Socio Launches Virtual Event Suite

Socio, an event technology company, today unveiled its Virtual Events Suite, which will include a community platform, multiple device streaming options, and Orange Glove Service to help event organizers make the pivot to virtual.

"Socio has been the driving force behind thousands of successful events, both onsite and virtual," said Yarkin Sakucoglu, Socio's CEO, in a statement. "Given the enormity of COVID-19 in the events industry, we're excited to roll out our next generation of virtual features to help our clients make the pivot to virtual as easy as possible. Although times are challenging, I think the changes event organizers are making will lead to sustainable and improved business practices when the time comes to pivot back to live events."

Socio's new Communities platform allows event organizers to produce frequent and consistent multimedia touchpoints and inspire thought leadership, networking, and engagement

Socio's Virtual Event Suite integrates with leading live streaming platforms, and attendees can now join the live stream directly from their virtual agenda or click a button that instantly launches the live stream on mobile devices or a desktop computer. The multi-device capabilities allow organizers to engage with users wherever they are and toggle between their preferred devices for video consumption and networking.

To enhance sponsor visibility and engagement, organizers can now offer customizable buttons to schedule a meeting or request a follow-up and download the data for virtual lead generation. Additional features include virtual session reminders, responsive video streaming for mobile, and web app upgrades that allow users to view live streaming and engage with all app features in a single window.

"No matter how hard we try to make virtual events replicate a live experience, people aren't meeting in person, so it will never feel the same," Sakucoglu said. "If we reverse engineer what events accomplish—building bridges with each other, our organizations, and our content—you quickly realize you need more than a webinar. You need that string that binds everything together. With Communities, you can keep the conversation going with your audience indefinitely, far beyond the confines of a physical event."

"The real challenge in the industry's successful pivot to virtual is that more than 60 percent of event organizers have never planned a virtual or hybrid event," said Corey McCarthy, Socio's chief marketing officer, in a statement. "Virtual events have a lot of moving pieces. There are tech requirements, differences in the way you structure content, differences in time constraints, and attention spans. It can feel daunting, to say the least. Organizers are hungry for solutions right now, and Orange Glove offers a premium level of support that will help bring virtual events over the finish line."