You’ve meticulously planned an amazing virtual event filled with insightful content, dynamic speakers, and interactive sessions. Everything is set for a memorable experience. But as you reach the midway point, you notice more than half of your attendees have their cameras turned off, and the rest seem distracted, drifting off into their own thoughts. Where did you go wrong? The answer is simple: engagement.
Hosting a virtual event offers incredible opportunities to connect with a global audience, share valuable insights, and create memorable experiences. However, one of the biggest challenges you might face is keeping your audience engaged throughout the event.
High engagement ensures a successful event and leaves a lasting impression on your attendees. Some reports indicate that engaging webinars result in 20% to 40% of webinar attendees entering the sales pipeline as qualified leads. Implementing strategic engagement tactics can transform your virtual event from a passive experience to an interactive and dynamic one.
Let’s explore the best-proven ideas to boost virtual event engagement and ensure your event stands out in the crowd! But before that, let’s quickly go through the basics first—why do we need to boost engagement?
Engagement is the key differentiator between a good event and a great one. Engaged attendees are more likely to participate actively, absorb the content, network effectively, and retain the information shared during the event. A recent study revealed that engaged attendees are 70% more likely to retain information.
Moreover, high engagement levels contribute to positive word-of-mouth, increased attendee satisfaction, and higher chances of repeat attendance. Without effective engagement strategies, even the most well-planned virtual events can fall flat, leaving organizers disappointed and attendees disinterested.
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Now that we've established the importance of boosting virtual event engagement, let's explore twenty proven ideas for effectively achieving it.
We have tried and tested the best ways on the internet to boost engagement for virtual events, and here are the top 20 ideas that worked for us. Make sure to read till the end for additional tips and a pre-event checklist for creators.
Audience engagement can mean different things for different events. And even for different audience types.
For example, at a tradeshow you want the audiences to interact with exhibitors. But at a startup pitch event, you may want to maximize the number of people asking questions. And for the investor audiences, an increase in the 1-1 meetings can be a good engagement indicator. So can be participation in themed breakout rooms.
Questions asked, demos watched, polls answered, posts on the event feed. These are all different ways in which audiences engage at events. Know what kind of interactions you are aiming for.
So, only after defining your engagement metrics, get cracking at your engagement plan.
Assign one person from your team in charge of audience engagement. Their main job will be to look at every event detail from the eyes of an attendee.
This is the person responsible for figuring out the best ways to drive your engagement metrics. It is their priority to plan many interactive audience experiences throughout the event. Let them figure out which engagement features you should use in your virtual event platform. And what product integrations you should get in place.
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In addition, they are in charge of driving all the engagement initiatives at the event. Monitoring what's working and making live tweaks to what's not clicking is a part of their job too.
But why put one person in charge? Won't it be better if everyone in the organizing team focuses on it? Not really. The socio-psychological phenomenon called 'diffusion of responsibility' is to blame for it. In simple terms, when everybody is responsible, nobody is responsible. So get your audience advocate by your side and start seeing the results.
We all assume different roles in different environments. While watching Netflix, we assume the role of an observer and expect to be entertained. But when we go for a yoga class, we know that we must act to get the benefits of the time spent. 'Actors' spring to action and engage. And 'observers,' well, they passively observe.
It is common for attendees to assume the role of the observer at events. You must break this assumption by explicitly prompting them that you want to take action. And sharing multiple ways in which they can get involved.
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You can change this mindset in two ways.
The earlier you start making this mindset change, the more audience engagement you will set yourself up for.
An exciting agenda that shows audiences the value of your event is a must. Spend time perfecting the agenda to focus on the needs and interests of the audiences. For starters, think about these three things.
Content is the backbone of most events. Attendees come to events to listen to what their favorite speakers have to say. Firstly, work with your speakers to ensure insightful and actionable session content. Talk to them about audience personas so they can tailor their content accordingly.
Secondly, help them present their content in an interesting and vibrant format. Go with more interactive, AV content and less uninspiring presentations. Encourage them to include elements in their content that need audiences to engage. They can ask audiences to guess true or false statements. Also, they can include an audience poll in their content.
