It wasn’t long ago when we were introduced to the concept of virtual events and the idea of attending events using the internet. And it was something that one could never think of. However, given how things turned out to be, going virtual was the only and the best alternative available at the moment. Though almost all the organizations have started to host virtual events on a wider scale, there are still a few that are paving their way through the newest trend. However, most of the hosts fail in conducting events that ensure maximum audience engagement. The reason the majority of the audience prefers attending physical events even though they are less convenient is that they find online events boring.
But, like every time, here we are, all set to guide you through this. In this blog, we will discuss some of the most amazing ideas to help you boost engagement at events. Have a look:
Create a Hype Around Your Virtual Events:
One of the most awesome ideas to boost engagement in and around your virtual events is by creating hype about your virtual event among the audience. It will help you create a buzz about the upcoming event and boost your audience engagement rate. What you can do is drop in trailers on your social media pages or website, giving a sneak peek of what your events are going to look like will create a sense of excitement among the audience. You can either use previous editions’ snippets or create trailers for the latest edition. Exciting and compelling trailers will keep your audience hooked to the end that they will end up registering for the same. Another exciting way to ensure this is by collaborating with influencers and celebrities. Seeing their favorite celebrities talking about an event will definitely make people want to attend it.
Live Polls:
The majority of the audience thinks that virtual events are less engaging, and feel like watching a YouTube video. According to them, virtual events lack factors that can make the audience feel involved in the event. However, this is definitely not the truth. Virtual events can be as engaging as their in-person counterparts, given they have enough audience engagement tools such as Live Polls. As an organizer, the feature of Live Polls allows you to collect and understand the audience’s point of view while the event is going on. It will keep your audience hooked to the event and maintain the audience attendance rates. It will also make the attendees feel involved and valued. Apart from that, live polls enable the organizers to get the audience’s feedback and review about the event.
Audience Networking Tools:
One of the most common reasons people like to attend events is to meet new people and expand their network. Again, some think that virtual events aren’t that effective, and the screen acts as a barrier between people. However, it totally depends on the event organizers, and the virtual expo platform they are picking up for the event. There are several virtual event platforms that come with some high-end networking opportunities. These networking tools allow the attendees to connect with fellow attendees, and interact with them seamlessly. As an organizer, you should pick one such platform. It will help the attendees connect with each other, and maintain the audience engagement rates.
Social Walls:
The fact that almost every other person has at least one social media account should be a part of your event planning. Social media has become an inevitable part of our lives now, and you use it by incorporating social wall features. This feature will help you maintain the audience engagement rate throughout your event, and expand its reach. We all are aware of the power of social media, and incorporating it into your virtual event strategy can do wonders for your event.
Basically, the social wall feature collects all the posts uploaded on different social platforms and publishes them on a certain digital venue. You can create your own hashtags, and even filters around the theme of your event. Now, any post with that hashtag will be automatically published on that platform. It is an excellent feature that will expand your reach, and keep attendees on their toes during the event. Make it more exciting by conducting online contests.
Keynote Session:
Another simple yet powerful idea to boost engagement at your virtual event is conducting keynote sessions in your virtual event. Invite renowned speakers and celebrities to interact with your attendees. It will expand the reach of your virtual event, and boost audience participation rates. However, while planning, schedule the keynote session somewhere in the middle of the end of the virtual event. It will keep your audience hooked to the event. The thing is, we all get star-struck when we meet them. Now, what’s better than enabling your audience to interact with a celebrity, that too from the comfort of their own home? Take it a step further by organizing contests for your attendees. The one who wins gets to have a one-on-one interaction with the celebrity. It will compel your audience to participate and remain a part of the event till the end.
Since it’s been more than two years since we have been introduced to the concept of virtual events, almost all organizations across the world have started to host events through the internet. However, not many of them incorporate significant strategies to make the event interesting and keep the audience engaged. But, we hope, the guideline shared with you above helps you deal with this issue, and host memorable virtual events.
