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 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:
Online - You have virtual sessions, but you don't have an event venue.
Hybrid - You have virtual and in-person sessions.
In Person - Nothing is virtual; everything will happen in an event venue, or you're having a fundraiser (auction, raffle, fund a need, or donations only).
3. Select Event Elements
Select Registration / Ticketing. Then, select the other event elements you need for your event. You can always add or remove elements later. When you're done, click Next.
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
4. Enter Your Event Details
Event Name - enter the name of your event (e.g., Virtual Event 2024)
Event Type - select "Conference" for a virtual event. This is an optional step.
Event Date - enter your start and end date, and select the event timezone.
5. Design Your Event Website
After completing the initial event setup, you will be redirected to the Admin Console, where you can start editing your event.
Go to Event Design
Select Event Website
Click Edit Website
The Standard editor allows you to edit and customize our pre-built page themes. Depending on the available settings, you can add your branding and customize some content, colors, and more. This is also where you can edit your event URL.
You can also start editing the look of your virtual event hub through Event Design > Event Hub.
6. View Your Event
Click the View Site button at the top of your screen and select View Event Landing Page. This allows you to see what your actual event landing page would look like. You can also click View Virtual Event Hub to see the virtual hub.
7. Create Event Tickets
Whether your event is free or paid, or if you're selling tickets on a different platform, attendees need a ticket to enter the event.
Go to Registration > Set Up Tickets
Click Create Ticket
Enter your ticket details and adjust the ticket settings
Click Save
When you're done creating your ticket types, you can check your event landing page again to see if the tickets are available.
8. Create Sessions
In this step, you will build the structure and content of your agenda.
Go to your Agenda & Speakers
Click + Add Session
After clicking Add Session, the right-side Session Edit Menu will appear, where you can add your session name, date, and other details.
9. Add Speakers
Go to Agenda & Speakers
Select Speakers
Click + Add Speaker
After clicking Add Speaker, the right-side Speaker Bio Menu will appear, where you can add the speaker's information. The required fields are First Name, Last Name, and Email. You can also give them an event ticket from here.
10. Assign Speakers to Sessions
After adding speakers, you will need to assign them to sessions. This step automatically sends an email inviting them to the session. If you don't want to send the email automatically, click here to disable the speaker email invite before adding them to sessions.
Click the session from the Agenda to edit
Go to the Speakers tab in the right-side menu
Select the speaker in the Add Existing Speakers field
11. Add Exhibitors and Sponsors
Go to Exhibitors & Sponsors
If you're adding Exhibitors, click + Add Exhibitor from the Exhibitors tab.
If you're adding Sponsor, click + Add Sponsor from the Sponsors tab.
Add the exhibitor or sponsor information to the right-side menu.
12. Connect your Payment Processor
This step is only needed if you're collecting payment via credit card through Accelevents. You will need a Stripe or Square account to collect payment.
Go to Settings > Payment Processing
Connect your Stripe or Square account
After connecting your payment processor, you can try a test registration to see if the payment goes through.
13. Purchase a Paid Plan
When you create an event for the first time, it will be under the Free Plan, which has limitations such as a limited number of event days, ticket types, sessions, and use of some features. Under the free plan, attendees won't be able to enter your event.
You'll need a paid plan to ensure you can use the features you need and guarantee that attendees won't have issues logging in to your event.
Go to Settings > Billing from your admin console
Click the Activate button under Ticketed Events
Browse plans in the Billing tab and click Buy Now to pay or Get In Touch to request a demo
Enter your payment information and click Make Payment
Note: If you're in contact with an account manager, they may give you other instructions on how to pay for your plan.
14. Associate the Plan with the Event
After paying for the plan, you'll need to associate the plan with the event. Your test events can remain on the Free plan if you have a professional plan. You only need to associate your actual event.
Go to your Organizer Portal
Go to the Events tab
Click the dropdown under Event Plan
Select the plan
15. Publish Your Event
This is a required step to ensure attendees can enter your event. Publishing the event will apply the associated plan to the event and allow attendees to enter when it opens.
Go back to your admin console by clicking the event from the organizer portal
Click the Publish button at the top of the screen.
Select either Public or Private from the dropdown and click Confirm.
Public - The event will be added to our event listing site for additional exposure.
Postponed - The event is canceled until further notice.
Private - The event is private and not listed on our event listing site.
Notes:
Do not publish your test events or fundraising events. Publishing is only required for actual events.
If the event is not published, you can sell tickets, but we recommend publishing as soon as you pay for your plan so you'll have access to all the plan features.