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3D Virtual Template vs. 3D Custom Experience: What’s Right for You?

When you hold a 3D virtual event, there’s more than one way to execute the perfect plan. You can opt for an event that’s designed and built from the ground up as a fully customized event experience. Or you can choose a pre-built event template that provides the elements you need with fewer customization options. Both kinds of design have their pros and cons—but which one is best for your event?

What’s a Custom 3D Virtual Event? And What’s an Event Template?

A custom 3D virtual event is exactly what it sounds like. With this option, your immersive virtual event is built from scratch. This means it can be customized completely according to your specifications. If you want a totally unique virtual venue that doesn’t look like anything that’s been used or seen before, this is the way to go.

Full customization can take your virtual event to some exciting places because it’s possible to build almost anything you can imagine. Whether you want to inspire your attendees with incredible natural views or motivate them with busy cityscapes, full event customization makes it possible. And not only can you put your venue anywhere, you can include a fantastic range of content and design features in the venue itself—all custom-built to accommodate your specific event needs.

If that sounds like more design detail than you want to worry about when you hold 3D virtual events, here’s some good news: With event templates, you don’t have to!

In the world of virtual events, a 3D event template is a virtual venue that’s already been designed and created. It’s similar to how a turnkey WordPress or other website solution works. The code’s been written, and most of the design decisions have been made. All it needs is your own branding and other event content to be slotted in, and then it’s ready to go.

Templates typically come with features such as:

  • A lobby
  • Session rooms
  • Breakout spaces
  • A scalable exhibit hall
  • Plenty of branding opportunities

They provide support for multiple content types, and some even allow you to integrate live video streaming and conferencing.

Pros and Cons of a Custom 3D Virtual Event

Pro: You Get a Unique Venue That Meets Your Needs

With a custom 3D virtual event, you can literally have the venue of your dreams. With live events, you’re limited by what venues are available. With 3D virtual events, there are no booking schedules to worry about. You’re not limited to venues that fit your specific physical event needs. Whatever your event needs are, a custom build can meet the brief.

Pro: You Have a Lot of Say in the Design Process

When your event venue is built from scratch, specifically for your event, it gives you a lot of opportunity to contribute to the design. You can be involved in the design process right from the start, so you can be sure the final build looks and functions exactly as you need it to.

Pro: A No-Limits Approach to 3D Virtual Events

Put together, all of this means that there are no limits to what you can build. With a live venue, you’re restricted by the square footage that’s available. That’s not a constraint with a 3D virtual venue. Virtual environments are infinitely scalable. If your event grows larger than you were expecting, you can easily add extra session and breakout spaces, or expand the exhibit hall.

No limits also means real-world logistics don’t have to apply. It might be wildly impractical in the real world to host an event outdoors in the middle of winter. But in a virtual world, bad weather can be eliminated, and your event can take place in a sunny tropical paradise any time of year.

3D Virtual Event Template

Con: It Can Take Time to Put Together

Whether it’s a live venue or a virtual one, starting the design process from scratch means it takes longer to put it all together. The custom option isn’t an immediate one, and it’s important to start the process well in advance of your projected event date.

Con: It’s the Pricier Option

Another natural consequence of this level of service is that the custom-build is the pricier option, compared to a template-built virtual event. If you have a tight budget, this option isn’t necessarily right for small niche events. A fully customized 3D virtual event is perfect for those large national or international once-a-year events where it’s important to make a big splash and get the best results for sponsors, stakeholders, and attendees.

Pros and Cons of a 3D Event Template

Pro: It’s Relatively Fast to Put Together

Working with a template typically means speed. It’s faster to put these types of virtual events together, because the bulk of the code is already written. With a template, you get a pre-built solution that’s ready to go once you’ve slotted in your event-specific content. It’s not an instant process, but it’s possible to put a virtual event together this way more quickly than a fully custom virtual event.

Pro: It’s a More Affordable Option

If you’re new to 3D virtual events or your company wants to host multiple 3D events each year, the template option saves you money as well as time. The template option requires less design work to put together, so it’s a more affordable option.

Pro: It’s User-Friendly

Using a 3D virtual event template tends to be the most user-friendly way to host a virtual event. The venue’s already been built, so you’re free to focus on other aspects of event organization.

Con: Fewer Customization Options

The main downside to using a virtual event template is that they typically come with fewer customization options compared to the custom-build option. This means, for instance, that there might be fewer branding opportunities with the event space or that you have fewer choices as to what the venue’s architecture and décor look like. That being said, most templates do provide plenty of space for branding. And many have customization options that let you alter the décor or add extra space if it’s needed.

