Meetup organizers Annyce Davis (Google Developer Group Washington DC) and Nina Baltierra (Bull City Beer Runners) share their stories of switching to online events and what it takes to keep their communities connected and thriving online. Plus, a Q&A session with the panel and moderator Dan Pardes (VP of Product).
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Main takeaways
Annyce Davis
- Moved her tech group (Google Developer Group – Washington DC (GDG-DC)) events online and that’s helped her reach a wider audience because more people outside of the local area can now join.
- Says organizers shouldn’t be afraid to make mistakes, “If you’re running a group that’s not tech-savvy…you can host an event just to get everyone up to speed.” Don’t overthink it!
- She’s excited to try adding more variety to her events, like lunch calls instead of after-work events.
Nina Baltierra
- Nina’s group (Bull City Beer Runners) can’t meet to run together or go to bars to get drinks together. She’s keeping her group connected by hosting online happy hours and she also shares ideas of creative and new ways to use the online platform (e.g. Scavenger hunts).
- Just because your group was all about doing things in person, it doesn’t mean you can’t host events online. “…Just creating an event while [members] can’t meet in person is so appreciated even if they aren’t saying it all the time. Even if it’s not perfect, just try it.”
Top Q&A questions
Do you see a difference in attendance now that your events are online?
- Nina: “Good beer run has about 25 people and we consistently get about 25 people on virtual happy hours.”
- Annyce: “It felt very similar. I think that one main difference is that we got to get people from other areas to come.”
What can organizers do to support their members’ transition to online events?
- Annyce: “If you’re running a group that’s not tech-savvy you can host an event just to get everyone up to speed. Sometimes we overthink it.”
What’s been a surprise since moving your events online?
- Nina: “The best thing is that some Beer Runners who have moved away even years ago are joining our virtual happy hours…it’s an unexpected bonus.”
- Annyce: “One thing that was super surprising is how many people joined from outside of the country…Having people who are all over the world, who are interested in looking for those connections that normally they can’t get there in real time… now, they get to be there participating.”
Any advice for organizers?
- Nina: “Just trying something and just creating an event while your members can’t meet in person is so appreciated even if they aren’t saying it all the time. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just try it.”
Last modified on June 23, 2021
