Category Archives: Online Events

Connecting Social Media with Community Platforms: Insights for Live Event Coordinators

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You’ve probably noticed how social media can light up an event. But what if you could take that buzz and amplify it even more?

Imagine blending your social media channels with community-building tools to create a seamless, interactive experience for your audience. Keep reading to get our best insights and live event tips on integrating community and social media.

What is Connecting Social Media with Community Platforms?

It’s all about merging your social media channels with community-building tools to create a cohesive, interactive experience for your audience.

Many event coordinators face the challenge of keeping attendees engaged and connected throughout an event. The integration of social media and community platforms can be a game-changer, providing real-time interaction and deeper engagement.

Benefits of Connecting Social Media with Community Platforms for Live Events

Increases Audience Engagement

This is the ultimate guide to audience engagement, where connecting social media with community platforms boosts audience engagement. This is by creating a more interactive and immersive experience. Attendees can easily share their thoughts, photos, and videos, making them active participants rather than passive observers. This interaction keeps the energy high and encourages more people to join the conversation. The more engaged your audience is, the more likely they are to stay connected throughout the event. For more insights, check out our 

Facilitates Real-Time Interaction

Real-time interaction is a game-changer for live events. Integrating social media with community platforms allows attendees to interact with each other and with event organizers instantly. Live chats, comment sections, and instant polls enable immediate feedback and discussion. This real-time interaction creates a dynamic environment where everyone feels involved and heard, enhancing the overall event experience.

Amplifies Event Reach

Social media’s viral nature can significantly amplify your event’s reach. When attendees share their experiences on their social networks, they introduce your event to a broader audience. This organic promotion can attract new participants who might not have been aware of the event otherwise. The integration ensures that every share, like, and comment contributes to expanding your event’s visibility and impact.

Generates Valuable Insights

Connecting social media with community platforms provides a wealth of data that can be analyzed to gain valuable insights. You can track engagement metrics, understand audience preferences, and identify trends in real-time. This information helps you make informed decisions during the event and plan better for future events. Understanding what resonates with your audience allows you to tailor content and interactions to meet their needs more effectively.

How Does Connecting Social Media with Community Platforms Work?

Event coordinators often worry about the technical aspects of integrating social media with community platforms. Here’s how it works seamlessly.

Integration of social media feeds

Integrating social media feeds into your community platform brings all your event-related content into one place. This means pulling in posts, tweets, photos, and videos from platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The integration ensures that your audience sees a continuous stream of updates, creating a dynamic and engaging environment. You can display these feeds on your event’s main page, making it easy for attendees to stay updated and participate in the conversation. 

Real-time content sharing

Real-time content sharing is a key aspect of connecting social media with community platforms. It leverages real-time audience data for effective content sharing and allows you to share updates, announcements, and multimedia content instantly with your audience. Whether it’s a live video, a breaking news update, or a photo from the event floor, real-time sharing keeps your audience engaged and informed. This immediacy helps maintain the event’s momentum and encourages attendees to stay connected and participate actively. 

Interactive features

Interactive features enhance the engagement level of your event. These can include live polls, Q&A sessions, and chat rooms where attendees can discuss topics in real time. Interactive features like live chat make the event more participatory and less of a one-way broadcast. They provide opportunities for attendees to voice their opinions, ask questions, and interact with each other and the event organizers. This level of interaction makes the event more memorable and enjoyable for everyone involved. 

Analytics and reporting

Analytics and reporting tools are vital for understanding the impact of your event. They provide insights into audience behavior, engagement levels, and content performance. You can track metrics such as the number of posts, likes, shares, and comments to gauge how well your event is resonating with the audience. Detailed reports help you identify what worked well and what didn’t, allowing you to make data-driven decisions for future events. This continuous feedback loop ensures that each event is better than the last, based on real-world data and insights.

What are the Key Features of Effective Social Media and Community Platform Integration?

Worried about making sure all aspects of your event are in sync? Here’s what you need to know.

Seamless Content Synchronization

Seamless content synchronization ensures that all your social media updates and community interactions are in sync. This means that when you post something on your social media channels, it automatically appears on your community platform. This feature keeps your audience informed and engaged without the need for manual updates. It also ensures that your event’s messaging remains consistent across all platforms. Synchronization helps in maintaining a unified experience for your audience, making it easier for them to follow along and participate.

Interactive Engagement Tools

Interactive engagement tools are vital for keeping your audience involved. These tools include live polls, Q&A sessions, and chat functionalities. Live polls allow you to gauge audience opinions in real time, making them feel heard and valued. Q&A sessions provide a platform for attendees to ask questions and get immediate responses, fostering a sense of community and interaction. Chat functionalities enable attendees to communicate with each other and with event organizers, creating a lively and engaging environment. These tools transform passive viewers into active participants, enhancing the overall event experience.