Con: Fewer Advanced Features

Another potential downside to choosing a 3D virtual template is that, depending on the platform you choose, you may have fewer analytics tools or other advanced features. Depending on your specific needs, that may not be a problem. If analytics are important to you, look for a platform that offers template-style virtual events with the advanced features you need.

Making the Right Choice for Your Event

The question of whether to choose a custom virtual event vs. a virtual event template is one that can have a major effect on the success of an event. And because this is one of the first choices you’ll make when planning a 3D virtual event, it can feel like a very high-stakes decision. Fortunately, it’s not too difficult to feel confident about making the right choice. While they are very different options, there are usually clear indications as to which will best suit your event.

Do you want…

  • To get your events up and running quickly without having to make a lot of creative or design decisions?
  • A solution that will work for the multiple types of events your company holds throughout the year?
  • A 3D virtual event option that has a user-friendly learning curve?

Then a template-style event is what you need.

Or do you want…

  • To be involved in the venue design process every step of the way?
  • Lots of scope for designing a unique event venue for a big, high-profile event?
  • The ability to customize your event and venue to fit specific needs?

Then the custom 3D event is your best option.

Custom or Template: Which 3D Event Style Will You Choose?

Whether you go for a template-style online event or the fully customized option, a 3D virtual event has a wide range of benefits both for you and your attendees. Whichever event style you go with, your attendees will enjoy an event that’s immersive and engaging, from the first second to the last,

Ready to add a new dimension to your next event?

Mark Yujuico

Senior Product Marketing Manager

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Jody Tatro

Chairwoman of the Board

With over 30 years of industry experience, Jody is the Chairwoman of the Board of XtendLive, driving vision and strategy. Every strategic approach that goes out the door is influenced by Jody’s experience and philosophies on her high standards for client service. Jody is a recipient of the YWCA’s Tribute to Women Award, the Junior League Community Volunteer Award, and is listed in Who’s Who of Women in Business.

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Howard Citron

CTO

A product designer at heart, Howard has developed consumer and business products, large scale distributed systems, and software applications. With over 25 years of industry experience, he offers senior executives with innovative solutions to their most vexing software and systems challenges. He assists clients by exploring new market opportunities and acting as an internal venture manager within their organizations.

Robert Cummings

Director Of Technology

Robert is an acute and credible tech professional who helps create an invaluable virtual experience. With over 30 years of high-level tech experience, he has a proficient background in sales, market research, and finance. Robert strives to help clients understand the technology at its fullest aptitude and how it can best create a positive and valuable virtual event experience.

Jack Connolly

Jack Connolly

Chief Executive Officer

As an experiential creative director, Jack prefers to draw outside the lines. He tells stories with original content and impactful design to ignite meaningful conversation.

 

Jack brings 20 years of event industry knowledge to ProGlobalEvents. He specializes in building live & virtual platforms for audiences to connect, engage and immerse themselves in the power of a shared experience. His skills range from ideation and concept development to defining an attendee journey through storytelling and design.

Jack understands the creative process is not linear, but a collaborative process between agency and client. He manages teams of designers and technology developers to pioneer impactful brand experiences. His diverse skillset and leadership ensure for award-winning results and memorable impressions.

 

In 2019, BizBash named Jack one of the top event designers in North America. SXSW awarded his work the “People’s Choice in Innovation” in 2021.

Paul Miller

Chief Marketing Officer

Having served in many executive roles for over 25 years, Paul has a client-side perspective of the corporate events industry. He reaches clients through traditional and digital marketing programs and has a high involvement with technology strategies. In his spare time, he is a principal member of the non-profit Gratitude Network that mentors award-winning social entrepreneurs.

Matt Rulis

VP Of Business Development

Spending the last 15 years in sales, Matt has experience managing marketing strategies, campaigns, and environments for a diverse client base. His relentless tenacity and keen eye for detail shapes the renowned vision he has for client service. He focuses on fostering relationships to uphold XtendLive’s customer satisfaction ratings year-over-year.

Dick Wheeler

Chief Executive Officer

Dick is the CEO of XtendLive. He is an entrepreneur, innovator, and compelling force in the fast-growing virtual event industry. With over 30 years of industry experience, Dick possesses the astute leadership that is a sought-after gold standard in the industry. Under his leadership, the team has generated highly successful events for numerous companies while continuing to drive an imaginative vision for client’s virtual event needs.

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