Do you have an online conference coming up and want to make sure you’ll be able to hold your attendees’ attention throughout the event?
Everything from how you start your event to the presentation flow and the environment you create matters when it comes to audience engagement.
However, some things are more important than others.
Keep reading to discover five essential ingredients that should be at the top of your priority list if you want to host an engaging virtual conference.
1. A Great Intro
The way you kick off your conference will set the tone for the entire event, so it’s paramount that you get this part right.
With a great icebreaker, you can set the mood for the meeting, give your remote participants a chance to tune in to your event, and make them more comfortable interacting throughout the rest of the event.
2. High-Quality Content
When it comes to hosting an engaging virtual conference, content is still king.
You can employ the latest technological gizmos; if your content is not interesting or fails to hit the mark with your audience, your guests will zone out and get distracted.
” Most conferences fail because the gist of the content that underpins them is weak, uninteresting, and uninspiring.”
— Yann Gourvennec, CEO at Visionary Marketing (source)
You need insightful, relevant content that can genuinely make your guests’ lives better.
Plan your content based on your audience and what they are expecting to learn, and you’ll be well on your way to creating an engaging online conference.
For stellar content delivered by top keynote speakers, check out our portfolio now. (all programs are offered with top-notch Audio/Visual tools to ensure the best experience for your remote guests)
3. Opportunity to Connect
Great content is critical, but keep in mind that it’s not the only thing your event guests want. They also want to have the opportunity to connect with other participants, get their questions answered, and feel directly involved in the event.
To drive attendees’ engagement, turn your conference into a virtual connection hub:
- Have a “check-in” time before the session begins, complete with open communication channels where guests can interact with one another;
- Host fun games and trivia sessions that encourage collaboration and allows attendees to get to know each other. (find our top recommendations of interactive games and activities for remote events here)
- Feature a Q&A session at the end of each panel of speakers where guests can weigh in on the discussion and find out more about specific topics.
4. Interactivity
Interactivity is vital for an engaging virtual conference.
At in-person conferences, feedback is constantly flowing between the audience and the speaker (clapping and applause, body language, or words).
If you want to draw remote attendees into the screen and boost interactivity, you need to replicate that in some form virtually. Otherwise, they may as well be watching a video.
One way to make your conference more interactive is to book a virtual host. A professional host can:
- engage with attendees as the speakers are presenting – asking for feedback/reactions in the chat section;
- energize guests in between sessions; encouraging comments and guiding the discussions;
- conduct polls to engage your audience in real-time.
5. An Element of Fun
Attending a physical conference is more than just sitting through panels of speakers. It’s a whole experience, and engagement comes naturally, as people also get to be in a new setting and connect with new people – often in a new city.
Online, that’s not possible. So, it would help if you came up with new ways to inject an element of fun and novelty into your conference to make it more engaging.
You could, for example, book a celebrity chef to treat attendees to a memorable experience and add spice to your event. Guests will get to watch a professional chef at work and learn valuable skills for creating better meals at home.
We Can Help You Plan an Engaging Virtual Conference!
We know you’ve got a lot on your plate.
As a conference organizer in 2021, you have to learn new skills and constantly rethink how you do your job to adjust to the new normal that the world pandemic has created.
We can help by providing you with engaging entertainment solutions which can elevate any virtual event. Explore our premium entertainers portfolio here, and don’t hesitate to reach out to us at (615) 283-0039 if you have any questions.