Customizable Branding

Customizable branding allows you to tailor the look and feel of your community platform to match your event’s branding. This feature includes options to customize colors, logos, and layouts. Consistent branding helps in creating a cohesive and professional appearance, reinforcing your brand identity. It also makes your community platform more visually appealing and recognizable to your audience. Customizable branding ensures that your platform stands out and aligns with your overall event theme, making it more attractive and engaging for attendees.

Advanced Moderation Controls

Advanced moderation controls are necessary for maintaining a safe and respectful environment. These controls include features like profanity filters, user blocking, and content approval. Profanity filters automatically detect and remove inappropriate language, ensuring that conversations remain respectful. User blocking allows moderators to remove disruptive participants, maintaining a positive atmosphere. Content approval features enable moderators to review and approve posts before they go live, preventing the spread of misinformation or inappropriate content. Advanced moderation controls help in creating a welcoming and secure space for all attendees. 

Comprehensive Analytics

Comprehensive analytics provide valuable insights into audience behavior and engagement. These analytics track metrics such as post interactions, user activity, and engagement rates. Detailed reports help you understand what content resonates with your audience and how they interact with your platform. This information is crucial for making data-driven decisions and improving future events. Analytics also help in identifying trends and patterns, allowing you to tailor your content and engagement strategies accordingly. Comprehensive analytics ensure that you have a clear understanding of your audience’s preferences and behaviors, helping you create more effective and engaging events.

Live Event Tips: How to Successfully Connect Social Media with Community Platforms

Event coordinators often wonder how best to implement these integrations smoothly. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help.

Choose the Right Platforms

Selecting the right platforms is the first step in connecting social media with community platforms. Evaluate your audience demographics and preferences. Determine which social media channels they use most frequently. Consider platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn for their broad reach and engagement features. For community platforms, look for options that offer robust integration capabilities with your chosen social media channels. Ensure that the platforms you select can handle the scale and type of engagement you anticipate for your event.

Develop a Content Strategy

A well-thought-out content strategy is vital for keeping your audience engaged. Start by outlining the key messages and themes you want to convey during the event. Plan a mix of content types, including text updates, images, videos, and live streams. Schedule posts to ensure a steady flow of content before, during, and after the event. Use your event hashtag consistently to make it easy for attendees to follow along and participate. Tailor your content to fit the unique features and audience of each platform, ensuring relevance and engagement.

Engage with Your Audience

Engagement is the cornerstone of a successful integration. Actively interact with your audience by responding to comments, answering questions, and acknowledging their contributions. Create opportunities for real-time interaction, such as live chats and comment sections. Encourage attendees to share their experiences and insights using your event hashtag. Highlight user-generated content to make participants feel valued and involved. Regular interaction keeps the conversation lively and fosters a sense of community among attendees.

Monitor and Moderate

Effective monitoring and moderation ensure a positive and respectful environment. Monitor all interactions across your social media and community platforms. Social listening benefits can enhance your monitoring efforts. Use moderation tools to filter out inappropriate content and manage disruptive behavior. Assign team members to monitor discussions and address any issues promptly. Real-time moderation helps maintain a safe and welcoming space for all participants. It also allows you to respond to any concerns or feedback from your audience quickly. 

Analyze and Optimize

Analyzing your performance metrics provides valuable insights into what worked and what didn’t. Track engagement metrics such as likes, shares, comments, and views. Use analytics tools to gather data on audience behavior and content performance. Identify trends and patterns to understand what resonates with your audience. Use these insights to optimize your content strategy and engagement tactics for future events. Continuous analysis and optimization help you improve your approach and deliver more impactful events. Learn how to track audience engagement and course-correct effectively.

5 Live Event Tips for Maximizing Engagement When Connecting Social Media with Community Platforms

Worried about keeping the momentum going? Here are some top strategies to keep your audience hooked.

Encourage User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) transforms attendees into active participants. Using user-generated content in virtual events c an enhance the experience. Encourage your audience to share their experiences, photos, and videos using a specific event hashtag. Highlighting UGC on your community platform and social media channels not only boosts engagement but also builds a sense of community. Attendees feel more connected when they see their content featured, which motivates them to share more. This organic content serves as authentic promotion for your event, reaching a wider audience through the participants’ networks. 

Host Live Q&A Sessions

Live Q&A sessions offer real-time interaction between attendees and speakers. Schedule these sessions at strategic points during your event to maintain high engagement levels. Promote the Q&A sessions on your social media channels and community platforms to ensure maximum participation. During the session, use a dedicated hashtag to collect questions from attendees. This approach keeps the conversation organized and allows everyone to follow along easily. Live Q&A sessions provide valuable insights and foster a deeper connection between the audience and the event’s content.

