want to use the internet to find companies or products I want to do so on a site with a quick, easy indexing system with flexible search options. Forcing a tradeshow metaphor and 3-D virtual-booth based navigation onto an online directory is totally insane - it's like Amazon.com replacing its "search" function with a linear graphical display featuring just the spines of all the books in the world - yes, it would make it look more like a "real world" bookshop, but would also throw away all the advantages of the online medium at the same time!
Those online "events" that do work (for me) major on interactivity, using online-specific tools like discussion forums and blogs, have rich content available on-demand in multiple formats - from downloads to video webinars. They are however something quite different - and complementary - to a physical tradeshow, with different benefits and features.
If you are doing an "event" online you should be exploiting the advantages of the online medium, rather than trying to hamstring that medium in order to give a look and feel of something quite different.
This isn't to say that there is no competition between the two formats - and I'd actually include a third, "online sourcing" through properly designed and managed directories as another alternative - but each will be best suited to specific industries and products.
Commoditized items favour online directories. Things that need to be seen - or where the buyer needs to meet the seller - will work at traditional trade shows. Industries where online-savvy people want to exchange ideas globally will suit online (interactive) tradeshows. Fairly simple really...
But I don't see many sectors where someone not web-savvy enough to type into the search box on Google will be happy to spend hours clicking through a 3-D representation of an exhibition hall, just so they can eventually see pictures of products and maybe send an email to the manufacturer or supplier.
So to get in first, here's my view:
"Virtual Tradeshows" that rely on exhibitors/booths to draw in traffic are IMO often little more than online directories with an appalling site navigation system bolted on the front - they miss the entire point of a trade show, which is to meet people face-to-face and eyeball/touch/taste/smell their products.
But, they also miss the entire point of the internet as well.
When I want to use the internet to find companies or products I want to do so on a site with a quick, easy indexing system with flexible search options. Forcing a tradeshow metaphor and 3-D virtual-booth based navigation onto an online directory is totally insane - it's like Amazon.com replacing its "search" function with a linear graphical display featuring just the spines of all the books in the world - yes, it would make it look more like a "real world" bookshop, but would also throw away all the advantages of the online medium at the same time!
Those online "events" that do work (for me) major on interactivity, using online-specific tools like discussion forums and blogs, have rich content available on-demand in multiple formats - from downloads to video webinars. They are however something quite different - and complementary - to a physical tradeshow, with different benefits and features.
If you are doing an "event" online you should be exploiting the advantages of the online medium, rather than trying to hamstring that medium in order to give a look and feel of something quite different.
This isn't to say that there is no competition between the two formats - and I'd actually include a third, "online sourcing" through properly designed and managed directories as another alternative - but each will be best suited to specific industries and products.
Commoditized items favour online directories. Things that need to be seen - or where the buyer needs to meet the seller - will work at traditional trade shows. Industries where online-savvy people want to exchange ideas globally will suit online (interactive) tradeshows. Fairly simple really...
But I don't see many sectors where someone not web-savvy enough to type into the search box on Google will be happy to spend hours clicking through a 3-D representation of an exhibition hall, just so they can eventually see pictures of products and maybe send an email to the manufacturer or supplier.
Labels: virtual trade show
Comments:
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I completely agree with your main points and always hated the idea of 'virtual shows'. There is another facet these shows allegedly offer. This is the extension in reach of the show brand. Proponents would say that a virtual show will allow you to reach more people for longer.
Whilst this is true it is no less true of a well designed show website. My one major criticism of event organisers and particularly their online efforts is how rarely I hear the concept of engagement mentioned as a key driver for their online presence. The majority of sites are merely glorified brochures for the show itself. Little or no effort is made to capture potential visitors individual needs. Most have horrifically long registration forms that, if fully completed, tend towards the ‘how-can-I-fill-this-out-as-quickly-as-possible’ school of data collection.
Organisers are still largely backward in their use of digital. In their interactions with both exhibitors and visitors they tend towards lazy reproductions of their offline marketing collateral. Until they genuinely try to use online for what it does best – help engage an audience and talk to that audience in different ways at a time of that audience’s choosing – there will always be an opportunity for the virtual show organisers. At least this group pretend to try to engage and be engaging.
Whilst this is true it is no less true of a well designed show website. My one major criticism of event organisers and particularly their online efforts is how rarely I hear the concept of engagement mentioned as a key driver for their online presence. The majority of sites are merely glorified brochures for the show itself. Little or no effort is made to capture potential visitors individual needs. Most have horrifically long registration forms that, if fully completed, tend towards the ‘how-can-I-fill-this-out-as-quickly-as-possible’ school of data collection.
Organisers are still largely backward in their use of digital. In their interactions with both exhibitors and visitors they tend towards lazy reproductions of their offline marketing collateral. Until they genuinely try to use online for what it does best – help engage an audience and talk to that audience in different ways at a time of that audience’s choosing – there will always be an opportunity for the virtual show organisers. At least this group pretend to try to engage and be engaging.
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