Engagement has a major role to play when it comes to measuring the event’s success. The more engaged your attendees are, the more likely your event will be successful. Ever since the outbreak of the coronavirus global pandemic, virtual events became part of the new normal. Every live physical event has been transformed into a virtual event. Right from day-to-day meetings to trade shows, fairs, and exhibitions, all were transmitted into a virtual space with the help of advanced virtual event technology.
Transforming live physical exhibitions was the toughest challenge amongst all types of events. Exhibitors were not eager to take their exhibitions online in a virtual venue. Some were hesitant because of the newness of the event format. Whereas others were skeptical because of the involvement of the technology. But, the current scenario and benefits offered by virtual exhibitions left them with no other option rather than leveraging the same.
Virtual exhibitions offered enormous benefits to exhibitors. Right from extending the event reach to boosting brand awareness to generating ample business revenues at reduced costs and gaining a substantial ROI are some of the top benefits of virtual exhibitions.
Even though virtual exhibitions offer enormous benefits, many organisers still face the challenge of audience engagement. As attendees are attending a virtual exhibition right from their locations and are not surrounded by other attendees, engaging them with the exhibition is a must. A boring virtual exhibition makes attendees leave as soon as they tuned in to attend the event. We all know audience engagement is the key to ensure a successful virtual exhibition. Organisers can’t afford an extensive drop of attendees amid virtual exhibitions. In this blog, we have covered some proven methods to boost attendee engagement at virtual exhibitions. It’s time to get started!
8 Ways to Boost Engagements at Virtual Exhibitions
- Firstly, pick the right virtual exhibition platform
The first and foremost method to boost audience engagement at virtual exhibitions starts with your platform selection. Select a comprehensive virtual exhibition platform that offers a wide range of engagement and networking features. It will help in keeping your attendees engaged with your exhibition for longer hours thus resulting in generating more leads. Additionally, before making a final choice make sure the virtual exhibition platform offers custom solutions. A platform that allows you to brand your virtual exhibition as per the company’s branding helps in delivering real-life experiences. Gamification, photobooths, live polls, social walls, etc. are some of the features that help in engaging attendees effortlessly. Ensure that the platform you select offers such exciting features to engage attendees and allow you to set up 3D virtual booths just like physical exhibitions.
- Integrate AR/VR photo booths
Just like physical exhibitions, give your attendees a chance to get clicked at virtual exhibitions. Who does not love to get clicked? I think everyone just loves clicking pictures. Photo booths are one for sure way to increase audience engagement during any event. Integrate AR/VR photo booths during the virtual exhibitions. Allow attendees to get clicked with branded photo frames and take event memorabilia back home as a souvenir of the event. Additionally, virtual photo booths allow attendees to share their snaps instantly on social media with friends and family. Thus resulting in boosting event reach as well.
- Add games to your virtual exhibition
Gamifying your virtual exhibition helps in boosting excitement in the event while keeping your attendees entertained and engaged. Introduce games in your virtual exhibition to boost audience engagement. You can integrate games such as word finder, spin the wheel, dart game, and more in your virtual exhibitions. It not only helps in engaging attendees with the exhibition but keeps it lively too.
- Offer various options for networking
If you want to increase audience engagement at your virtual exhibition, offer them enormous opportunities to connect and network. Allow them to interact freely with booth representatives, speakers as well as other attendees in real-time just like physical exhibitions. Additionally, offer them a chance to have group discussions in the networking lounge and exchange business cards for future collaborations.
- Build event community beforehand
Make sure to create an event community long before the actual date of the virtual exhibition. The community created for the exhibition makes attendees aware of the upcoming exhibition. Additionally, discussions held in the community help in boosting excitement among attendees to be a part of the virtual exhibition and explore various aspects of it.
- Trim the length of the elongated sessions
Do not forget attendees are accessing the virtual exhibition via a screen and long sessions are not stimulating for them. They are likely to get bored and turn off their devices. Make sure to trim elongated sessions to keep attendees engaged. Additionally, you can even opt to offer short breaks during sessions to let attendees get related. Offer engagement opportunities during sessions as well such as an option to ask a question to the speaker, live polls, Q&A, and more to keep attendees hooked.
- Offer breakout rooms
During virtual exhibitions, offer breakout rooms for attendees to get relaxed and have open discussions with other attendees. You can even opt to place a social wall in your breakout room that amalgamates all the relevant event feeds across various social channels.
- Organise Live polls and quizzes
Try your hands on organising live polls and quizzes during virtual exhibitions. Live polls will not only help in boosting attendee engagement but helps organisers gain the genuine opinions of attendees as well. Additionally, organising quizzes relevant to your exhibition themes and topic help in boosting engagement. You can even opt to offer branded giveaways to attendees who answered right. It will make them feel appreciated and valued. Thus, making them stay with your event for longer hours.
Wrapping It Up
Attendee engagement has a major role to play in ensuring an event’s success be it physical, virtual, or hybrid events. Transforming physical exhibitions in the virtual world was the toughest one. But, engaging attendees with the same is even more challenging. To engage attendees with your virtual exhibitions, firstly leveraging a comprehensive virtual exhibition platform with a wide range of most exciting features is a must. From there, you can start thinking about innovative ideas to boost engagements at virtual exhibitions. We have listed some of the proven methods to increase your audience engagement at virtual exhibitions. If you have not yet tried your hands on it, give it a shot!
