9 Best Practices For Engagement In Virtual Events
Unlike in-person meetings and events, online meetings give the attendees more chances to zone out as distractions are just a click away. The audience’s attention comes at a premium, and organizers must do everything in their power to retain their attention. Audience engagements are necessary to fulfill the objective of the meeting, conference, or event. But, attaining undivided attention from audience members is a challenging task.
Unlike in-person meetings and events, online meetings give the attendees more chances to zone out as distractions are just a click away. The audience’s attention comes at a premium, and organizers must do everything in their power to retain their attention.
Audience engagements are necessary to fulfill the objective of the meeting, conference, or event. But, attaining undivided attention from audience members is a challenging task.
With the help of a proper event hosting platform and a dash of creativity, you can make your events more exciting and engaging for the audience.
Here are the top 9 best practices for engagement in virtual meetings and events.
1. Compelling And Good Content
Have you heard of the phrase, “Content is king”? Well, it is a factual statement, and your content needs more work for an online audience. You have to steal the attendees’ interest from a plethora of distractions. So, the content must be compelling enough to leave other things and focus solely on the event.
Structuring the content to suit your target audience’s interests is the best way to get their attention.
2. Production Quality
When hosting a live event, the production takes the place of set design, layout, and show floor. However, you have less of an area to work with when pre-recording a session or conducting a live session. So, you have to rely on the best video-making practices and high-quality video production to make your event appealing.
The greatest way to do this is to invest in better quality cameras, branded backdrops, good quality microphones, and well-made slides and decks.
Moreover, setting the lighting and camera angles can amp up your production quality.
3. Push Notifications
You can use push notifications to send updates to the attendees’ phones or laptops. This will help you reduce the bounce rate as even if people get distracted, they will often rejoin after the notification.
You can send push notifications about interesting facts, keynote speakers, products, and much more.
4. Live Q&A
As an organizer, you should promote Q&A sessions; let the attendees ask, and you must answer. If the session goes well, attendees will surely have some questions for the experts. So, ensure you devote enough time for a quick Q&A session.
5. On-Demand Content
Providing on-demand content enables the audience members to watch sessions at their own pace and re-watch an important session if needed. Also, attendees who missed a session can watch the on-demand video.
6. Use Social Media
You can create a good buzz on social media about the event and get the attendees engaged on social media by conducting polls or a fun challenge with prizes.
7. Messaging in the Event App
Make the most of your virtual event hosting platform by getting the attendees to talk to each other in the messaging section. An inbuilt messaging tool in the virtual event platform helps keep the conversation in one place.
8. Live Polling
Speakers can conduct live polling sessions to keep the audience engaged throughout the session. This will increase their willingness to participate. Moreover, it also gives organizers to assess how many people are participating and session engagement rates.
9. FAQ Page
You must have an FAQ page either on the event website or in the event registration form. This will help resolve any query by the attendee, and it will help them navigate their way through the new virtual format of events. Besides the traditional FAQ page, you can make a simple video explaining the login process and other features of the virtual event platform that the participants can use.
Do not limit yourself to these 9 best practices for engagement in virtual meetings and events. Hosting a virtual event is challenging, but you will indeed engage your audience if you keep your mind open to smart and innovative ideas.