Time and time again, we’ve pondered how the energy from in-person events can translate to virtual ones. Time and time again, we’ve seen the difference in how our own staff engage with the events we hold, and the difference between attending alone and attending alongside others.
So we asked around! We found out that groups of people were attending the same virtual events, each with their own computer but physically in the same room. Yes, ironically, we learned that our virtual events are bringing people together in-person. We call it: the watch party. (Download the watch party guideline resource)
Attending the event independently is still incredibly powerful, and you can still engage with the others through the chat! When attending alongside others, it’s ideal to sit facing each other as much as possible, since there are moments where thoughts are voiced out loud and reactions trigger reactions in others. The feeling when multiple people gasp at the same time? Or when someone says “No way” and you say “yes way” and the debate is sparked? Or when you ask a question and the others around you say “Good question, I was thinking the same thing”? Those are some moments which create reactions, which then create feelings, which inevitably create memories, which isn’t what people typically expect from industry events. Attending alongside others maximizes feelings of acceptance when they agree, excitement when they challenge you, and togetherness as everyone feels the highs and lows of the event.
That being said, we still encourage each watch party to have a special designated person to bring it all back into the chat! Not a scribe, more of a “Great question, ask it to the chat” or “Good idea! Drop it in the chat” person. A Chat Cheerleader? An Event Enthusiast? A Matchbox Mouthpiece? You get the gist.
And the outcome, you may ask? We recently held a virtual event where watch parties were briefly discussed, and the following quotes were pulled from the chat transcript:
“Watch parties give the chance for people to digest and to have conversations together, we’re seeing some really interesting watch party dynamics take place. The conversation really does continue, and is decentralized.”
“Watch events do so much to increase a sub-community’s involvement: we are such social creatures at heart. Building them well really deepens the experience.”
“Watch parties are pretty fun … and a great way to share donuts with colleagues (where I’m attending from) and share the experience! I find sharing experiences makes the experiences we share have a lasting savor in the memory, creates & strengthens bonds.”
If you’re hosting or attending a virtual event, we have a little treat for you! Remember, regardless of whether the event is informative, co-creative, exploratory or other, a watch party can help attendees get the most out of the conversation. From paper mills, to accounting firms, to university libraries, we’ve spoken to watch party goers of our Matchbox events and gathered their best advice into this helpful guide!
Click here to download the Watch Party Guidelines resource.
Those “ah-ha!” moments will happen even if you attend independently, but they seem to have a little extra oomph when shared with others!
