45 Ways to Engage Guests During A Virtual Event

1. ACCESSIBILITY – Make events as accessible as possible to make attendees feel valued and included, creating a positive experience and leading to higher engagement.
2. ASK – Tell them you can see them and want them to engage. Tell them how to raise their hands and ask questions.
3. BIO BREAKS – Considering wellness opportunities when planning the next event will increase attendee satisfaction and overall wellbeing.
4. BONUS/GIVEAWAYS — Always have something to give away
5. BOOTHS — make space for your sponsors to connect with people
6. BREAKOUT SESSIONS – Use breakout sessions for small groups of attendees to discuss specific event topics.
7. CHAT — Prepare. Break the ice. Ask smart questions.
8. EMOJIS – Tell attendees that you want their feedback and how to give it
9. ENTERTAINMENT – Draw audiences in by featuring an entertainment act
10. EVENT EXPERTS – Work with an event production partner to enhance the production quality
11. EXCLUSIVE CONTENT – Share exclusive content during keynotes or presentations 
12. EXCLUSIVITY – Use exclusivity to encourage guests to interact and network at special events
13. FOOD — Make it easy for those who are hungry to order it in
14. FUN GAMES, ACTIVITIES & SCAVENGER HUNTS
15. GAMIFICATION – Games make engaging and connecting more fun and valuable
16. HASHTAGS – Ensure everyone knows the event hashtag and have it visible
17. HYBRID PLAY – Develop different content for virtual attendees at a hybrid event
18. LIVE-STREAMING to social media
19. MEASURE ENGAGEMENT & OTHER KEY METRICS — During the event
20. MERCHANDISE – Consider making available merchandise
21. MUSIC — The right song can make people bop in their seats.
22. NETWORKING — Leverage best practices for fostering meaningful connections.
23. PAIR PEOPLE UP – Encourage action and accountability
24. PHOTO BOOTH — A virtual photo booth or feature offers a simple yet engaging way to capture your audience’s attention, infuse fun into your event, generate shareable social media content, and gather photos for your event video.
25. PITCH THE NEXT EVENT – Encourage guests to buy a ticket for the next event while they have a smile on their face
26. POLLS – Ask attendees for feedback, such as surveys throughout the event
27. PRIZE WHEELS – everyone wants to see their name and/or logo on the wheel – especially sponsors.
28. Q&A – Let attendees in on the action with live Q&A Post questions in Q&A that people SHOULD ask. Ask them to rank them.
29. RAPID-FIRE LEARNING – Keep event engagement high with rapid-fire learning to quicken the pace of the sessions
30. REMINDERS / PUSH NOTIFICATIONS – Keep event engagement top of mind with push notifications and daily reminders
31. REVIEW — Ask guests to leave a review when they log out for (incentify)
32. REWARD – Reward those who engage by mentioning their name
33. SAY PEOPLE’S NAMES – makes people feel special
34. SHARE THE STAGE — invite people on stage
35. SHARE YOUR SCREEN — Give people something to talk about
36. SOCIAL MEDIA BUZZ — Post that the event is beginning and provide an agenda and comfort for those who will be late.
37. SURVEYS – How are we doing so far?
38. TABLES — Name tables to stimulate conversation
39. THANKS – Thank people for coming; acknowledge sponsors, exhibitors, dignitaries, and other event team members.
40. TECH SUPPORT – Provide on-site support and assistance to assist attendees with any questions or concerns
41. TIMERS — Keeps meeting flowing as planned
42. USSIES – Take your ‘ussy’ and tell folks you’re posting it on social and encourage them. If someone indicated on registration that they had a problem with this, remind them to turn off their cameras.
43. VARY SESSION FORMATS – Break up presentations and vary session formats to keep a lively engagement between both audiences
44. VIDEOS & GIFFIES — because if a picture says 1000 words, how many does a video?
45. WHITEBOARDS — Tap into the visual. Paint a picture