There are many myths and misconceptions floating around when it comes to ePosters. Let’s have a quick look at four of the biggest.
1. You need the same amount of screens as eposter boards.
Absolutely not. If you have 10 posters then there’s a bit of logic in having 10 screens, but the beauty of going digital means you can do the same thing in a smaller space. We’ve worked with events with over 3000 posters that have used as few as 50 screens! In general, we recommend one screen per topic or subtopic, as this is a great way to divide up your posters for viewing or verbal presentation.
Check out some of the photos we’ve taken at events to get a feel for how ePosters can be set up on Instagram and Flickr.
2. ePosters cost more than printed.
This is a slightly trickier question. If you have authors print and bring their own posters then costs may seem to an organizer to be quite low. However, we need to look at the bigger picture.
While screen and laptop hire will add a cost to your event, there are multiple ways that this can easily be offset, or even total less than your paper poster session would cost.
Poster boards take up a lot of space, and space costs money. Whether you save money by renting a smaller space for your few screens, or you make money by selling the extra space as exhibition space, the size (and cost) of your initial space have the potential to be very different.
Digital posters also offer opportunities for additional sponsorship placements, another great source of revenue.
3. It's a lot more work.
Whilst there are lots of ways to make the move to digital posters that will create a whole heap of extra work for you, there are products out there specifically designed to make it less work than printed.
At ePostersLive, we handle everything from the minute you finalize your approved abstracts. (We have an Abstract submission tool too, by the way.) We’re there to help throughout the process: submission, communication with authors, support to organizers, on-site display, and even on-site support from our team.
4. People prefer printed posters.
There’s always going to be someone that will pine for the old days, which is true in all walks of life. Feedback from events overwhelmingly show support for digital posters over their paper counterparts.
Digital posters offer so many opportunities that paper does not:
- access before, during, and after the event online
- the ability to include other digital elements such as video or audio
- commenting and contacting tools,
- detailed analytics about top posters, and so much more.
Do a quick search on X (formally known as Twitter) and you’ll see just how annoying paper posters can be for your international delegates:
Now is a better time than ever to bring your poster session into the 21st century. Once you understand the many pros of going electronic, your co-organizers, delegates, and the environment will thank you for it.