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Why Authenticity Matters in Virtual Events
Why authentic live virtual events matter and how genuine interaction trumps fake live content and builds real connections with your audience.
Rachel Elnar
March 13, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes
As someone who’s produced hundreds of live virtual events, I think about this a lot—fake “live” webinars are a terrible idea. Here’s why:
When I launched my first webcast interview in 2016, called Typography Dojo, I had no clue it would open so many doors. But what made it special wasn't fancy production—it was the real, live engagement with our audience of 67 attendees asking genuine questions.
The energy of a live audience, even virtual, creates a magical interaction you can’t replicate with pre-recorded content. When you treat attendees like passive watchers instead of active participants, you miss the whole point of virtual events—building authentic connections.
Real community engagement can’t be faked. When people discover your “live” webinar is pre-recorded, you’ve broken their trust.
A Dow Janes event I attended was falsely positioned as a live webinar but pre-recorded—just look at the pixelated thumbnail name.
Customers subconsciously judge experiences in the first seven seconds, so why start with a lie? A relationship built on dishonesty, even with the best intentions, won’t last.
Give your audience what they truly want—an authentic connection. Respect their intelligence and their time, and they will respect you back. If you want to play a pre-recorded asset, be clear about it. Be transparent, be honest, and be real.
What are your thoughts on fake “live” events? Have you joined one before? Log in to comment!
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