Create a Virtual or Hybrid Event From Scratch
1. Sign up for an Accelevents account
Access the Accelevents Sign Up Page
Enter your name, email address and password
After signing up, you will be directed to the Organizer Portal.
Click on Create Event then Create New Event.
2. Select Your Event Format
Select Online or Hybrid, depending on your event type, then select the event elements you need for your virtual event:
Event Ticketing - this is required for a virtual event; all attendees must have a ticket for your virtual event.
Fundraising - select this if, aside from a virtual event, you're also having a fundraiser (e.g., donation, auction, raffle, and fund a need)
Virtual Expo - select this if you have exhibitor booths for your virtual event.
Regular Sessions - select this if you have concurrent sessions
Networking - select this if you want your attendees to have 1:1 meetings
Main Stage - select this if you're having a keynote session
3. Enter Your Event Details
Event Name - enter the name of your event (e.g., Virtual Event 2023)
Event Type - select "Conference" for a virtual event. This is an optional step.
Event Date - enter your start and end date, and make sure to select your timezone.
Organizer - An organizer profile is required and has to be associated with any events created. This profile is where you will manage all of your events and billing.
4. Design Your Event Website
After completing the initial event setup, you will be redirected to Admin Console, wherein you can start editing your event. It defaults to the Event Website tab, wherein you can edit the look of your event landing page and your virtual event hub. Click here to learn more about the Event Website tab.
On top of the screen, you will find these buttons:
VIEW SITE - this allows you to see what your actual event landing page and your virtual event hub would look like.
5. Create Event Tickets
Whether your event is free or paid, or if you're selling tickets on a different platform, your attendees must register and have a ticket to enter your event.
Click Registration > Set-up Tickets from your admin console navigation, then click + Create Ticket.
Ticket Editing
Ticket Type - select the type of ticket you want to sell (Paid or Free). The donation feature allows registrants to donate while buying a ticket.
Name - add a name for your ticket
Quantity - number of tickets you want to sell
Price - set the selling price of the ticket
Fees - select whether to pass the fees to buyers or absorb the fees. Click here to learn more about Accelevents Fees.
Ticket Format - If you selected Hybrid for event type, you'll have the option to choose whether the ticket is for in-person, virtual or hybrd
Sales Dates - set when the ticket will be available to purchase and when it will end
Ticket Description - This allows you to add a description on the ticket that would appear in the PDF file and will allow you to show the ticket description when someone is trying to purchase from your event page.
At the bottom, you'll see more advanced setting options for your ticket type, such as creating ticket bundles, showing or hiding your ticket type, adding a pdf ticket in the order confirmation, and more. When you're done, remember to click Save.
6. Create Sessions
In this step, you will build the structure and content of your agenda. Go to your Agenda & Speakers tab, then click + Add Session.
Once the session is created, the right-side panel menu will slide in with these tabs:
Session Details - allows you to edit all the information needed for the session.
Speakers - allows you to assign speakers to the session. Click here to learn more about assigning speakers as session moderators.
Registrants - allows you to see a list of attendees who have pre-registered and attended the session. Click here to learn more about downloading the registrants report.
7. Add Speakers
Go to your Agenda and Speakers tab, click Speakers, then click + Add Speaker.
Once you add a speaker, the right-side panel menu will slide in with these tabs:
Bio - allows you to edit all the information of the speaker, including adding a profile picture, email address, short description, and social media links
Sessions - allows you to see which sessions they are assigned to talk
8. Assign Speakers to Sessions
Go back to your session details in Step 6, then access the Speaker tab
Type in the name of the speaker you've added in Step 7
Once the speaker is assigned to the session, they will automatically receive an email calendar invite. This email has links to accessing their talks, the studio if streaming using Accelevents Studio, and speaker onboarding.
To resend the invite, click the calendar icon next to the speaker's name.
9. Add Exhibitors and Sponsors
If you're having exhibitor booths and sponsors for your virtual event, go to your Exhibitors | Sponsors tab to start adding them to your event.
10. Connect your Payment Processor
This step is only needed if you're selling paid tickets. Connecting your payment processor allows you to receive credit card payments from your attendees.
Go to Settings > Payment Processing and connect your Stripe or Square account.
11. Activate your Event
The first time you create an event, your event will be under the Free Plan, which has limitations such as a limited number of event days, ticket types, and sessions.
Activating your event allows your attendees to start registering for your event.
To activate, click Manage Organization at the bottom of your admin console navigation. Click here to learn more on activating your virtual event.
Once you click the Manage Organization tab, you will be redirected to the Organizer Portal. From here, click the Billing tab.
Choose the plan you need and click Chat with Sales. Please schedule a meeting with our Sales team so that you can talk about your plan, and then they will generate your contract. Once signed, you will receive instructions on how to activate and pay.
12. Associate the Plan with the Event
After following the instructions from our sales team for activating and paying for a plan, go to the Events tab, then select the plan you want to associate with the event. (e.g., From a free plan to a professional plan)
13. Publish Your Event
Publishing the event will apply the associated plan with the event. Go back to your Admin console by clicking Back to Event Setup. Then click the Publish button on the top or from the Overview tab and select Public or Private.
Private - Your event is private and will not be listed on our event listing site.
Public - Your event is public and will be added to our event listing site for additional exposure.
Note:
This is a required step for virtual and hybrid events. Please do not publish your test events.
If the event is not published, you can sell tickets, but we recommend publishing as soon as you pay for your plan so that you'll have access to all of the plan features.
