

According to Amy, this is where an emcee really shines. All these innovations in the virtual event space have, in some way, aspired to increase engagement, foster connection, and provide a more interesting experience for attendees. Event professionals have settled on their favorite platforms, hosts and keynote speakers are more tech savvy, and online spaces are becoming more creative and interactive. Virtual events have only gotten bigger and better throughout the past year. Amy had similar conversations with clients last year, saying, “Everyone was wondering ‘what am I going to do’ and they started to see the value of hiring a virtual emcee.” The Value of a Virtual Emcee Online platforms and technology became an initial concern, but as people realized they could reach wider audiences online, their priorities soon shifted towards audience engagement. Like Amy, event professionals quickly understood the need to adapt their live events to virtual, but for many this was new and unexplored territory. “I created a virtual emcee webpage, first and foremost, and people started finding me.” But, with the help of her husband’s video production company, she used this period of uncertainty to transform an extra room into a webcasting studio and focused on going virtual. “At first it was cancel, cancel, cancel, all live events are off the schedule,” Amy recalls. One of Amy McWhirter’s virtual emcee setups.

“This experience was extremely valuable leading up to this transition,” Amy says, as it put her in a unique position to leverage herself as a virtual emcee during a time where everyone was still figuring things out.
#Virtual emcee series#
Shifting to Virtualīefore the major pivot to virtual events in 2020, Amy already had many years of on-camera experience and had hosted numerous virtual events, including a series of livestreams shot in a studio for a major corporation. As a long-time expert in emceeing on screen and on stage, Amy shares some of her thoughts on the industry and how the dynamic role of an emcee can benefit your next virtual event.

So, what exactly can a virtual emcee do for your event, and how do you choose someone that best suits your needs? To answer that, we asked corporate presenter, emcee, and event host, Amy McWhirter. But what can really make your event stand out and ensure your message stays top of mind long after your attendees log off? Or rather, who?Įvent hosts and moderators are not new in the speaking world, but they’ve been game changers in the virtual event space.
#Virtual emcee pro#
Whether you’re a virtual event pro or planning your first, choosing the right platform, familiarizing yourself with changing technology, and booking a topical keynote speaker are all important elements in hosting a successful virtual event. It’s also elevated the role of event emcees. This huge strategic shift in the speaking industry has introduced new and exciting event formats to choose from and made it clear that virtual events will continue to be a popular option in the future. With virtual events quickly becoming the norm throughout the past year, event professionals have had to find creative ways to better connect with their audiences in online spaces.