Run Polls and Surveys

Polls and surveys are effective tools for gauging audience opinions and preferences. Use them to collect feedback on various aspects of your event, such as session topics, speaker performance, and overall experience. Running polls during live sessions keeps the audience engaged and provides immediate insights. Share the results in real time to show attendees that their input matters. Post-event surveys help you gather detailed feedback, which is invaluable for planning future events. The data collected from polls and surveys can guide your content strategy and improve audience satisfaction.

Offer Exclusive Content

Exclusive content creates a sense of value and urgency. Offer behind-the-scenes footage, early access to session recordings, or special interviews with speakers. Promote this exclusive content through your social media channels and community platform to attract more participants. Make it clear that this content is available only to attendees, encouraging more people to join your community. Exclusive content not only enhances the event experience but also provides additional touchpoints for engagement. Attendees are more likely to stay connected and participate actively when they feel they are receiving special treatment.

Collaborate with Influencers

Explore this boosting engagement principle and proven engagement tactic. Collaborating with influencers can significantly amplify your event’s reach. Identify influencers who align with your event’s theme and have a strong following within your target audience. Engage them to promote your event on their social media channels and participate in live sessions. Influencers can host Q&A sessions, share their experiences, and create buzz around your event. Their endorsement adds credibility and attracts more attendees. Collaborations with influencers help you tap into new audiences and increase overall engagement. Ensure that the influencers are well-briefed about your event and provide them with the necessary resources to promote it effectively. 

What is the Best Way to Connect Social Media with Community Platforms for Live Events?

It can be daunting to figure out the best practices, but we’ve got you covered. Here’s how to get started.

Identify your goals

Start by defining what you want to achieve with the integration of social media and community platforms. Are you looking to boost audience engagement, increase event reach, or gather valuable insights? Clear goals help you focus your efforts and measure success. For instance, if your primary goal is to enhance engagement, you might prioritize interactive features like live polls and Q&A sessions. If expanding reach is more important, you might focus on platforms with strong sharing capabilities. Knowing your goals allows you to tailor your strategy to meet specific needs and objectives. Understand different audience engagement strategies to help define clear and focused goals.

Research and compare platforms

Once your goals are clear, research various social media and community platforms to find the best fit for your event. Look at the features each platform offers and how they align with your goals. Consider factors like user base, ease of integration, and available interactive tools. Compare platforms based on their ability to handle real-time content sharing, audience interaction, and data analytics. Read reviews and case studies to understand how other event coordinators have used these platforms. This research phase helps you make an informed decision, ensuring you choose platforms that will effectively support your event.

Test and refine your approach

Before the event, run tests to ensure everything works smoothly. Set up mock sessions to test the integration of social media feeds, real-time content sharing, and interactive features. Monitor how these elements function together and identify any issues. Gather feedback from a small group of users to understand their experience and make necessary adjustments. Testing helps you catch potential problems early and refine your approach. It also gives you confidence that the integration will work seamlessly during the live event. Continuously refine your strategy based on feedback and performance metrics to improve future events.

Take Your Live Events to the Next Level with Arena

Connecting social media with community platforms can significantly enhance your live events by boosting engagement, facilitating real-time interaction, and amplifying your event’s reach. At Arena, we specialize in leveraging AI to create dynamic, interactive communities that keep your audience engaged and connected. Our platform offers real-time content streams, group conversations, and AI-powered chatbots to ensure your event runs smoothly and effectively.

Ready to transform your live events? Arena provides the tools and features you need to integrate social media seamlessly with community platforms, driving higher engagement and delivering valuable insights. Sign up now to explore our pricing options and see how Arena can elevate your next live event. Visit Arena Pricing to get started.

Best Virtual Event Marketing Strategies – 2024 

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What Are The Best Virtual Event Marketing Strategies?

Virtual events require well-thought-out marketing strategies to engage the audience and meet event goals. Implementing these strategies effectively can boost brand awareness and attendee engagement.

How Can You Implement These Strategies Effectively?

Understand Your Audience: Dive into audience insights to tailor your content and promotional strategies. This makes it easier to capture their interest.

Social Media Marketing: Utilize platforms like Facebook and Instagram to create buzz before your event. With 4.9 billion people using social media globally, you can reach a wider audience.

Create Dedicated Landing Pages: A well-designed landing page provides all necessary details and collects RSVPs, enhancing visitor experience.

Engage With Content: Use webinars, Q&A sessions, and other interactive forms to engage your audience throughout the event.

Leverage Partnerships: Collaborate with influencers and industry leaders to promote your event. This boosts credibility and reach.

Follow Up Post-Event: Send personalized thank-you emails or surveys to keep the conversation going and gather feedback.

What Are The Benefits Of Using Virtual Event Marketing?

Increased Reach: Unlike physical events, virtual events allow you to cater to a global audience without geographical barriers.

