The Power of Human Connection: How to Create Connections at Virtual Events
Virtual events continue to be a staple of an organization’s event portfolio, and they have the potential to create a sense of community and connection similar to in-person events.
Virtual event technology features and capabilities continue to grow, but it’s fair to acknowledge that virtual events are generally better suited for delivering education and training rather than networking. However, if virtual is the right match for your event, whether financially or logistically, it doesn’t take opportunities for connection off the table. There are still ways to allow for connections between attendees, but you won’t rely on the digital platform alone. With the right strategies in place, your virtual event attendees can still experience The Power of Human Connection.
In Case You Missed It: The Power of Human Connection: In-person Event Trends
Four Ways to Connect Attendees at Virtual Events
Team Building Through Gamification
Gamification is a popular inclusion for both in-person and virtual events. While often used for friendly competition between attendees, it can be an excellent match for events that include team building as part of the strategy. Many in-person teambuilding activities available can also be done virtually, such as trivia, scavenger hunts, and escape rooms. Prizes for the winning team or teams increase motivation, but the goal of team gamification is not just for attendees to engage with the event but, more importantly, to engage with each other.
No matter what team-building activity you choose, an effective way to ensure all attendees are involved and interacting is to reduce the size of the teams and move each team into a breakout session. Assign around five attendees to a team and provide a targeted activity. Groups of more than five may become challenging for introverted attendees, and they may not participate as actively, but you can also designate breakout leaders to ensure you are getting participation from all. After a set amount of time, bring all teams back together to compare results and give feedback on the activity.
There are different ways to choose teams based on your networking goals. Randomization leads to the greatest variety, but you can also strategically assign attendees. For example, if your goal is for attendees to connect with as many people as possible, ensure no one on a team is from the same organization. If your goal is to strengthen relationships, create teams based on interests, role alignment, or other information collected during registration.
Content-driven Virtual Connections
Your content design can drive connection opportunities and make the difference between attendees passively viewing content versus actively interacting with other participants. Consider building session types into your agenda that are structured around interaction on specific topics.
Combining concurrent sessions on different topics with conversation-facilitating content such as icebreakers and question prompts provides attendees the opportunity to “choose their own adventure” and pick the area that interests them the most. Breaking into like-minded cohorts focuses the conversation and increases participation. Attendees actively engaging with each other during a shared online experience reflects the community feeling from in-person events.
Some attendees may initially be hesitant to participate, so be sure to communicate the value and purpose of this session type. Share session options in advance and set expectations around the content with detailed descriptions. This gives attendees time to decide what’s most interesting to them and ensures they come with an understanding of the interactive nature of the session.
Sponsor and Exhibitor Connections
If your virtual event includes sponsors and exhibitors, you may be wondering how to provide ROI for them. Many digital platforms include virtual exhibitor booths allowing attendees to schedule virtual one-on-one appointments, but there can be low adoption, especially if time for this interaction is not accommodated by the agenda. Encourage exhibitors to offer something of value rather than just a chance to connect. They can provide a free guide on current trends to attendees who message them, for example, or a checklist of best practices. The content should be interesting, relevant, and shared with the goal of making a connection, not making a sale.
Even more effective is the ability to discuss relevant content. Like with virtual team building, breakout rooms are helpful for this. In your program agenda, plan time for small group discussions with a sponsor moderating each room. Assign attendees to specific breakout rooms to ensure each room has an equivalent number of attendees. Take it a step further by not randomizing these assignments but strategically matching attendees with a sponsor that best meets their professional or organizational needs. Harness automated matchmaking tools and registration data to more easily match attendees to sponsor experiences to foster meaningful engagement.
Activity Streams and Chats
Activity streams within a digital platform and chats for each session are a standard feature of virtual events, so ensure they are being used to their full advantage. Instead of relying on attendees to talk to and connect with each other, assign someone to moderate each chat. Their goal isn’t just to facilitate comments but to facilitate conversations and connections.
Often during virtual events, attendee comments are directed to the presenter rather than other attendees. Strategize with your facilitators in advance to identify questions and prompts that will interest attendees and spur participation. Facilitators should reinforce the conversational aspect of the chat by responding to comments and, if appropriate, asking additional relevant questions to keep the chat going.
Elevate Your Next Virtual Event
With these strategies in mind, attendee connections and interaction at virtual events are possible if you plan for it. Technology features are not the whole solution; put in the work by reducing group sizes, targeting your content, and facilitating conversations, and you’ll create a virtual event that inspires community and connection.
If you’re not sure where to begin, M&IW is here to help. We leverage our extensive experience and best-in-class technology partner ecosystem for innovative, seamless events, both in-person and virtual. Contact us to discover the best practices for your programs and elevate your current and future events. Already an M&IW customer? Contact your Customer Success Manager.
To stay up to date on the latest trends and industry insights, join our mailing list or follow us on LinkedIn. Interested in joining the M&IW team? View our open positions.
Contributors
Kimberly Stone
Vice President, Event Technology
Meetings & Incentives Worldwide, Inc.
Chip Begley
Director, Event Technology
Meetings & Incentives Worldwide, Inc.