Virtual events offer a great opportunity to reach an international audience, but getting people to attend such events is not a cakewalk. You spend months planning an event, and your great speakers are all set. So, how do you get those “I may attend” people to join with certainty as “I am definitely joining”?
Let’s quickly explore some strategic solutions.
Why Virtual Event Attendance Is Dropping?
Before discussing the solutions, it is crucial to understand why attendance might be falling. Several common reasons include making virtual events less appealing.
Audience fatigue:
After two years of intense video conferencing, many people are at their wit’s end of virtual events. Sitting in front of a screen for hours just isn’t as exciting as it once used to be.
Access to On-Demand Content:
With events offering VOD, so many people feel less obligated to attend a live event. They know they can watch it later, so why tune in live, right?
Now that we have explored the “why,” let’s jump to the actionable tips to improve your attendance.
- Know your audience:
Once you are aware of what drives them, only then can you write out your messaging content.
How to do so effectively:
- Conduct pre-event surveys to gather insights.
- Social media polls to know what they want.
- Analyse past event data for the trend in their engagement.
All this, in turn, helps you design an event that’s impossible for them to ignore.
- Set Clear Measurable KPI
It’s not about filling virtual seats. It’s about wanting people to engage with your content, connect with others, and leave with real value. In order to set clear KPIs outside of attendance, make sure to set them before you even begin promoting the event. Consider one of these for the situation:
- Levels of Engagement: Track how long people stay and how they engage (Q&As, polls, etc.).
- Lead Generation: How many new business opportunities or contacts?
- Content Downloads: Are attendees downloading your handouts, slides, or cheat sheets?
These will give you a better overall view of your event’s success and help you plan for future events.
- Use The Appropriate Technology:
Don’t scare off your guests with janky tech. The simpler your platform, the more likely people will attend and stick with it.
Best practices include:
- Avoid platforms that would cause users to download something or sign up for an eternity.
- The platform must be able to network, poll, and host Q&A.
- Stability is the first priority; technical issues can quickly become the perfect way to lose attendees.
If you work with us, you can bet the tech side will be covered. Our AV production services ensure the event runs smoothly with top-grade audio, visual, and effortless streaming.
- Promote Early & Consistently:
Promotion is how you create interest and secure sign-ups. This is not an event of creating buzz just once. Instead, you need a gradual, steady build up of interest for your event.
Proven tactics:
- Email Marketing: Send customised invitations and subsequent reminder emails around the time of the dates.
- Social Media: Place targeted ads, post interesting things, and create a countdown to the event.
- Use speakers as influencers: Ask your keynote speakers and sponsors to promote the event with their circle.
The sooner and more consistently you promote, the better chance that people will make space in their schedules for your event.
Make Registration Easy
You’ve worked hard to get them interested; don’t let a problematic registration process keep them from signing up. It’s quick and easy.
Some tips:
- Only ask for essential information.
- Use a clear call to action with a simple form.
- Several sign-up options: email logins, social media logins, etc.
A painless sign-up process improves the possibility that interested viewers will convert into actual registrants.
Incentives to Attend Live
Because of VOD, it’s no longer essential to watch live. You must give them a reason to come to live. One of the best incentives is actually incentive-based ones.
Here are some ideas
- Offer exclusive content for live attendees-only downloadable guides or resources.
- Have a raffle or giveaway during the event.
- Distribute a certificate of completion to those attending a training or learning session.
Through these little extras, you make going to live much more enticing.
Engage Your Audience Throughout the Event
Remember, it’s not just about getting people to come but also wanting them to stay and engage. Make your event interactive and enjoyable through networking opportunities, live polls, and breakout rooms.
Some ideas to enhance engagement:
- Give breakout rooms for smaller group discussions.
- Use live polls to collect real-time feedback and opinions.
- Host a live Q&A with your speakers and keep the audience engaged.
The more entertaining your event is, the more likely your audience will sit through until the end, and, better yet, they’ll be asking to come back next time.
Follow Up with Your Attendees
Your job does not end when the event does. You will need to follow up on post-event relationships and it’s also the best time to get that valuable feedback for the next time.
Here is how:
- Send them a thank you email with any additional links to recordings from the event or other resources.
- Gather feedback through surveys as to what worked and what didn’t.
- Follow up on leads that were generated while attending the event to keep on the momentum wheel.
- PostExecute engagement keeps the conversation alive, and your attendees will remember your event for all the right reasons.
Conclusion:
It is not just about marketing to increase attendees at virtual events. It has to do with creating a fluid experience from the moment you first hear about your event through the process itself until after it is over. Keep things valuable, easy, and interactive, and you will see high attendance and engagement.
And to make it perfect, if you need your virtual event to go to the next level, consider hiring professional speakers who will surely captivate your audience’s hearts. Our service will amaze your attendees with professional event production, whether at corporate gatherings or tech conventions.
Our services include:
- AV Production & Audio Hire: Over 31,000 audio-visual equipment.
- LED Video Wall Hire: There is nothing you can do to defy how spectacular video walls can be.
- Event Production: All your AV needs, ensuring that your event goes off without a hitch.
- Live Streaming of Events: A fusion of real-time and virtual elements to help you take your message to the world at large.
- Content Creation: Engaging and high-quality content to always keep the attention of the viewers glued to the screens.
Ready to host the best event ever? Contact us today to get a tailored solution that fits just right for your needs.
