The future of virtual charity events

Throughout the past year, we’ve repeatedly heard people talking about the ’new normal’. But the idea of ’new normal’ implies that once things have changed, we’ll all settle into a new status quo, job done.

In a way, ’new normal’ is a mantra for our uncertain times that reflects people’s desire to reach some sort of stability. The truth is, the world of charity operations (particularly fundraising events) will continue to evolve and change. Sitting still or becoming wedded to any one way of doing things is not an option.

While many of the lessons we’ve learnt over the course of 2020 and 2021 will no doubt remain important for charities, there will be aspects of the ’old normal’ that supporters will still desire.

And as charities step into a post-COVID-19 future, they’ll need to balance what worked before with what’s going to work next. So, what should we stop doing, and what should we do more of?

Here are some possible predictions for the future of virtual events.

Virtual events will find new ways to foster authentic human connection

Running fundraising events virtually has many benefits, including helping charities expand their reach to broader audiences, encourage greater participation, and gain more data and insight on their supporter base.

Not to mention the cost savings of running an event exclusively online. Consider, for example, the savings on venue fees, staffing expenses, photography, catering, merchandise and physical branding, along with all the other resources that typically go along with a physical fundraising event.

With these advantages, charities will want to carry on hosting virtual fundraising events.

But most people would agree that events in the virtual world come with some trade-offs. The main one being, as lockdown has taught us, you can’t really beat the social aspect of being face to face with other people.

When people join a fun run or a charity bake sale, they don’t just do it to raise money – they do it to feel part of a community, to connect with others, to make new friends and bond with old ones, as well as to get the sense of social satisfaction from having done good for others.

We now value these feelings more than ever. In order for virtual events to be a long-term solution for charities, they will need to strike the right balance between convenience and a sense of social togetherness that’s often lacking on a screen.

This is a conundrum many charities are tackling in imaginative ways, as they need to find solutions for making both their virtual fundraising events and their service user-facing activities feel more human. Some of these solutions include:

• Allowing for spontaneity, such as the ability for people to interact and ask questions on the spot. Formats such as livestreaming are ideal
• Creating a sense of reciprocity and reward for participants by sharing their content and stories, praising those who are doing well via digital leaderboards and prizes, and giving a personal, heartfelt thank you
• Connecting supporters with each other via dedicated Facebook groups, forums, Instagram accounts or Twitter hashtags