Online events have become an integral part of today’s world. Attending a webinar, conference, or knowledge session from the kitchen table or the couch has almost become the norm. However, the biggest question for organizers of online events still remains: how do I ensure that my participants connect with each other? This particular aspect of an event can sometimes be challenging to replicate online. We would like to share a few tips with you.
Chatrooms and/or round tables.
When organizing an online event or conference, activate the live chat feature: practically all event platforms include this functionality (if not, it’s not a good platform). In a chat room or at a round table, participants can engage in one-on-one conversations or group discussions. This works like a discussion forum. You can also stimulate conversations in the chat rooms by employing discussion leaders or moderators
Plan meetings
One of the reasons to attend a conference or event is, of course, to gain knowledge, but networking and making interesting connections are often just as important for participants. Therefore, it is beneficial to facilitate these encounters through a clear agenda or program that allows participants to schedule their meetings.
Virtual lobby
In a virtual lobby, you can facilitate participants in connecting with each other between sessions. You can also provide them with the opportunity to view the details and references of the speakers before they enter the live session. Make the process of networking as simple as possible. Additionally, display where you, as the organizer, can be found on social media in the virtual lobby, so that participants can easily follow you and share their experience of your online event.
Gamification
By using interactive polls, games, quizzes, or other playful elements, you not only increase participant engagement but also provide them with something to discuss among themselves. And if you create a leaderboard, you introduce a bit of competition as well. You can bet this will become a topic of conversation in the virtual lobby or chat rooms!
Matchmaking
Make the participant list public on the platform during the event and provide convenient filters so that people can easily find each other based on shared interests or fields of expertise. You can request this data during registration for access, or send out a survey prior to the event