Lastly, as an organizer, you should do things to make sessions interactive. Keep the session screen and branding dynamic and lively. Hire live illustration artists to create visual session summaries that attendees can download. Get an experienced, high-energy emcee to help you up your audience engagement game.
Even the most insightful content falls flat if not delivered in an engaging way. Many of the speakers might be new to virtual events. Prep them in advance. Let them know what exactly to expect on the event day. And share with them different ways of delivering a killer session. Delivering content to a digital audience needs unique soft skills. Talk to your speakers about these tactics well in advance. A few quick tips that go a long way in delivering an engaging session:
Do a few test runs with speakers to make them comfortable with your event platform. Tell them about some handy features built for delivering an interactive session. Maintaining energy & enthusiasm becomes tough without being able to gauge audience reactions. So, show them how to alternate between looking at the camera and looking at the screen to see audience interaction.
Gamification is one of the most powerful tools to increase audience engagement. And don't equate it with just having a leaderboard. Because a leaderboard is a good starting point but it is not enough. When people don't think they can win, many don't compete as well. Give a chance to as many audience members to win at something as you can. Small rewards encourage more attendees to take action.
Assign points to different actions audiences take at the event. For instance, attending a complete session and asking a question gets attendees A points. Participating in a breakout session or in a group video call gets them B points. C points are up for grabs if someone shares about the event on social media. D points for answering 5 polls and engaging with 3 virtual booths.
And then create a tiered rewards structure corresponding to these points. Think of it as unlocking different rewards by crossing different levels in a mobile game. Let's say you have 3 incentive tiers corresponding to collecting 100, 200, and 500 points. All attendees who engage and collect 100 points get reward X. Crossing 200 engagement points unlock reward Y as well. And collecting 500 points get reward Z.
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By doing this right, you can give an exceptional virtual experience to audiences.
Notifications are a nifty tool that can get audiences to take action. If you use them well, they can deliver exceptional results. But if you abuse them then you risk annoying your audiences.
Virtual event platforms can supercharge your notifications because they can give you powerful audience insights. You know what interests them and which sessions they have bookmarked. You can see if they are spending most of their time networking or in the virtual booths area. And you can use these insights to send intelligent, personalized notifications. Here are a few ways to do it:
Events are a wonderful place for connections and conversations. Many attendees find events attractive because of the opportunity to network with like-minded people and industry professionals.
Tap into this existing motivation. With an audience-friendly agenda, you would have already scheduled dedicated networking time. Plan for multiple one-on-one and one-to-many interaction options. Virtual event platforms enable you to set up plenty of networking options - text chats, group video calls, scheduled meetings, theme-based breakout rooms, lounge areas to start impromptu conversations, etc.
Make use of smart matchmaking to connect attendees with similar interests. Or host a speed dating session for those who want to maximize meeting the most number of people.
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It is unreasonable to expect attendees to be focused for hours at a stretch. As they say, all work and no play don't do good to anyone. So go ahead and plan for some fun breaks to energize audiences.
Such fun segments not only enhance the audience experience but also make events memorable. People like the opportunity to try their hand at something new or just relax a little. So get your creative juices flowing and plan something memorable for your audiences. Here are a few ideas to get you thinking about this:
If you optimize your event in these 10 ways, you will set yourself up for success in most matters of high-quality audience engagement. With a powerful virtual event platform by your side, that's built to deliver exceptional audience experiences, you can easily hit it out of the park.
See how Hubilo makes personalized, experiential, and scalable virtual experiences a breeze for you.
Keep your attendees informed and excited with tailored reminders.
You should use automated email and SMS tools to schedule personalized reminders based on attendee behavior and preferences. This ensures your audience is well-informed and prepared, leading to higher attendance rates. Studies have shown that SMS has an open rate of more than 90%, which is much higher than email.
Hubilo’s Automated Event Reminders
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Engage your audience in real-time with interactive elements.
Incorporate live polls and Q&A sessions to encourage participation and gather valuable insights from your attendees.
Make your event fun and engaging with game-like elements.
