Posted on December 12, 2023

Creating Memorable Virtual Events: Best Practices and Tools

Although in-person interactions will always be valuable, there are situations when your event programme must include virtual components. Consider the challenge of transforming a multi-day conference teeming with networking opportunities, enriching educational sessions, and invaluable insights from attendees into a virtual experience.

Once you navigate this transition, how do you ensure sustained engagement among your virtual attendees?

Mastering the art of hosting a virtual event demands a level of care and attention equal to that of an in-person gathering. In both scenarios, the key lies in meticulously crafting an event strategy that not only effectively promotes the event but also actively engages participants, curates unforgettable moments, and substantiates the event’s success.

Let’s review some proven virtual event best practices to ensure the success of your upcoming event.

Exploring Best Practices For Executing Virtual Events

Did you know that 70% of attendees are more likely to remember events—and the brands behind them—when active engagement is involved? 

Wondering why? It’s simple—participation demands attention, and heightened attention levels translate into enhanced memory retention.

To ensure that your event resonates with audiences over the long term, it’s crucial to channel time and resources into crafting interactive virtual experiences. 

Mastering virtual event execution involves understanding the essential steps and best practices to elevate its success. While not exhaustive, this list provides a solid starting point to help you identify key elements and expectations for your event.

Planning memorable virtual events

Virtual events offer a powerful tool for companies looking to boost brand loyalty, trust, and engagement. 

However, these advantages can easily slip away if the audience isn’t engaged. It’s crucial for the marketing team to make audience engagement a central focus right from the start.

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Think of it like watching TV – ever found yourself tuning out and letting your attention wander? The same can happen during a virtual event. Even though attendees have chosen to be there, a generic event can turn their experience into background noise.

When selecting topics for your virtual event, consider the unique perspectives and solutions your company brings to the table. Base your choices on customer research:

• What are people actively searching for online? 
• What challenges do your customers face? 
• Address these problems directly.

Tip: Don’t get hung up on what can’t be done in the virtual space. Instead, get creative and find ways to replicate the experience of a physical event for a more engaging virtual affair.

Tailoring content for virtual engagement

We juggle various roles within our homes and work; time has become invaluable. Convincing your audience to invest their time in an online event necessitates content that is not just relevant but also engaging, leaving them inspired to take action.

When planning a virtual meeting, don’t neglect the fundamentals of a successful event. Here are some virtual event ideas guidelines to ensure you stay on course:

• Less is More: In the digital era filled with constant distractions, your message competes with a myriad of digital stimuli – emails flooding in, family members passing by, and constant mobile alerts. Keep keynote presentations concise, aiming for less than an hour. Short, focused sessions are more likely to capture and retain attention.

• Give Them a Breathe: If your event involves multiple presentations, strategically insert breaks between sessions. This allows your audience to stretch and return re-energised for the next segment.

• Incorporate Fun Elements: To combat virtual fatigue, infuse elements of enjoyment into your event. Consider incorporating trivia games, entertainment segments, quizzes, or giveaways. This not only keeps your audience engaged but also contributes to creating a memorable and positive impression.

Remember, a virtual attendee can exit a session with a single click. Maintaining continuous engagement is not just desirable but imperative. 

Post-event follow-up and feedback

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While you may feel confident about your event-hosting skills, the true measure of success lies in the feedback from attendees. Encourage honesty to uncover potential areas for improvement. In larger-scale events, gathering in-person reviews can be impractical. 

Instead, leverage efficient survey tools like SurveyMonkey for the automated collection of reviews and valuable insights from your guests. This proactive approach not only streamlines the feedback process but also enhances your event management strategies for future success.

Seamless technical setup

Ensuring a seamless event experience hinges on prioritising technical preparation and support. Before going live, conduct comprehensive testing of your equipment, internet connection, and software to proactively identify and address potential technical issues or user friction with your virtual event experience and software.

Having a dedicated technical team on standby is equally crucial. This ensures immediate support in case of disruptions, preventing technical difficulties from derailing your event. 

Establishing clear communication channels, coupled with robust technical support, safeguards against issues and elevates the overall attendee experience. 

Personalising the virtual experience

Personalising attendee experiences is one of the major benefits of virtual events over in-person gatherings, thanks to digital data collection.

Research reveals that almost 80% of business leaders acknowledge that consumers spend 34% more on average when presented with personalised experiences. 

Seizing the opportunity to customise the audience experience enhances engagement and generates qualified leads. 

Here are some strategies to seamlessly weave personalised journeys for attendees before, during, and after your virtual event:

• Craft personalised sign-up questions:

Instead of settling for generic information, pose questions during registration that invite more specific insights about attendees. 

