Your virtual events don't have to be boring! Create amazing virtual events with Crowdpurr by adding fun live trivia for prizes! Easily create live trivia games using our new 100% original trivia database. Or you write your own questions. Then have your participants compete against each other virtually!
Crowdpurr easily integrates with every virtual event platform. Add a dynamic virtual host to narrate your virtual trivia game live! Add a fresh, fun new twist on your virtual events that your participants will love.
What Are Virtual Events?
Virtual events are people collaborating together from their own remote location without actually meeting in real physical space. They meet virtually on the Internet using virtual event applications.
Virtual events are typically Zoom meetings, webinars, or live streams on Facebook or YouTube. Or any application that connects geographically separated participants through chat, audio, and/or video. Terms like virtual classroom and virtual office simply refer to virtual meetings in those contexts.
Crowdpurr has traditionally been geared toward in-person live events since our launch in 2014. However, there has always been an avid customer-base who leverages the uniques features of Crowdpurr for virtual events as well. In this article we'll be discussing the various types of virtual event use-cases that can be created using Crowdpurr.
Remote Participants Join on Their Phone
Crowdpurr participants, whether remote or at an in-person event, have always joined using their mobile device. If at a live event, we also offer a PowerPoint-like display called the Presentation View. This allows participants to follow along in an event-space (e.g. conference hall, classroom, ballroom, etc.)
However, all the required information to play a trivia game is included on the Participant View on each participant's mobile device. This includes the trivia questions, answer options, and rankings leaderboard. The Presentation View has always been optional and is not required to participate or conduct a Crowdpurr experience.
Because of this, participants can literally play wherever they are located. For virtual events, they don't need not be in the same physical location. They must simply have knowledge of the trivia game's hyperlink (or URL) to join the Trivia Game.
How Do Participants Join?
Participants can join remotely, but how do participants know how and when to join the virtual event? How do they know where to go on their mobile device When conducting a virtual event, there are several ways to send your participants the URL.
Email The Link
For corporate virtual events, hosts can simply email the URL to their team using an email list. The email will contain the URL to join and any additional details. Details can include when the event starts, the event's topic, and what prizes are up for grabs! Then participants simply click on the URL to join the interactive experience.
Post The Link on Social Media
For influencers and brands doing virtual events, a social media post can be created with the URL to join. The post can also include details like the start time, prizes, etc. This could be an Instagram post or story, a Tweet, a LinkedIn post, or a Facebook post.
Participants will then see the information for how to join on their computer or mobile device when checking those apps.
Live-Streaming the Experience URL to Remote Participants
If your participants have already joined your virtual event, the host can display the URL within the content of the live stream. This allows participants to see the URL and type it into their mobile device in order to join.
There are various helpful software tools for streaming. One popular free tool is Open Broadcast Software (OBS). OBS allows the host to dynamically overlay graphics and text. Additionally, you can even add our Presentation View directly onto your live stream.
Run A Live Trivia Game Virtually
Conducting a Virtual Trivia Game is almost exactly the same as if you were in front of a live audience. The Experience Dashboard and Participant View work exactly the same. You would simply not use the Presentation View since you are not hosting any participants in an actual physical space.
However, you may still want to use the Presentation View if you are broadcasting a live stream to your participants. It's helpful to see the Presenation View on their laptop or desktop computer while they participate using their mobile device.
Live Stream So Participants Can Follow Along
Many Crowdpurr users have successfully created live-streaming style "game shows" that they host for their organizations. Usually on a recurring basis (e.g. daily, weekly, etc) to keep their audience engaged on an ongoing basis. Often times rewarding winners with prizes, incentives, or at the very least fun and bragging rights!
Participants enjoy competing remotely in a live trivia virtual event while also following along with a live-streaming host. The live host can conduct the trivia game question by question. Or simply chime in and add fun commentary.
With free live-streaming services like YouTube Live and Twitch you can use free tools like Open Broadcaster Software (OBS). OBS can layer the Presentation View onto a live hosted stream that your participants can watch on your YouTube Live, Twitch, or other streaming channel.
Live Stream Directly within Crowdpurr
With Crowdpurr's embedded live streaming, you can get up and running with just a few clicks! There are no other applications needed. Check out our blog post Live Stream in Crowdpurr.
Third Party Video Streaming Applications
There are two types of video streaming applications. Real-time video teleconferencing apps like Zoom. And live streaming platforms like YouTube Live and Facebook Live.
Video Teleconferencing Applications
Crowdpurr recommends using real-time video teleconferencing tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Hangouts. This is because those tools have a near-real-time latency. No latency occurs between updating Crowdpurr and the live host in a Zoom meeting. There is no need to manage the latency because everything occurs in real-time.
The only downside to using tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Hangouts is they typically have lower participant limitations. So in some high-participant use-cases these tools are not feasible.
Live Streaming Platforms
If you're using an actual live streaming service, Crowdpurr recommends YouTube Live or Twitch. This is because those two services offer "low latency" settings. This keeps Crowdpurr in sync with the live stream.
Any updates you make in Crowdpurr such as updating to the next question, showing the rankings, etc. happen in real-time. This means as soon as you press the button on the Experience Dashboard, your participants' devices will update.
Live streaming platforms do not always update in real-time. Many can have significant delay. This may cause your trivia game's question, for example, to update before your participants actually hear the host say, "Let's go to the next question!" This is because the host's stream may be delayed by several seconds of latency delay. Latency delay is inherent to all live streaming services. There is no way to avoid it.
Managing Virtual Event Latency Delay
You may be using a streaming service with a significant latency delay. It's best practice to trigger updates on the Experience Dashboard based on the live stream as heard by participants. Not as the host actually announces updates. Therefore, updates to Crowdpurr occur in sync with the live stream as delivered and heard by participants. Not before the host announces the update.
You may need to use a separate print-out of the trivia questions. Or you can use the red Results Summary tab on the Experience Dashboard. This is for the host to announce the game, read questions, etc. Using this method, the host will not activate new questions as they read them by switching the question tabs. A second person can trigger updates in Crowdpurr once they hear them delivered on the stream.
We're working on an upcoming blog post that better details managing latency delay.
Virtual Event Examples
Crowdpurr has many successful users running Live Virtual Trivia.
Stream Geeks Example on YouTube Live
The YouTube Channel StreamGeeks recently created a YouTube video on how to create your own live-stream Trivia Game Show. Check out the below video How to Create Engaging Educational Presentations with Live Streaming HQ Trivia Style.
Total Party Chill Example on Twitch.tv
The Twitch streaming channel Total Party Chill conducts a weekly Live Virtual Trivia Game. They leverage Crowdpurr and Twitch to award their followers with prizes and incentives. Each week followers look forward to following along on their stream and joining in on their mobile device. Check out the below video Total Party Chill Weekly Game Show which shows how their weekly game works.
Not Using Live Streaming? No Problem
Crowdpurr can manage an interactive Trivia Game entirely on its own using the Experience Dashboard. No additional audio or video streaming is needed. You're always free to instruct your participants to join at a certain time. You can then run the Trivia Game on its own.
The Participant View has all the information players need to play and understand how the Trivia Game works. No live host or streaming needed!
Stay Tuned For More Virtual Event Fun
They are many more details, use-cases, and exciting opportunities for creating and hosting virtual events in Crowdpurr. We'll be releasing some step-by-step video tutorials in the coming days and weeks to further illustrate the above use-cases.
In closing, check out our overall live demo webinar that covers Crowdpurr's pricing and features. It also demonstrates our various experience types and team-based Trivia Game with remote participants.
