5 ideas to boost engagement during an online event
It is the fear of every event: absent looks during an online meeting, silence when asking a question during a webinar, or visitors of an online event that leave during the break. Keeping the attention of visitors online is an obstacle for many companies. And that is easily explained. Research from Harvard Business Review shows that people have an attention span of 10 minutes when attending a virtual meeting. So, if you want to organize a virtual event, webinar or conference call, the experience is essential. But how do you get your audience on the edge of their seat? Read our 5 ideas for boosting engagement during a virtual event.
Idea 1: Involve the audience
When you are hosting an online event, the audience is far away from you. Spread out throughout the whole country or even throughout the whole world. Furthermore, you convey your message in a digital way, where the audience isn’t right in front of you. It can be a challenge for a speaker to approach an audience when he is in front of an empty room talking to a camera. That is why it’s important to involve the audience in your story and to prevent the host from only talking about himself and his environment. Asking questions and invite your audience to come with their input. In short, focus on your audience, and their experience.
Idea 2: Create an event with a story
At the end of the event, when the participant is closing his laptop, you only want one thing: having left a good impression. You do that by stimulating and inspiring them. The perfect method to do so is storytelling. A solid story grabs the attention of the audience, stimulates them, and has impact. Besides that, it is the key to an influential online event. A story takes the visitors on a digital journey, and it helps to retain their focus and make it matter. So, make sure to create an event with an exciting story. Then, after the online event, the audience will want to say: “I was there!”
Idea 3: Host breakout rooms
During an event, as a participant, you often find yourself in the session with hundred other participants. They can lean back or secretly go over their mail. By facilitating breakout rooms in between sessions, you can reignite the engagement. A breakout room is a kind of chatroom in which participants can discuss in small groups. That way, the participants will pay close attention to the session and are then able to brainstorm, network or discuss in small groups. A valuable addition to your virtual event!
Idea 4: Trigger a conversation
How do you keep your virtual event exciting and interesting? By creating interaction! It might seem hard behind a laptop, but using the newest technologies there are more and more possibilities. A good example is calling people in from different locations. Or inviting people to leave questions, remarks or advice in the chatroom. A Q&A can also be a great way to start a conversation. During an event, the speaker can comment on this, which makes it interesting for the people watching. It is also a great way to act upon the wishes and demands of the audience. Research shows that asking question too is a good way of making people interact and engage.
Idea 5: Add game elements
Last but not least is creating more engagement by adding a poll or a quiz. By using these game elements, one can involve participants and simultaneously make them think about the subjects and interact in an approachable way. The polls can even generate some interesting data. You can, for example, use it as an on-the-spot survey. Another reason to use these tactics is that research shows that gamification is an effective way of communication. By adding gamification, you add a game element to convey your message in a stimulating way. A playful break keeps the audience enthusiastic, fresh, and engaged!
Do you want to start organising an online event? Or are you thinking of a combination between both virtual and offline, by hosting a hybrid event? Then make sure you have a powerful story and a stimulating concept ready. SowiesoHelder tackles the communication issue starting from the roots of the problem and does so effectively. This results in online sessions, offline gatherings, or hybrid events with a wow factor!
Don’t hesitate to contact us to learn more about our approach.