Cost Efficiency: Virtual events cut down on costs like venue bookings and travel, making them more economical.

Enhanced Engagement: Interactive features like live polls and chat rooms offer better engagement compared to traditional methods.

Flexibility: Virtual events can be archived, allowing attendees to revisit sessions later.

Data and Analytics: Online platforms offer detailed analytics, helping to measure the success of your virtual event marketing strategy.

Networking Opportunities: Virtual events provide unique networking tools that allow attendees to connect with each other, providing value beyond the event itself.

How Can Virtual Events Improve Store Metrics?

Virtual events can drive significant improvements in store metrics by enhancing customer engagement, increasing brand awareness, and fostering a community around your products. They offer valuable opportunities to gather data and track key performance indicators (KPIs).

What Metrics Should You Focus On?

Focus on metrics that directly impact your sales and customer engagement. Conversions are a primary metric; they measure how many event participants turn into paying customers. Tracking the ROI is crucial to understand the value generated compared to the cost of the event. Engagement metrics like the number of interactions, clicks, and shares also indicate how well your event resonates with the audience.

It’s also important to measure the customer acquisition cost (CAC) and the customer lifetime value (CLV). Lowering the CAC while increasing CLV shows that your event strategy is effective. Using these metrics helps in optimizing future virtual events for better outcomes.

How Do You Measure The Success Of Virtual Events?

Tracking the success of virtual events involves several tools and methods. Platforms often have built-in analytics dashboards that provide real-time data. These dashboards track user behavior, from the number of attendees to their engagement levels. Surveys and feedback forms can offer qualitative insights into customer satisfaction and areas for improvement.

To measure tangible benefits, assess the number of leads generated and their conversion rate. Using metrics from tools like the Goldcast ROI Dashboard can aid in understanding the financial impact. Comparing these metrics against previous events or other marketing campaigns provides a clearer picture of your success.

Effective tracking and measurement are essential for optimizing virtual events and improving store metrics. For detailed strategies and tips on event marketing, consider resources like the virtual event marketing guide. Additionally, explore tactics on increasing engagement by understanding your audience better on platforms like EventsAir.

What Are The Key Components Of A Successful Virtual Event?

Key components of a successful virtual event include careful planning, the right technology, engaging content, and interactive elements. It’s also crucial to choose the right tools and platforms to ensure smooth operation.

How Do You Plan A Virtual Event?

Planning a virtual event involves several steps. Start by defining clear objectives and goals. Identify the target audience and what they hope to gain from attending.

Next, choose a date and time that works best for your audience. Take time zones into account, especially if you have an international crowd.

Develop a detailed event agenda. Include sessions like keynotes, panel discussions, and Q&A sessions. Make sure each segment has a clear purpose.

Select your speakers and gather guest speaker information. Aim to have a mix of industry experts and engaging personalities.

Promote the event across various channels. Use social media, email campaigns, and partnerships with sponsors to build anticipation.

What Tools Are Essential For Virtual Event Success?

The right tools are key for the success of any virtual event. Start with a reliable event platform that supports features like live streaming, live chat, and live polls.

Invest in quality camera and microphone equipment for your speakers. This ensures clear audio and video.

Interactive tools like live chat and live polls enhance participant engagement. Schedule interactive sessions where attendees can ask questions in real-time.

Provide exclusive content to keep attendees engaged. This can include downloadable resources or VIP Q&A sessions with speakers.

Sponsors and partners should have dedicated space within the event platform. This ensures they gain visibility and helps cover event costs.

Don’t forget analytics tools to measure the success of your event. Track metrics like attendee numbers, engagement rates, and feedback to continually improve.

How Can You Promote Your Virtual Event Effectively?

Promoting a virtual event requires effective use of marketing channels and pre-event engagement strategies to maximize attendance and interest. Utilizing various platforms and creating compelling content are crucial steps.

What Marketing Channels Should You Use?

Using email marketing is essential. Sending a targeted email marketing campaign can inform and excite your audience. Personalize emails to make them relevant, and include a clear call-to-action for registration.

Social media marketing is another powerful tool. Create engaging posts on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Utilize Facebook Events to track RSVPs and create buzz with live social media posts. Don’t forget SEO optimization for your event website to attract organic traffic.

A dedicated landing page for the event is vital. Ensure the registration process is seamless, and the page includes all necessary details. Incorporate engaging videos that highlight what attendees can expect. Press releases can also amplify your message by reaching a broader audience.

How Can You Engage Your Audience Before The Event?

Content creation is key to keeping your audience engaged. Share blog posts, videos, and sneak peeks of what to expect at the event. This builds interest and FOMO (fear of missing out).

Use social media platforms to maintain engagement. Start conversations, ask questions, and conduct polls. Cross-promotion with partners or influencers can expand your reach. Encourage your speakers to share the event with their followers.

