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You’ve planned an event, created a hashtag for it, and invited all of your guests on social media. But then the dreaded question arises: what do you do now? You’re sitting there with your fingers crossed hoping that everyone is having a great time at your event while you’re stuck in reality. Well worry not! This blog post gives 10 ways to keep people engaged throughout the duration of your online event. 

Make it interactive – add a poll or quiz

This will get people interacting with one another during the event instead of just watching. You can also use bingo cards if you’re hosting an event with several speakers to keep people engaged.

Ideas for polls could be questions regarding demographics, favorite social platform , or even if they prefer apples over oranges . Quizzes are great at the beginning of the event because it not only allows for people to interact but also gives you a chance to learn more about your audience .

It may seem silly, but adding small nuggets of information like their age range or what kind of phone they have can help you better plan your future events. You never know what information you’ll stumble upon and it could give you the brainwave to make a huge difference in your marketing strategy .

Ideas for bingo cards include questions like: “What’s your favorite color?”, “How many social media accounts do you follow on average per day?”, and “Which speaker will be next?” 

Livestream or record your event

This goes without saying that livestreaming is one of the best ways to keep people engaged during an event. If they’re unable to attend your live event, recording it plus uploading it afterwards guarantees their views which means more engagement with the brand! This way people who may not be able to attend can watch it on their own time.

Media coverage

The more media coverage that you can get, the better! If someone who is attending organizes a blog post regarding their experience at your event then they are essentially spreading awareness for the brand.

It could even be something as small as one paragraph in a group chat with friends saying how much fun they had at the event and how everyone should be there next time it comes around.

Make your event speakers and organizers more accessible to the audience

This gives your audience the opportunity to interact with them and ask questions. It’s a great way for you to determine if they’re doing their job effectively because the audience has direct access to them. If you allow them to answer questions, then use that as a judge of how well they can communicate.

If you want an even better outcome, turn it into a Q&A session

Some people may need more time than others and this would help present one-on-one engagement with the speaker (and marketing team). Not only does this encourage dialogue between other participants but also allows opportunities for networking !

Asking about one of their greatest accomplishments or what advice they have for other participants are just two ways you could kickstart potential business deals.

Being able to get direct access to the speaker will allow you to get up close and personal with them. Keep in mind that some people may be shy or intimidated by larger crowds, so this gives them a more comfortable environment to converse and become more familiar with others.

It will also give your event speakers (and marketers) an insight on any of their speaking points that did not make sense or were difficult to comprehend which you can use for future events!

Offer Giveaways Or Prizes For The Best Responses To Questions
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Giveaways are an effective way of promoting your brand in a positive manner which is why they are considered to be one of the most  effective marketing strategies .

This also provides you with the opportunity to find out what people really care about when they see your posts or ads, but don’t take necessary action. You can ask questions prior to giveaways so that way they have something to think about before entering! It’s yet another great way for marketers and event planners alike to gather information on their audiences.

Not only does this allow them to express their opinions , but it will build trust among others who may not know about your business/branding efforts. This is great for gaining new followers or that otherwise wouldn’t have known about your event or business.

Follow up on comments with personalized messages

Here is another great way of showing your audience that they are appreciated. If someone makes a comment, then you can follow up with them directly to ask how their experience was like at the event. It’s also an effective way for marketers to see what went wrong or what could be improved for future events.

When you do this, make sure to take things one step further by asking if there is anything else you could help them with which may not have been covered in the initial conversation . This will show your attendees (and potential clientele) how helpful and accessible your brand is!

Add a live chat feature to your website

These days it’s hard to find a website/app that doesn’t have the ability to communicate with others. The more opportunities someone has for engagement , the more familiar they will feel with your brand! Live chatting allows people to get in touch with you 24/7 without having to call or email which would take way more time than they’d want it to.

This also gives you an opportunity to gather information  from their own opinions on what they’ve read, seen, heard, etc. If you’re running out of ideas then just pick their brain ! You’ll be surprised by how much everyone is willing to share.

Make it mobile friendly

If you give people the option to attend via their mobile devices , then they’ll be able to connect with one another without missing anything . It also allows people to stay updated on the latest information regarding your event or business which increases brand loyalty.

The best part about having mobile friendly websites/apps is that it allows people (and businesses) to get information about your event/products/services wherever they are which ultimately makes people more willing to take action .

So, what’s the verdict? Is it worth all that effort to put on an event for your company or group? Yes! The point is not just getting people to show up. It’s about how much they enjoy themselves and feel connected afterwards. That feeling of connection will lead them back to you again in the future. We hope that this article has given you some ideas for how to increase engagement for your online event.