April 2021
Interview 11
Should viewers pay to attend a digital event ?
The Guardian ’ s Moynihan : “ We started off with a lot of free-toattend events before moving to a contribution model and finally , we ’ ve started staging paid-for events now that we feel we ’ ve gained the trust of our audience . This step-by-step approach worked really well . A lot of people paid £ 5 or £ 10 when we tested the contribution option so it ’ s worth trialing . Sponsorship is harder to sell as an alternative way to monetise but hybrid could add additional value to that . I believe though we ’ ll continue to stage paid-for editorial events online because of the demand from a truly global audience .”
Halifax ’ s Goddard : “ When we transition to a more hybrid model , it will be incredible expensive unless you monetise both elements . We researched whether or not audiences would be willing to pay for our digital event content and received a positive response . We ’ re only talking a nominal ticket price but if the content is of value , people will pay for it .”
Morningstar ’ s Shattock : “ We are better equipped now to pitch digital sponsorship than a year ago but it ’ s still not the same experience for the sponsor as
the live version so I don ’ t feel you can charge as much . You can incentivise people to visit sponsor stands but I ’ m personally not a fan of gamification . If you can monetise through sponsorship however , offering a free-to-attend event will always provide greater attendee value .”
What future do digital events have in your events programme post pandemic ?
Halifax ’ s Goddard : “ I ’ m developing a national events programme for the bank but we ’ ll definitely run digital in parallel with in-person activity . You can ’ t beat that face-to-face rapport , especially in finance where you need to build consumer trust . So live is important but there ’ s a demand for provide content that ’ s easily accessible online .”
Morningstar ’ s Shattock : “ They will certainly have a place in the overall events mix . If you invest time at the beginning to establish a robust system of webinars and small bite-sized events , you can scale that process more easily by letting automation do the heavy lifting , leaving you to focus on the content for a more plug-in and play model . In a live environment , every venue and delegate touch-point is a cost . But with digital events , it ’ s ok to use a free webinar tool or a less expensive system whereby the more webinars you stage , the cheaper your cost-per-event will be .”
The Guardian ’ s Moynihan : “ The Guardian produces 150 digital events per year and we don ’ t see an appetite for in-person live editorial sessions currently , although that may change once everyone is vaccinated and people may tire of going online for their event experience . To date , we have only focused on the formats we believed would translate online and we ’ ve put formats such as award ceremonies and larger conferences on-hold . So those will return in a live environment but editorial panel debates could see a future in digital .”
“ IF YOU INVEST TIME AT THE BEGINNING TO ESTABLISH A ROBUST SYSTEM OF WEBINARS AND SMALL BITE-SIZED EVENTS , YOU CAN SCALE THAT PROCESS MORE EASILY BY LETTING AUTOMATION DO THE HEAVY LIFTING .”