Send out follow-up emails as reminders. Include valuable information about the event, such as a detailed agenda or special guest appearances. Ensure these emails are personalized to resonate with your audience.

Engage directly with your audience through live chats or Q&A sessions. This interaction can provide audience insights that help tailor the final stages of event preparation.

What Common Challenges Are Faced In Virtual Event Marketing?

Virtual event marketing is filled with unique challenges that can affect the success of an event. Key issues include engaging attendees, dealing with budget constraints, and ensuring effective post-event engagement.

How Can You Overcome These Challenges?

The most significant challenge in virtual event marketing is keeping attendees engaged. To address this, use interactive tools like polls, surveys, and live Q&A sessions. These can turn passive viewers into active participants and increase engagement.

Budget constraints are another common pain point. Optimize spending by using cost-effective marketing methods such as direct mail campaigns and social media promotions. Allocating resources wisely can help in better audience reach and engagement.

After the event, post-event engagement is crucial. Sending out a thank you email and conducting post-event surveys can provide valuable feedback and improve future events.

What Lessons Can Be Learned From Past Events?

Past events offer numerous lessons on what works and what doesn’t. Collecting attendee testimonials can provide genuine insights into their experiences. Use this feedback to identify what needs improvement.

Timing is critical. Ensure that the event schedule is accommodating to your target audience’s time zones. Incorrect timing can lead to lower attendance and engagement, especially for a global audience.

It’s also essential to fine-tune content strategies. Analyze which topics garnered the most interest and which speakers resonated with the audience. This way, future events can be tailored to meet the audience’s expectations better.

Consistency in post-event engagement fosters loyalty. Customer testimonials and post-event surveys can shed light on areas for improvement, further enhancing the overall event experience.

What Are The Future Trends In Virtual Event Marketing?

As virtual events continue to grow, it’s important to understand the trends shaping their future. New engagement strategies and innovative technologies are setting the industry apart.

How Can You Stay Ahead Of The Curve?

To stay ahead, focusing on engagement is crucial. Event producers are now prioritizing interactive elements like live polls, Q&A sessions, and breakout rooms to keep attendees engaged. These strategies help maintain interest and provide a richer experience.

Another way to get ahead is by using data analytics. By analyzing attendee behavior, preferences, and feedback, companies can tailor content and make improvements. Personalized content not only boosts engagement but also makes attendees feel valued.

Finally, partnerships with tech companies can offer a competitive edge. Collaborating with platforms that provide comprehensive support services can streamline the event planning process. It’s crucial to be versatile and open to incorporating new features and tools.

What Innovations Are Shaping The Industry?

The use of AI and VR technology is revolutionizing virtual events. AI can manage tasks like automatic scheduling, personalized agendas, and real-time translation services. These utilities enhance user experience and reduce the workload for organizers.

Virtual Reality (VR) creates immersive environments where participants can explore virtual booths, attend holographic presentations, and network in 3D spaces. This kind of innovation can make virtual events more interactive and engaging.

Comprehensive engagement strategies are key. According to Kaltura, planning detailed engagement tactics can significantly improve the attendee experience. Companies are also investing in more secure platforms, ensuring that private information stays protected.

Additionally, the market for virtual events is expected to reach $404 billion by 2027, as per Statista. This growth signifies not just increased adoption but also stiffer competition, urging companies to continuously innovate.

By keeping an eye on these innovations, businesses can maintain a competitive edge in the evolving landscape of virtual events.

Frequently Asked Questions

When marketing virtual events, it is important to follow some key best practices, focus on effective promotional tactics, and leverage the right digital marketing strategies. Below are answers to some common questions related to virtual event marketing.

What are the key best practices for marketing virtual events effectively?

Identify your target audience clearly to tailor your messaging. Use engaging content like webinars and social media posts to attract attendees. It’s also important to utilize email marketing for personalized invites and reminders.

How can you effectively promote virtual event registrations?

Leverage social media channels to reach a broader audience. Create a compelling event page with clear call-to-actions. Collaborate with influencers and use paid advertising to boost visibility. For more strategies, you can visit 11 Strategies to boost conversion.

What are some successful examples of virtual event marketing?

Webinars that offer exclusive insights or training sessions often see high engagement. Virtual job fairs and online product demos are also popular. These events typically use interactive elements and Q&A sessions to keep attendees engaged.

What digital marketing strategies are most effective for online events?

SEO and content marketing help drive organic traffic. Social media campaigns, email newsletters, and paid ads are also crucial. Tools like Eventbrite simplify event management and integrate well with digital marketing efforts. Explore more at Virtual Event Marketing Guide.

How far in advance should marketing efforts begin for a successful virtual event?

