Chances are you’ve attended quite a few online events in the past few years. From virtual weddings, baby showers, conferences, birthday parties, and even Broadway shows, more and more events were hosted online for the safety and convenience of attendees.
Even now, many events have remained online or online optional. But with many of us suffering from Zoom fatigue, you may be wondering how to ensure guests are actually engaged and having a good time. You may also be wondering how to juggle events with both online and in-person attendees. We've attended countless virtual events and are happy to share our top tips.
Here’s our best advice for driving engagement at your online events:
What’s the fastest way to turn your attendees off? Tech that just doesn’t work. Whether it be bad audio, low-quality visuals, or missing permissions, we’ve all seen plenty of poorly hosted events. Make sure you avoid these issues by doing a tech run-through about a week before your event. Brush up on the live streaming best practices, and invite all your speakers to test screen sharing, audio, videos, etc., so your guests get the best experience possible.
A simple thing you can do to increase online engagement at your event is to create custom event backgrounds. These are easy enough to create in Canva and Photoshop and typically include brand colors, logos, quotes, or anything else related to your event theme.
Here’s an example of a Zoom background option that I was sent in advance of a virtual birthday party. These backgrounds will increase the odds that your guests have their cameras on, which we know is 1,000x more engaging than those faceless black screens.
Distributing virtual swag bags is a creative way to infuse a tangible and personalized element into virtual events. Attendees often appreciate receiving physical items that enhance their overall event experience. Organizers can collaborate with sponsors to include branded merchandise, discount codes, or exclusive content in these swag bags.
The anticipation of receiving a package in the mail adds an element of surprise and delight, building excitement leading up to the event and fostering a stronger connection with the brand or event. Including interactive elements such as QR codes that lead to exclusive online content or live sessions can further integrate the physical and virtual aspects of the event, enhancing engagement and leaving a lasting impression on participants.
If you want online engagement at your event, you have to plan for it. This means that you have a person dedicated to coming up with questions to post in the chat, creating polls to get real-time attendee feedback, and potentially even activities like online games and trivia.
Here are some things we’ve seen work well:
Depending on the nature of your event, it may be helpful to use virtual breakout rooms to encourage more dialogue. If your event has over 50 virtual attendees, this is a useful way to get guests talking and interacting without everyone talking over each other. Typically, rooms with about ten attendees work well here.
We recommend letting your event attendees know about the breakout rooms in advance so they anticipate that they will be participating more actively than they might in a typical virtual event. Again, preparation is key here. Have clear expectations for what attendees are supposed to do in their breakout rooms—including relevant questions, links to activities, etc.—to avoid awkward small group sessions where attendees are just staring at each other. Also, be clear about how much time attendees will spend in breakout sessions so they can manage their time well.
Incorporating interactive games into virtual events can significantly enhance attendee engagement and create a more dynamic and enjoyable experience. Whether it's trivia quizzes related to the event theme, virtual escape rooms, or multiplayer online games, these activities provide a platform for participants to interact, collaborate, and have fun together.
Games inject an element of competition, fostering a sense of camaraderie among attendees. They break the monotony of traditional presentations and encourage active participation, ensuring that participants remain focused and energized throughout the virtual event. Additionally, games can be designed to align with the event's objectives, reinforcing key messages or imparting knowledge in an entertaining and memorable way.
(Image via Not Boring Events)
As more and more events are expected to have both in-person and virtual attendees, it’s gotten harder than ever to plan a successful event. One strategy we’ve seen work particularly well is having a shared activity that both in-person and virtual attendees can share.
There are two options here:
Bring your in-person and virtual attendees together online through an event hashtag. In-person and virtual attendees alike can share event highlights, photos, and questions through live tweeting. Additionally, if you’re using polls for virtual attendees, ensure the in-person crowds can share their thoughts too. QR codes on event programs or flyers work well here!
If your event includes an activity, demo, or even food and drink, give virtual attendees a taste of the experience. Maybe you send virtual attendees a chocolate-tasting kit, some swag, or a Doordash gift card. This will show your virtual attendees that you really value their event experience and want them to feel included even if they can’t show up in the flesh.
Introducing drawings or raffles for prizes adds an element of excitement and anticipation to virtual events, creating a sense of reward for attendees. This strategy not only boosts engagement but also serves as an effective incentive for participation.
By offering enticing prizes such as gift cards, gadgets, or exclusive experiences, organizers can motivate attendees to actively participate in discussions, polls, or other interactive elements of the event. The element of chance and the prospect of winning create a buzz, encouraging attendees to stay engaged and attentive. This approach not only enhances the overall attendee experience but also provides an opportunity for event sponsors to showcase their products or services through sponsorship of the prizes, creating a win-win situation for both organizers and participants.
Encouraging attendees to provide feedback is a crucial aspect of making virtual events more engaging and effective. This approach demonstrates that organizers value participant opinions and are committed to continuous improvement.
During the event, organizers can use polls, surveys, or dedicated Q&A sessions to gather feedback on various aspects such as content relevance, speaker effectiveness, and overall user experience. Additionally, organizers can leverage post-event surveys to gain insights into the participants' overall satisfaction and areas for improvement. Acknowledging and implementing valuable feedback not only enhances the quality of future events but also fosters a sense of community and involvement among attendees, making them feel like active contributors to the success of the virtual gatherings.
It’s no secret that driving event engagement online is harder than in person. But with some new tips and tricks, you’re ready to make it happen!
Have any online engagement tips we missed? Let us know in the comments below!