Deliver More Event Value by Increasing Attendee Interaction

There’s no doubt virtual events present more opportunities for distractions than in-person events. It’s too easy to ‘zone out’, check emails, shop amazon, or just plain log off. Think about it, no one has the guts to get up and walk out at an in-person event just because they’re bored. In-person events are literally a captive audience! Let's face it, online events have a huge disadvantage but you can overcome it with the right tools and a few tips.

One of the most common mistakes for many first-time organizers is not planning the attendee experience. Attendee interaction has been recognized as an essential element to virtual events – even more now with the many competing online events. Yet, there are different types of interaction to consider; attendee-to-attendee and attendee-to-presenter.

Attendee-to-attendee interaction can be done through a number of ways; 1:1 networking rooms, round table discussions, or a cocktail hour. Any activity that gives your attendees the ability to connect and interact with the other like-minded humans at the event is vital.

Attendee-to-presenter interaction is the holy grail of virtual engagement. Imagine having the ability to ask a question to the presenter in real time, during the live event. Or say you’re hosting a virtual concert and you reach out to your remote fans for a request during the live broadcast.

You can see how important this is, especially while we’re all virtual right now and many of us are starved for interaction. Events that can leverage activities that promote attendee engagement will prevail.

If you’re looking for streaming technology that can improve attendee interaction for online events or virtual conferences, ViewStub has you covered. We recently leveled up our attendee engagement features to give organizers tools to expand audience interaction beyond the physical venue, to create engaging virtual events.

The ViewStub Engagement Panel provides a channel for organizers and attendees to interact all from one central place. Here’s a look at these new features and enhancements:

Toggle between the icons in the engagement panel to use the various features, including making donations during events.

• Event Media Playlist: The event playlist sits at the top of our Engagement Panel, making it easy for attendees to navigate between event sessions. 
• Interactive Chat: Interact with attendees during the live performance by asking questions, encouraging discussion, and sharing important links related to your experience. Organizers can take it a step further and personalize direct messages to attendees.
• 1:1 Networking: Our networking feature allows attendees to connect one-on-one in live video sessions to discuss, collaborate, or network. They can connect with other attendees as if they were actually at the venue. 
• Live Q & A Sessions: Host valuable "Question & Answer" sessions during your live event, keeping attendees engaged and informed. Ask intriguing questions and make your attendees feel like they are a part of the experience.
• Live Polls: Poll your live audience and gain valuable feedback about the event experience. Attendees will feel like they are contributing to the success of your event, and will be more likely to attend in the future! 
• Donations: Attendees can make a contribution to your cause, or donation to your charity directly through the platform. Additionally, the organizer or presenter can thank them for the donation in real-time during the event.
• Sponsors, Speakers, & Documents: Highlight your sponsors and speakers directly in our engagement panel in front of thousands of virtual attendees. Deliver more value for your partners than ever before. Additionally, attendees will easily have access to downloadable content from the event at the click of a button. 

The future for events is hybrid (and virtual). The sooner we address attendee interaction at virtual events, the more effective they will be. It’s challenging, but it’s really just a new way of thinking about and planning events. Get in your attendees’ heads and consider different ways to interact with them to bring more value to the experience. And we’re here to help. Let us know how we can assist you in planning your next online event.