Begin your promotional efforts at least 6-8 weeks before the event. This allows enough time for multiple touchpoints with your audience through various channels, including email, social media, and paid advertising.

What role does event technology, like Eventbrite, play in virtual event marketing?

Event technology platforms like Eventbrite streamline the registration process, offer promotional tools, and provide analytics. They integrate with calendars and CRM systems, enhancing the overall event experience.

By implementing these strategies and leveraging the right technologies, you can significantly improve the success of your virtual events.

Utilizing Live Blogs for Continuous Event Coverage

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You’re at an event and want to keep your audience engaged with real-time updates. You’ve heard about live blogs, but aren’t sure if they will work for your event coverage.

Live blogging offers a way to provide continuous updates, keeping your audience informed and engaged. It’s a dynamic method that can transform how you cover events.

Here’s what you need to know about live blogging for events and how it can benefit you.

What is Live Blogging for Events?

Live blogging is a real-time content delivery method. It involves posting short, frequent updates during events, allowing your audience to follow along as things happen. This approach keeps your audience engaged by providing continuous updates and dynamic coverage.

You can post text updates, photos, videos, and even social media snippets during an event. This multimedia content makes your event coverage more engaging and interactive. Readers can comment on posts, share updates on their social media, and feel like they are part of the event, even if they aren’t physically present.

Live blogs also allow you to capture the immediacy and excitement of an event as it unfolds. Whether it’s a conference, product launch, sports event, or awards ceremony, live blogging provides a way to share the experience in real-time. This method keeps your audience informed and creates a sense of community and participation.

For a deeper dive into live blogging, check out this ultimate guide to live blogging.

Benefits of Using Live Blogs for Event Coverage

Live blogging is more than just a trend; it’s a game-changer for how you engage your audience. Let’s explore why you should consider it for your next event.

Keeps Audiences Engaged

Live blogs keep your audience hooked with real-time updates. It is important to learn how to connect and engage with live blogs effectively. The continuous flow of information ensures that readers stay on your site longer, eagerly awaiting the next update. This content delivery method creates a sense of immediacy and excitement, making your audience feel like they are part of the event. Interactive elements such as polls, quizzes, and comment sections further enhance engagement, allowing readers to participate actively. 

Boosts Website Traffic

One of the many benefits of live blogging is it can significantly boost your website traffic. As you provide live updates, more users will visit your site to stay informed. This influx of visitors can lead to higher page views and longer session durations. Additionally, sharing live blog updates on social media platforms can attract a broader audience, driving more traffic to your website. This increased visibility can also attract new visitors who might have yet to discover your site.

Enhances SEO

Live blogs can improve your search engine rankings. Frequent updates with relevant keywords make your content more likely to appear in search results. Search engines favor fresh and regularly updated content, and live blogs fit this criterion perfectly. By covering trending topics and events, you can capture search traffic from users looking for real-time information. This continuous content stream can help you rank higher for event-related searches, driving organic traffic to your site.

Provides Unique Perspectives

Live blogging offers a unique way to present information. Unlike traditional articles, live blogs provide a play-by-play account of events, capturing the atmosphere and key moments as they happen. This format allows you to share insights and observations that might be missed in a standard recap. By offering a unique perspective, you can differentiate your coverage from others and provide added value to your readers. This approach not only informs but also entertains.  Learn how to build successful engagement strategies to make your content more appealing and memorable. 

How Does Live Blogging Work?

Understanding the mechanics of live blogging can help you decide if it’s the right fit for your event. Let’s break it down.

Live blogging involves posting short, frequent updates during an event. Bloggers provide real-time information in chronological order, ensuring that the audience receives the latest developments as they happen. This format allows you to capture the immediacy and excitement of the event, keeping your audience engaged and informed.

Multimedia content plays a significant role in live blogging. Incorporating photos, videos, and social media snippets enhances the coverage, making it more dynamic and visually appealing. These elements help to break up the text and provide a richer experience for readers. For example, a photo of a keynote speaker or a video clip of a product demonstration can add depth to your updates and keep your audience interested.

Readers interact with live blogs through comments and social media. This real-time audience interaction creates a sense of community and participation, making the audience feel part of the event. You can encourage readers to share their thoughts, ask questions, and engage with the content. Social media integration allows updates to be shared across platforms, broadening the reach and attracting more viewers. 

Live blogging also provides a platform for immediate feedback. Readers can comment on updates, share opinions, and suggest topics for further coverage. This interaction helps to create a two-way communication channel, making the audience feel valued and heard. It also allows you to gauge the audience’s interest and adjust your coverage accordingly.

Types of Events Suitable for Live Blogging

Only some events are a perfect fit for live blogging. Here’s how to determine if yours is.

