A decade ago, having a remote speaker at a live event was a rare occurrence. But the world has changed. Now we Zoom into work meetings, log into virtual doctor’s appointments, and attend classes online. With the technological barriers significantly reduced, hosting a speaker from anywhere in the world feels as easy as clicking “Join Meeting.” However, despite the lower bar of accessibility, there are many factors to consider before deciding if a remote speaker is right for your event. In this blog, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of bringing in a remote speaker, and tips for making sure it goes off without a hitch.
A Trusted Production Partner Is Key 
Although bringing a remote presenter to a live event will never be the default option, there are situations where it makes practical sense. Sometimes the speakers who can add the most value also have the busiest schedules or are simply unable to attend in-person. Additionally, the ability to bring in a presenter from anywhere in the world creates incredible opportunities to enrich your event
Setting up Your Remote Presenter for Success 
Sometimes having a remote presenter is the best option. If that’s the case, you should treat remote presentations with the same care that you’re investing in your onsite event. Here are six tips to help your remote presentation go as smoothly as possible:
1. Run the tech for your remote speaker
Sending a crew out to help your presenter may seem like an unnecessary expense, says Account Executive Allison Vecchione, “but when you consider all that you're investing in your event, it makes fiscal sense.” Why risk something going wrong? Proper lighting, video, and audio does wonders to elevate a remote presentation. Additionally, having a small team on hand to clear any internet issues that may arise can be the difference between a good presentation and no presentation at all.
Sending a crew out to help your presenter may seem like an unnecessary expense, but when you consider all that, you're investing in your event, it makes fiscal sense.
2. Rehearse with your speaker
Since it’s easy for a remote speaker to project a level of casualness that wouldn’t occur if they were speaking live to thousands of people, it’s important to schedule a rehearsal. Have them run it in the same location where they’ll be giving the presentation—with the same internet connection and audio and video setup. And make sure to include all of your event’s remote components in the tech run-through. This ensures your presenter knows what just came before and what comes after them. If you skip this step, your speaker might pop into the middle of an event not knowing what the audience has already seen, and start delivering material they’ve already heard.
3. Keep it simple
A remote speaker is already somewhat disconnected from the audience, and adding slides, pie charts, or animations may only increase that disconnection. The less going on, the better. An engaging speaker in a “black box studio” can be more than enough if their material resonates.
4. Match the branding
If possible, make sure the presenter’s background is uniform with the theme and branding of the event. And ensure that their dress code, hair, and makeup match those of the other speakers. Small touches like this can make a remote appearance feel more like a cohesive part of the show.
5. Consider pre-recording the presentation
If you’re bringing in a virtual speaker to your event, consider whether the person really needs to be “live” on camera. Recording in advance is ideal if your speaker is not going to be engaging with the audience, doing a Q&A, or participating in a panel. As a bonus, they can record their performance several times to achieve the best effect, without the worry of “messing up.” As for bringing in a virtual panelist, Brown says that’s a recipe for problems. “If most of your panel is in-person and only one or two are remote, the conversation can get clunky and stilted,” he notes. “Especially if there is even a small internet lag.”
Recording in advance is ideal if your speaker is not going to be engaging with the audience, doing a Q&A, or participating in a panel.
6. Designate a backup speaker
Despite all the preparation in the world, sometimes Murphy's Law kicks in and things go sideways. Perhaps the presenter experiences a power outage right before you patch them in, or their computer gets a virus. Vecchione advises having a backup for these situations. “Always have someone onsite who can hop onstage and cover, in case of emergency,” she notes.
Is a Remote Presenter Right for My Event? 
It’s important to consider the unique value you’re getting from the person you’ll be patching in. “Just because you can bring in a remote speaker, doesn’t mean you should,” says Aaron “Reno” Brown, Stagedge senior technical director.
One of the most important aspects of live events is the sense of community and shared experience they create, and having a speaker join remotely can undermine that feeling. For example, if the remote speaker is the CEO of a company who has brought their whole organization together in-person, it could hurt team morale if the CEO is perceived as not having made the same effort and sacrifices to be there.
Another question to ask is: does a remote speaker diminish the “wow” factor? Having an A-list celebrity at your event can be great for excitement and enthusiasm. But let’s face it: if that famous face is streaming in from a hotel room in Hawaii instead of shaking hands and taking pictures with event attendees, the effect loses some of its luster.
Does the value offset the potential downside? While it’s true that we no longer need satellite trucks to pull off a virtual presenter, there are still many things that can go wrong: poor internet connection, muted microphones, even a barking dog. So, if there’s someone else at the event who can deliver the same material, in-person, that’s often the better option.
At Stagedge, we have the know-how to make your remote presentations a seamless experience that provides special value for your attendees and your organization. Contact us here to learn more, or read our recent blog, Coaching Your Keynote, for more tips on setting your speakers up for success.
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Stagedge: Creating Immersive Experiences for nearly 50 years is proud to be one of Boston's premier full-service event production companies dedicated to conceiving, creating, and executing immersive brand experiences through live, virtual & hybrid events, domestically, and worldwide.