Introduce points, badges, and leaderboards to motivate attendees to participate actively throughout your event. Studies show that using leaderboards increases overall engagement by up to 50% for event-driven activities.
Tailor the event experience to individual preferences.
Allow attendees to choose their own session paths, enhancing relevance and engagement.
Provide attendees with content that matches their interests.
Use AI-powered recommendation engines to suggest sessions and activities based on attendee behavior and preferences.
Transform your event with advanced technologies.
Utilize virtual and augmented reality integrations to create virtual booths, interactive displays, or virtual tours that attendees can explore during the event.
Encourage meaningful connections with small group interactions.
Organize small group discussions in breakout rooms to foster networking and collaboration among attendees.
Extend the value of your event with accessible content.
Offer recordings and supplementary materials, allowing attendees to revisit sessions at their convenience. A Deloitte report says that the number of online on-demand viewers increased by 69% from 2011 to 2013.
Maintain connections and gather feedback after the event.
Send thank-you emails, share event highlights, and distribute feedback surveys to keep your audience engaged after the event. Prompt follow-ups can increase conversion rates by up to 25%.
Enhance sponsor visibility and attendee interaction.
Set up virtual booths for sponsors, providing high-quality visibility and lead generation opportunities.
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Amplify your event’s reach with seamless social media tools.
Integrate with platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to schedule posts, share live updates, and engage with your audience across multiple channels.
Reward your most engaged attendees with special perks.
Provide exclusive sessions, networking opportunities, and other benefits to your top attendees, enhancing their event experience.
Ensure seamless and professional presentations with live streaming.
Use reliable live streaming services to deliver smooth and high-quality presentations and keynotes. A report pointed out that 28.5% of internet users now watch live streams.
Monitor and optimize engagement with real-time data.
Track engagement metrics to understand attendee behavior and adjust your strategies for maximum impact.
Provide hands-on learning experiences.
Organize interactive workshops and masterclasses, allowing attendees to engage deeply with the content.
Enhance your event’s visual appeal with customized branding.
Encourage attendees to use virtual backgrounds and branded frames during video sessions, promoting a cohesive and professional event aesthetic.
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Boost engagement and excitement with rewards.
Host social media contests and giveaways to incentivize participation and spread the word about your event.
Foster collaboration and creativity among attendees.
Use interactive whiteboards for brainstorming sessions, collaborative projects, and creative discussions, enhancing teamwork and interaction.
Create dedicated spaces for casual interactions.
Set up virtual lounges where attendees can engage in informal conversations, share ideas, and build connections.
Ensure inclusivity and accessibility for a global audience.
Cater to attendees from different linguistic backgrounds by offering multi-language support, making your event more inclusive and engaging for everyone.
It doesn't have to be as complicated as it sounds.
Join Hubilo and watch your attendees convert into customers.
While not every strategy requires specialized tools, Hubilo offers several features that can significantly enhance your virtual event engagement efforts:
Enhancing engagement in your virtual events is essential for ensuring their success and delivering a memorable experience to your attendees. By implementing strategies such as personalized reminders, interactive polls, gamification, and immersive experiences, you can transform your virtual event into an engaging and dynamic experience. Remember, the key is to start early, stay consistent, and continuously adapt your engagement strategies based on attendee feedback and evolving trends.
But what if your competitors are already utilizing these tactics? What sets you apart? The answer lies in strategy.
Hubilo offers strategic development for event creators that maximizes funnel conversion at every stage. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced professional, our platform provides features that deliver a noteworthy upgrade in your results.
Ready to take the first step to differentiate yourself from your competitors? Request a free demo session with us and experience all of Hubilo’s scaling features firsthand.
Hubilo is the webinar platform built for marketers that helps you 2X your pipeline. Founded in 2015, Hubilo's powerful engagement features, dedicated client experience team, and custom branding tools have helped create over 12K virtual events & webinars, creating hundreds of millions of minutes of high-engagement experiences and counting. Headquartered in Bengaluru and San Francisco, Hubilo's 200+ employees are dedicated to enabling webinars & virtual events that convert.
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