For example, an online mattress retailer could ask questions about sleeping habits and pain points during registration. Using this intel, they could showcase mattress recommendations catered to the individual during virtual events, similar to how Amerisleep profiles mattresses based on sleeping needs and preferences.

This not only kicks off the personalisation journey but also provides valuable information for future interactions.

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• Break the ice with engaging activities:

Foster a sense of connection by incorporating icebreakers at the beginning of live sessions, Q&As, or breakout rooms. 

People enjoy sharing interesting tidbits and hearing fun facts about others, transforming attendees from anonymous squares on a screen to individuals with unique stories.

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• Encourage audience input throughout:

Actively involve your audience by incorporating interactive tools like live polls and Q&As during sessions. 

Extend the engagement beyond the event with social media shares and surveys, providing multiple opportunities for attendees to contribute their questions, ideas, and feedback.

Send personalized digital gifts to reward attendees

Sending personalized digital gifts to reward virtual event attendees adds a thoughtful and engaging touch to the overall experience. The act of sending customized digital gifts serves as a meaningful way to express gratitude and recognition. 

Tailoring these gifts to each attendee’s preferences or the nature of their participation acknowledges their contribution and fosters a sense of connection in the digital space. 

Whether it’s exclusive access to premium content, virtual experiences, or downloadable resources, these personalized tokens create a lasting impression, transforming virtual events into memorable and rewarding experiences for participants.

Tools for Enhancing Virtual Events

Navigating the true test of attendee engagement requires keeping your team alert and responsive throughout the event. Here are some market-prevalent virtual event tools to help you get started. 

Video conferencing platforms

Choosing the right video conferencing platform is pivotal to the success of your virtual event. Beyond the basic features, look for platforms that offer interactive elements and engagement tools. 

When choosing a video conferencing or virtual event platform, consider elements like capacity, interactivity tools, mobile compatibility and integrations.

Platforms like these Zoom alternatives offer robust capabilities for securely streaming to a global digital audience. It has gained popularity for its breakout rooms, allowing participants to have focused discussions. Additionally, its integration with Miro, a collaborative online whiteboard, enhances event brainstorming sessions.

Microsoft Teams is another robust option, seamlessly integrating with Microsoft 365 applications. Leveraging its ‘Together Mode’, which places participants in a shared background, creates a more natural and engaging atmosphere. This can significantly enhance the sense of connection among attendees.

Event management and registration tools

A smooth check-in and registration procedure is essential for a successful attendee experience. Reduce the number of redundant stages in the registration process and only gather the data that is absolutely necessary.

Give precise directions on how to get to the event and any login information that may be needed. To reduce any possible problems or confusion, think about putting automatic reminders and check-in protocols into place.

By streamlining these processes, you can produce a hassle-free experience for your attendees and set a positive tone for the rest of your event. 

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Inevent is a versatile virtual event management, allowing you to customise registration pages and manage attendee data effortlessly. Its integration with marketing tools like HubSpot ensures a cohesive approach to event promotion.

For a more enterprise-focused solution, Bizzabo stands out with its end-to-end event management capabilities.

Virtual event marketing tools

Creating a buzz around your virtual event is crucial for maximising attendance. Leverage marketing tools that go beyond traditional channels. Social media platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter are powerful tools for building anticipation. Utilise Buffer or Hootsuite to schedule posts and maintain a consistent online presence. For an even broader reach, platforms like YouTube or Vimeo offer excellent OTT channels for promoting and streaming your virtual event content to a global audience.

Email marketing remains a stalwart strategy, and email platforms like Mailchimp offer automation features to streamline communication. Segmenting your audience and sending targeted messages can significantly increase engagement. Integrating with CRM tools like Salesforce ensures a unified approach to customer relationship management.

Conclusion

Unlocking the full potential of virtual events and engagement marketing requires a strategic focus on fundamental elements. To optimise your virtual event return on investment (ROI), consider the following key principles:

• Craft a distinctive and on-brand event experience.
• Foster continuous audience engagement throughout the event journey.
• Develop content that is not only informative but also actionable.
• Facilitate networking opportunities to cultivate meaningful connections.
• Conclude the event by providing clear next steps for participants.

Remember, optimising virtual events is a continuous journey. Leverage the metrics provided by virtual event platforms to gauge performance and identify areas for enhancement at every turn.

The author Irov Vaul is a Content Marketing Specialist currently associated with 2xsas Chat. He enjoys writing about emerging customer support products, trends in the customer support industry, and their financial impacts. In his spare time, Irov likes to travel extensively to learn about new cultures and traditions.