In recent months, the organization of in-person corporate events has come to an abrupt halt due to the health emergency, which has imposed strict social distancing measures.
Many companies have adapted accordingly, shifting the planning of their events to the web: courses, conferences, seminars, roundtable discussions, and product presentations. Digital technologies allow the planning of any type of online event, from webinars for a select few to conferences with thousands of participants worldwide.
The first factor to consider in organizing streaming corporate events is that people at home tend to have a lower attention span. This is due to the fact that the PC screen acts as a filter, eliminating much of the emotional engagement usually generated by a live event, and the presence of distracting elements in our homes (phone, TV, doorbell, children, pets, etc.).
Therefore, it is important to follow some precautions in planning and incorporate moments designed to engage and excite the audience.
As mentioned, webinars and streaming events, especially those that last for many hours, can eventually bore participants sitting in front of the PC. Here are some tips to keep their attention high:
Minimize downtime or fill it with collateral content. For example, you can feature an artist capable of creating real-time illustrations on the main topics discussed and engage with them during breaks between presentations. The drawings provide informative and entertaining material that participants are likely to spontaneously share on their social channels, amplifying the event’s visibility and brand.
Organize online games or quizzes. Gamification is an excellent tool to increase audience engagement and stimulate interaction. However, every playful initiative, to be effective and meaningful, must be aligned with the event’s objectives or connected to the themes addressed by various speakers.
Include moments of entertainment. If the webinar or conference lasts for many hours, you can schedule brief performances of music, theater, or dance.
Digital technologies allow the creation of interactive virtual environments that simulate real physical spaces. For instance, you can create an initial screen that reproduces a conference room and offer the audience the opportunity to interact with various graphical elements.
Through our Virtual Interactive Congress platform dedicated to organizing online corporate events, users can access real virtual exhibition spaces from which they can view and download informational material about sponsors or various participants.
The platform also allows all users to connect via audio-video and actively participate in the webinar or event with questions or comments, becoming visible to the rest of the participants as if they were in the audience.
If today one of the major sources of distraction is the phone, why not leverage participants’ “cell phone addiction” for the success of the initiative? By encouraging the sharing of posts on social channels with prizes for the most original and interesting content, you will exponentially increase the visibility of the event and the company that organized it.
Need technical support for organizing an in-person or streaming corporate event or a webinar? Contact us for more information.
