In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic wracked the humankind, businesses struggled to survive, leading to one of the largest employment depressions around the globe in the last few decades. While professionals lost their jobs and struggled with mental stress, businesses leveraged technology for more connected conversations with peers.
Virtual events have been a life saviour for most of the people, both on a professional and personal level. While personally virtual events helped families stay together, virtual events proved to be a boon for the businesses.
And virtual events feel just like all the in-person fancy events.
In-person events were fun, giving enough space to participants to network and meet new people, but they were costly, too. But, on the other hand, virtual events barely impose any charges and provide the same advantages as in-person events.
But do you think networking is an issue during virtual events?
Then we have the absolute tips for you to enable participants to create their own space to network better and engage more, to make virtual events feel like in-persona events.
Be wary of your virtual platform
Since the pandemic, there has been a surge in the development of virtual events platforms, but not all of them are equipped with features that you may need.
Virtual events platforms are the enablers of your exciting events and networking opportunities. So if you are dealing with a platform that restricts participant’s’ networking options, then you must ponder over.
Virtual events platform like Goldcast provides you with multiple features like setting up of one-on-one virtual meetings, video calls, and appointments. The platform lets you use the registration details of the participants to set up chat rooms and breakout sessions.
Leverage social media
Enabling networking opportunities during the event is not enough, providing the same space over social media is important, too. People are more active on social media platforms during the pandemic, and providing them with a space to talk about their interest is a great way to create a brand image.
Use hashtags, encourage online interactions, create event groups, collaborate, and network with registrants. Leverage community building around the events and include your registrants to increase traction and interaction.
Leverage other communication tools
Communication regularly with your attendees is important. While you are leveraging social media, it is also great to have a presence through other communication tools like emails. Send them constant updates about upcoming events, webinars, or giveaways.
Integrate your email marketing efforts with social media and create an exciting outreach campaign that excites your readers.
Organize ‘meetup’ sessions
Meetup or just-for-fun sessions are events conducted to keep the community together, and an opportunity to give them a space to have fun and interact. Instead of making your attendees rigorously listen to events, conduct fun sessions to enable small talks.
Conduct some exercise sessions, or brain quizzes, or puzzles that will excite the registrants to participate and gradually know their fellow peers. If you ever run out of ideas, conducting contests and award functions are always your breakthroughs!
Use gamification
As you conduct sessions for the attendees to have casual talks, you can leverage these sessions using gamification.
Gamification can be simple random games, or these games can be inclined towards the industry and its knowledge. Suppose you conduct a brain quiz. Instead of randomly asking questions about movies, the quiz can be about questions from industry-related trends.
With gamification, you can help members catch up to the industry trends and keep themselves updated. While it is a fun way of spreading knowledge, make sure you don’t overdo it!
Takeaways
Hosting a successful virtual event needs to provide better networking opportunities. As people are stuck with a rising number of COVID cases outside, networking gives them a space to talk to people, know about things, discuss industry trends, and attend events to keep themselves healthy.
The more you enable the attendees to interact, the more you can get your brand image to a wider audience.
