We asked experts from across the events industry: "Do virtual events still hold value in 2025?"

We see the power of virtual every day at First Sight Media. One of our clients recently told us their biggest audience ever came from a virtual stream - and they almost didn’t run it! That proved what we already know: virtual isn’t second-best, it’s a massive strategic opportunity when done right.

We’re seeing first-hand how streaming events (whether virtual only or hybrid) is doing more than just reaching remote audiences. It’s transforming events into powerful content engines.

In-person of course offers powerful networking and experiential advantages, and the face-to-face connection can’t be replaced, so we know they aren’t going anywhere (phew!) – but now with so many virtual options available, there are more things for organisers to consider when planning.

Virtual events offer unmatched efficiency, reach, and data intelligence. When used strategically, especially as part of a hybrid event mix - they create new opportunities for audience engagement, brand visibility, and ROI.

Today, the smartest event strategies are not “virtual vs. in-person” but rather “how to blend both effectively.”

But we wanted to go beyond our own lens - so we asked some event profs to weigh in in our latest Ask the Experts edition.

Why virtual still matters:

From accessibility and sustainability to content longevity and global reach, virtual events bring serious strategic value

• Global, wider reach – Connect with international audiences who can’t attend in person
• Inclusive attendance – Remove barriers like travel, time zones, or accessibility limitations
• Data-rich, actionable insights – Track audience behaviour, engagement, and ROI in real time
• Content flexibility & longevity – Capture sessions once, repurpose forever
• Hybrid integration – Virtual enhances physical events with extended reach and digital add-ons
• Critical infrastructure – Virtual platforms and the many integrated tools that can be used have become an essential for many organisers - for continuity, scalability and networking / interactivity as well as risk mitigation
• Micro & niche events – Run more frequent, focused events to maintain engagement year-round
• Corporate use cases – Perfect for training, town halls, launches, and webinars for distributed teams

Check out more of our Ask the Experts episodes here.