I generally try to stay engaged and current with what’s going on in the world of marketing. One of my favorite online marketing resources is MarketingProfs. Always informative, I rely on their marketing expertise often. I’m a big fan.

This morning I checked my inbox. Inside was a gentle reminder about tomorrow’s MarketingProfs Digital Marketing World Virtual Conference. Yes, you read that right, virtual conference. I sort of scoffed to myself… what makes a virtual conference anything more than just a webinar. It turns out… a lot.

I followed the link to the attendee guide and was immediately floored by the visual display that accompanied the guide – they literally created an entire virtual conference center to host tomorrow’s event, complete with fountains, an exibitors show floor, a networking lounge, and prize center. And the whole thing is wired to be interactive – just like you’re really there. Not only is it virtual and very cool, it’s totally green! Think of all the resources that are being saved in hosting this event virtually instead of at an actual exhibit hall – transportation of attendees, goods and services to and from the event, the electricity, heating and cooling of a conference space, the reources for exhibitor displays, and the list goes on.

There may be some drawbacks to networking and socializing over a virtual cocktail as opposed to being face to face. But I’d say that for all the green benefits of a virtual conference, the tradeoffs are worth it.