16 Tips To Make Your Next Virtual Event Effective And Engaging

A virtual event can be a unique way to market your product or service—that is, if you can convince people to attend. During the pandemic, virtual events were a popular way to connect and regain a sense of normalcy in an uncertain time. Now, virtual events still have their place as a lower-cost way to reach larger numbers of viewers in a way an in-person event simply can’t. But with so many options available, convincing people to attend can be trickier than it once was.

To ensure your next virtual event is enticing, effective and engaging, consider the following advice from the members of Forbes Communications Council. Here, they delve into 16 specific tips for creating a must-attend virtual event.

1. Keep It Specific And Concise

Keep it simple and short—or rather, specific and concise. Virtual event options are aplenty for people today. If an event has an intimate feel with a focused subject matter, you have a better chance of keeping viewers on the line and engaged. Give them something they can’t get by Googling, keep it specific and concise (everyone is busy) and follow up with them. – Nina Mehta, MIT Technology Review

2. Include Diverse Experts And Engaging Discussions

A unique and effective way to run a virtual event is to host diverse, expert-led sessions that cover a range of perspectives on relevant topics. Incorporate fireside chats for intimate, engaging discussions and use real-time polling to interact with attendees and gauge their opinions. This mix of elements keeps the event dynamic and inclusive. – Maya Barkay, EverC

3. Ensure The Event Is Accessible For All

Choose video conferencing and event platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams that are accessible to attendees with disabilities and work well with assistive technologies (e.g., screen readers for those with vision disabilities). Provide accessible communications as well, like CART human-generated captions for accuracy (rather than AI- or software-generated captions). Like curb cuts, captions help people beyond just those with hearing disabilities. – Toby Wong, Toby Wong Consulting

4. Partner With An Outside Party

Bring a buddy. Co-present the event with a publisher, analyst, customer, partner, expert, influencer—anyone external to your business. An outside party brings extra credibility to the event. Plus they will pitch in on content creation, bring their audience and co-promote since they will be equally invested in the success of your event. – Kerry McDonough, Zip Co

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5. Take Advantage Of The Digital Format

Instead of replicating an in-person event, leverage the digital format to provide exclusive content or interactive elements that wouldn’t be possible offline. For example, consider offering virtual tours of your facilities or live Q&A sessions with industry experts. By providing something truly special, you’ll make your event memorable and shareable, driving brand awareness and engagement. – Antony Robinson, Novalnet AG

6. Invite Client Panelists To Speak On A Relevant Topic

Choose a relevant topic that addresses a common struggle for organizations and invite client panelists to speak. Start with a brief intro about your product and why the topic matters, then dive into the discussion. This format engages attendees with valuable insights while subtly promoting your brand. – Emily Burroughs, BGSF

7. Create A Compelling Teaser

Plan ahead to give yourself ample time to promote and brand your event. One idea may be to create a compelling teaser well in advance of the actual meeting to gauge interest level in the content and adjust if necessary to optimize attendance. – Katherine Paulson, Haven Tower Group

8. Incorporate Interactive Polling

Use interactive polling to keep attendees engaged with the content. You could even modify the content of your presentation using polling results to provide the most relevant virtual event possible. – Jennifer Best, AAE Speakers Bureau

9. Bring On A Must-See Featured Guest

The hardest part about hosting a virtual event is getting great attendance. Having a featured guest in your event lineup, one who is an influencer with a large online community of people who make up your target audience, and who also promotes your event to that online community, is a great way to attract a large number of the right kind of attendees to your virtual event. – Kerry-Ann Betton Stimpson, JMMB Group

10. Practice Ahead Of Time To Ensure Efficiency

Practice the “show flow” of the event beforehand so everything runs smoothly and efficiently. Know how you’ll, for instance, introduce speakers or allow for chat. Create specific backgrounds to “brand” the experience. Everything should be just as interesting and engaging as an in-person event—and should be organized and hosted with the same level of professionalism and care. – Melissa Kandel, little word studio

11. Send Out Fun Packages To Generate Excitement

We’ve shared physical pre-event packages to get virtual attendees prepared and excited for virtual events. These have included a card with the agenda to keep them on track, items to wear during the event and notes from the sponsor. – Roshni Wijayasinha, Prosh Marketing

12. Break The Event Into Micro-Sessions

A key difference between physical and virtual events is that physical events have a captive audience. A virtual event competes with distractions like cellphones, Teams and other work that’s a glance away. To make virtual events as effective and engaging as possible, consider programming consisting of multiple 15-minute micro-sessions that are more likely to retain attention for their duration. – Rekha Thomas, Path Forward Marketing LLC

13. Help Solve Your Audience’s Pain Points

To ensure your virtual event is engaging and effective, begin by focusing on the pain points that brought your audience to the event. Start by discussing these issues, and then shift to demonstrating how your product or service addresses them. This method keeps the audience engaged throughout and enhances the likelihood that they will be interested in making a purchase. – Lauren Parr, RepuGen

14. Offer Live And Recorded Sessions

Virtual events are becoming more prevalent. It’s important to ensure you have live and recorded sessions that enable attendees to “choose their own adventure.” Making them customizable ensures attendees get the information they’re looking for. – Joe Ariganello, MixMode

15. Invite Influencers To Amplify The Event

Engage influencers to both participate in and amplify the event. This is the easiest and, as we have seen with our clients, the most successful way to see an increase in views and decrease in bounce rate of watchers, as we ensure that the influencers we engage have audiences who would genuinely be interested in our virtual event topic and content. – Dixie Roberts, DKC/HangarFour

16. Find That Novelty Factor That Will Entice Attendees

On my team, we call it “pitch theater”: Offer a novelty factor or a hook that entices your audience to attend, engage and stick around. For example, my team hosted a virtual event in a metaverse art gallery and mailed attendees a loaner Oculus to participate. Pieces of virtual art were personalized for each registrant, adding a level of surprise and delight to the immersive experience. – Stephanie Bunnell, Aki Technologies