Conferences and Seminars

Live blogging at conferences and seminars provides real-time updates on keynote speeches, panel discussions, and breakout sessions. Attendees and those who couldn’t make it can follow along with the highlights and key takeaways. This method ensures that important points and moments are captured and shared instantly. You can include quotes from speakers, photos of presentations, and summaries of discussions, making the content accessible to a broader audience.

Product Launches

During product launches, live blogging keeps your audience informed about new features, demonstrations, and announcements as they happen. This approach builds excitement and anticipation, allowing your audience to experience the launch in real-time. You can share photos of the product, videos of the demonstration, and immediate reactions from the event. This engages your audience and creates a buzz around the new product, driving interest and potential sales. Explore more reasons to use live blogs for your next product launch.

Sports Events

Live blogging sports events provide play-by-play updates, scores, and key moments, keeping fans engaged throughout the game. This method is perfect for those who can’t watch the event live but want to stay updated. You can include minute-by-minute updates, highlight reels, and fan reactions. This creates a dynamic and interactive experience, allowing fans to feel connected to the event even if they are not physically present.

Awards Ceremonies

Live blogging awards ceremonies offer real-time updates on winners, speeches, and memorable moments. This approach keeps your audience engaged with continuous coverage of the event. You can share photos of the red carpet, videos of acceptance speeches, and reactions from the audience. This keeps your readers informed and adds a layer of excitement and immediacy to the coverage, making them feel like they are part of the event.

How to Set Up a Live Blog for Your Event

Setting up a live blog might seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Let’s walk through the steps.

Choose the Right Platform

The first step in setting up a live blog is selecting the right platform. Look for a platform with real-time updates, multimedia support, and user interaction features. Ensure the platform integrates smoothly with your existing website and social media channels. Check for customization options to match your branding and the ability to handle high-traffic volumes. Test the platform beforehand to ensure it meets your needs and provides a seamless user experience. For a step-by-step guide, consider setting up a WordPress live blog plugin.

Assemble Your Live Blogging Team

A successful live blog requires a dedicated team. Assemble a group that includes writers, photographers, videographers, and social media managers. Each team member should have a clear role and understand their responsibilities. Writers will handle text updates, photographers and videographers will capture visual content, and social media managers will share updates and engage with followers. Ensure everyone is familiar with the platform and has access to the necessary tools and resources.

Plan Your Content Strategy

Planning your content strategy is crucial for effective live blogging. Outline the key moments you want to cover, such as speeches, product demos, or performances. Prepare a schedule for posting updates to ensure a steady flow of content. Create templates for recurring updates, like score changes or award announcements, to save time during the event. Have a list of hashtags and keywords ready to boost visibility and engagement. To streamline the process, consider pre-writing content, such as speaker bios or background information.

Promote Your Live Blog

Promotion is vital in attracting an audience to your live blog. Start by announcing the live blog on your website and social media channels well in advance. Use email newsletters to inform your subscribers about the upcoming coverage. Create engaging graphics and teasers to generate interest. Share live blog updates on social media with relevant hashtags during the event to reach a wider audience. Encourage your followers to share the updates and engage with the content. After the event, compile the highlights into a summary post to keep the momentum going.

5 Tips for Effective Live Blogging

You’re almost ready to go live. Here are some final tips to ensure your live blog is a hit.

Keep Updates Short and Frequent

When live blogging, keep your updates short and to the point. This approach helps maintain the audience’s attention and ensures they can quickly grasp the information. Frequent updates keep the content fresh and engaging, making readers feel like they are part of the event. Aim to post every few minutes, covering key moments, quotes, and reactions. This steady stream of updates keeps the momentum going and encourages readers to stay tuned.

Incorporate Multimedia Elements

Multimedia elements like photos, videos, and GIFs make your live blog more engaging. Visual content breaks up the text and provides a richer experience for your audience. Use high-quality images to capture key moments and short video clips to highlight important event segments. Infographics can also help explain complex information quickly. Including multimedia content keeps your audience engaged and makes your updates more shareable on social media.

Encourage Audience Interaction

Engage your audience by encouraging interaction. Use polls, quizzes, and comment sections to invite readers to participate. Ask questions about the event and prompt readers to share their thoughts and opinions. This interaction makes the audience feel involved and valued. Respond to comments and acknowledge contributions to foster a sense of community. Social media integration allows readers to share updates and interact with the content, broadening the reach of your live blog.

Provide Unique Insights

Offer unique insights that go beyond the basic event coverage. Share behind-the-scenes information, expert opinions, and personal observations. This approach adds value to your live blog and differentiates it from other coverage. Highlight interesting facts, provide context, and explain the significance of key moments. Unique insights keep your audience engaged and make your content more memorable. Readers appreciate content that offers a deeper understanding of the event.

