If you’ve ever been to a live talk show—or even a taping—you might recall that they usually have a person come out to warm up the crowd. She or he might tell a few jokes and let you know how to engage and get involved—applause signs, audience participation cues. I recall this from attending The Late Show With David Letterman once—that and how cold the Ed Sullivan Theater was. Apparently David liked it chilly. I read something this week in Associations Now that reminded me of that, in respect to virtual events, including webinars. “It’s very important to bring a specific level of intention to your virtual event to help your audience understand how they can have the best experience,” said Beth Surmont, 360 Live media director of experience design, in a recent ASAE webcast. “Tell them how to engage. For example, submit your questions here. Raise your hand this way.” Surmont offered four dime ...

The EU’s sweeping General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) went into effect on May 25 but now that it’s here, many companies are finding themselves scrambling even harder than before to make sure they’re in compliance. At a recent joint meeting of Connectiv’s Digital Media and Audience Marketing Councils, six different information companies (including Strategic Insight, Watt Global Media, EnsembleIQ, Brief Media, Northcoast Media and Northstar Travel Group) shared how they got their houses in order—and how they continue to make refinements to their audience data strategies as the realities of GDPR become clearer.