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Insights on events, technology, and the future of gathering
Quick answer: You can monetize a virtual event much like an in-person one: sell tiered sponsorship packages, charge exhibitors for booths in a virtual exhibit hall, sell general and VIP admission tickets, and offer companies paid, opt-in opportunities to contact attendees. Most traditional event revenue models translate directly online.
Virtual events might not feel as concrete as an in-person venue with separate presentation rooms and exhibition stands, but they provide real value to attendees and presenters alike - so why shouldn't they produce real profits for you, the host, as well? It can take some creativity in some cases, but many of the monetization options mirror those of traditional events. Start with these four popular choices.
Sponsorships are a major revenue-generating strategy for in-person events, and the same is true for virtual events. Create various levels of sponsorship packages offering advertising and publicity opportunities: different tiers of ad space and ad placements in the event platform, ad space in event-related e-blasts, or placement for products and marketing collateral in physical goody bags you mail to attendees or digital goody bags you email to them.
At in-person events you sell exhibit booth spaces, and you can do something similar online by setting up a virtual exhibit hall - a page with links to dedicated breakout rooms for each exhibitor, so they can engage with any attendees who choose to stop by. Depending on your platform's features, exhibitors can pin resources like videos and demos inside their breakout rooms, giving attendees a chance to explore and learn more beyond chatting with each exhibitor directly.
Corporate partners don't need to be your only revenue source: selling admission tickets monetizes the event further and gives you a better view in advance of how many attendees you'll need to accommodate. Like a physical event, you can sell various tiers of tickets at different prices - for instance, general admission alongside VIP tickets that add private Q&A sessions with speakers or on-demand access to each presentation.
You may be familiar with LinkedIn's InMail: members pay for a premium subscription and get a set number of messages they can send to people they aren't connected to. You can do something similar by allowing companies to buy a certain number of messages they can send to event attendees - or, similarly, a certain number of attendee email addresses.
Of course, you need to do this ethically. Give attendees a clear opportunity to opt out, never promise more contacts than you can provide, and manage the data on a GDPR-compliant platform like Canapii so consent is handled properly.
Combine several revenue streams rather than relying on one: sponsorship packages, exhibitor booths, and contact opportunities bring in corporate revenue, while tiered ticketing earns income from attendees directly. Whether you're used to planning in-person events or new to event planning altogether, mastering virtual event planning takes time and experience - but as you hone your skills, these strategies help your events become profitable revenue sources as well as helpful resources for your attendees.
Canapii has powered 2,000+ events for 300,000+ attendees across 45+ countries since 2020, with sponsorship, exhibition, and ticketing tools built into one virtual event platform.
Yes. Virtual events can generate real revenue through the same models as in-person events: sponsorship packages, paid exhibitor booths, tiered admission tickets, and paid contact opportunities. Many hosts combine several of these streams at a single event.
You create tiered sponsorship packages that offer advertising and publicity: ad placements in the event platform, ad space in event-related e-blasts, and product or collateral placements in physical or digital goody bags sent to attendees.
Selling tickets adds a revenue stream on top of corporate income and gives you an early read on attendance numbers. Tiered pricing works well: offer general admission plus VIP tickets that include extras like private Q&A sessions with speakers or on-demand access to presentations.
It can be, if handled transparently. Let attendees opt out, only sell what you can deliver, and manage consent on a GDPR-compliant platform. Selling messaging access - similar to LinkedIn's InMail model - is often preferable to selling raw email addresses.
Ready to turn your next virtual event into a revenue source? See how Canapii handles sponsorships, virtual exhibitions, ticketing, and attendee engagement in one platform: get a demo.