Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, virtual conferences and events have become commonplace. And while they can never really take the place of in-person events, in our current times they’re a necessity.
Even as some events cautiously return to limited in-person attendance, others are remaining digital only or are offering virtual attendance as an option (this year’s Venture Atlanta was an example of such a “hybrid” event).
While virtual events have some big advantages—they’re cheaper to produce than in-person events and there’s no travel hassle—they can also lack the interactivity to really engage attendees.
If you’re planning a virtual conference or event (even if it’s a hybrid one), you want to do everything you can to make sure those tuning in from their office or home have a beneficial experience. We’re offering six tips for upping your online event’s engagement level:
- Make It Ultra Interactive. You want your virtual event to be as close to an in-person experience as possible, and that means offering lots of ways for attendees to interact with presenters and each other. Choose an event platform that offers the ability to do things like live chats, direct messaging, and polls. Some of the more advanced platforms mimic the in-person experience even more with the ability to “walk” the conference halls, visit booths, and move in and out of session rooms.
- Add Some Fun. All work and no play make for a tedious event, so be sure to squeeze in some non-business elements. Just like in-person conferences often have planned entertainments, book a comedian or magician to shake things up, or add gamification such as trivia contests or scavenger hunts.
- Keep It Bite-Sized. When you attend an in-person conference, you don’t go at it all day long. You likely give yourself some downtime to have a bite to eat or return to your hotel room to answer emails and put up your feet. People get tired of sitting for long stretches in front of their computers, so ensure that presentations or panels aren’t overlong and that you give regular screen breaks. If your platform supports push notifications, you can remind attendees via text when the break is ending or when a new session is starting.
- Create Social Channels. Even if your platform has all the interactive bells and whistles, you’ll still want to create a closed Facebook Group, LinkedIn Group, and/or Twitter hashtag for attendees. Such channels encourage dialog pre-, during, and post-event.
- Give Swag. In-person conferences typically give away promotional items from sponsors or exhibitors. Similarly, you can build excitement for your virtual event by shipping attendees a “swag bag” once they’ve registered. For instance, prior to its recent virtual forum, our client IDology shipped artisan popcorn and wine to attendees to enjoy during the virtual discussion, creating a “happy hour” experience (read the case study here).
- Offer Live and On-Demand Viewing. Not everyone will be able to attend 100 percent of your virtual event, but you can record panels, speakers, and sessions for “anytime” viewing so attendees can catch up on things they missed when their schedule permits. This is important, since 20 percent of total attendees view virtual events on-demand. Not to mention, useful segments may be watched again by those who viewed them live the first time.
As mentioned earlier, virtual events are booming out of necessity, although they will most likely stick around even after the pandemic’s end due to their convenience and lower cost compared to in-person functions. By planning and executing virtual events that are as close to the “real thing” as possible, you can still engage attendees and meet your organizational goals.
If you need help with a virtual, hybrid, or in-person event, we can help. Contact us today about our end-to-end event planning and management services. We want to help you create a truly exceptional experience.