How to Save and Organize a Virtual Gathering Party
Organizing a party is already tricky, but the challenge seems heightened now that the pandemic has made itself comfortable in our society.
As a result, there could be no doubt that hosting a party while in the midst of it is stressful. Fortunately, the Long Shot company realized this problem sooner. Hence, they’ve shared a few tips to keep your virtual party safe yet still enjoyable!
Step 1: Create your guest list
This step is common knowledge, but some people still disregard its significance in hosting a party.
Remember that as a host, you’re responsible for ensuring that everyone is having fun and that you could tend to your guests’ needs. So don’t get carried away with the notion that your online area is limitless; you can only focus on a certain number of individuals at any given moment.
With this in mind, you have to discuss with your co-host who are the people you’re going to invite. Depending on the virtual event planning platform you’re using, you might be allowed to send invites to 100 people at once.
We recommend inviting a smaller gathering of people to your virtual party if you want to have an interaction with all of your guests. Yet, if you still have doubts if this is enough, follow an event planner’s rule of thumb where a host should invite 30-40% more people than you’re expecting since it’s typical for guests to turn down invites due to unprecedented issues.
Step 2: Discuss the time
Please don’t leave your guests hanging or confused by withholding certain information to guide them to attend your party.
Just because they’re required to stay at home doesn’t mean that they’re always available. Keep in mind that companies have turned to work-from-home setups, which could affect the availability of people in general.
A few might have even fulfilled their other duties at home, so it’s a wise move to ask for your guests’ availability and find common ground that would serve as the official time for the virtual party.
After this, it’s highly suggested that you send out those invites in advance so your guests could mark that date on their calendars. Particular websites like Evite or Paperless Post even offer you a wide selection of party invitation templates for any event you’re planning to host.
Step 3: Search for a platform
In a face-to-face setting, you’ll usually find a suitable venue for the event. Since we’re in a pandemic, we would have to settle for an equivalent virtual venue.
Use your guest list as a basis for choosing the ideal platform and event solutions for your party. Often, if your list is small, picking among the free tier of media will do.
If you’re familiar with Zoom, then you should know that it’s the go-to app for this kind of event. Not only is this free and compatible with all devices, but it also could even accommodate a hundred people at once.
Keep in mind, though, that free accounts are restricted to 40 minutes each meeting. Yet, if you want to keep your options open, then we recommend taking a look at Google Meet, Facebook’s Messenger Room, FaceTime, or Skype.
For Google Meet, you could only host up to 25 guests, which could vary if you’re connected to your personal Gmail account or using a business or education email. Meanwhile, Messenger Rooms and Skype could accommodate 50 participants, while FaceTime restricts you to 32 guests.
This might seem like a bummer, but did you know that these applications have no time limit for your video calls?
They even offer features, such as identifying who’s currently talking, HD video quality, permits customized backgrounds, filters, and add-ons so that you could have the best time with your peers!
Parting Words
Virtual parties may not seem like fun, yet it allows you to let your creativity be in charge to make the most of your events.
Just be mindful of your guests who aren’t tech-savvy like you, and keep the hype alive by joining the event dressed up as your favorite character inspired by the set theme. Remember that, at this time, the sky’s the only limit!