Optimize for Mobile Devices

Ensure your live blog is optimized for mobile devices. Many of your audience will follow the event on their smartphones or tablets. Use a responsive design that adjusts to different screen sizes and loads quickly. Keep text concise and use bullet points for easy reading. Ensure multimedia elements are mobile-friendly and don’t slow down the page. Test your live blog on various devices to ensure a seamless experience for all users. This optimization helps retain mobile users and enhances their engagement with your content.

Is Live Blogging Right for Your Event?

Before diving into live blogging, assessing whether it’s the best fit for your event is crucial. Think about your goals and audience preferences.

When deciding if live blogging suits your event, consider your target audience first. Are they tech-savvy and engaged online? Live blogging can be a great fit if your audience enjoys real-time updates and interactive content. Think about how they consume information and whether they would appreciate continuous updates during the event.

Next, evaluate the nature of your event. Events with ongoing activities, such as conferences, product launches, sports events, and awards ceremonies, are ideal for live blogging. These events provide a steady stream of content that keeps your audience engaged. Live blogging can capture and share these highlights effectively if your event involves significant moments that unfold over time.

Assess your resources and capabilities. Live blogging requires a dedicated team to manage updates, multimedia content, and audience interaction. Ensure you have enough staff to cover the event comprehensively. Consider the technical aspects, such as the platform you will use and the tools required for seamless updates. Ensure your team is trained and ready to handle the fast-paced environment of live blogging.

Finally, consider your goals for the event. If you aim to increase engagement, drive traffic, and provide unique insights, live blogging can help you achieve these objectives. It offers a dynamic way to connect with your audience and inform them in real-time.

Take Your Event Coverage to the Next Level with Arena

Utilizing live blogs for continuous event coverage can transform how you engage your audience. Arena offers a comprehensive suite of tools, including live blogging and live chat, to help you deliver real-time updates and dynamic content seamlessly. Our platform ensures your audience stays connected and informed, enhancing their overall experience.

With Arena, you can easily integrate live blogging into your website, provide multimedia-rich updates, and foster interactive discussions. Our no-code platform and customizable features simplify setting up and managing your live blog. Ready to elevate your event coverage? Sign up now and see how Arena can help you engage your audience like never before.

15 Virtual Event Ideas for Young Professionals

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There are several virtual event ideas that can help you engage your younger employees. Attracting and retaining young professionals is difficult because talented people have more career opportunities in today’s tight labor market. Virtual events have an important supporting role if your organization has the basics, like offering competitive compensation and flexibility.

How To Use This Guide

Selecting the right virtual event ideas for young professionals depends on a few factors. These event ideas take significant time, creativity, and effort. On the other hand, some of these event ideas are relatively simple and easy to implement. 

Keep your organization’s familiarity with virtual events as you explore this list. Companies that are highly experienced in running virtual events, online conferences and live streams may be able to take on more complex events. If you’re getting started with virtual events, then focus your efforts on a more straightforward event concept.

Virtual Networking Events for Young Professionals

For young professionals, producing networking events is critical. Put yourself in the shoes of a newly hired employee. They may have graduated a year ago and moved to a new city. They may not know many people or feel disconnected from others. Offering one or two virtual networking opportunities yearly is an excellent starting point.

1. Virtual Coffee Chats

This virtual event is best suited for companies that hire significant numbers of young professionals. For example, technology companies, professional services firms, and financial firms tend to hire large numbers of new graduates each year. In other words, this event is a good fit if your organization has a campus or college recruiting program.

Invite all young professionals who have been hired in the past five years to the event. Suggest an icebreaker game like two truths and a lie to spark the conversation.

2. Meet The Leadership Virtual Event

Many newer professionals are ambitious to grow their careers. One of the best ways to grow is to meet people who have already accomplished your career goals. Offering a “meet the leaders” networking event is smart. Invite the CEO and another few senior executives to an event and randomly mix them with young professionals.

Who knows – your CEO might see untapped potential in some of your new hires and put them on the fast track to contribute more to the company!

3. Virtual Industry Networking Events

As a young professional, it’s vital to network beyond your employer. After all, some of the best opportunities in life may come from partnerships and interactions with friends at other companies. With this event concept, consider crafting a guest list of young professionals from similar companies. For example, a young professional group at Deloitte might invite peers from other accounting firms like PwC, EY, and KPMG to a virtual mixer.

4. Virtual Networking With Guest Speaker

What if your prior efforts to organize networking efforts fell flat? It may be time to try a new strategy. This event idea involves inviting a special guest whose name recognition will draw in people. Depending on your network and budget, there are a few ways to execute this strategy.

Invite A Recently Promoted Young Professional

Sometimes, it can be challenging to relate to people who are very different from you. For example, a 25-year-old new hire might not relate to an executive who has been in the workforce for 25 years! The alternative is to look for a professional in the 25-30 year age bracket who has been promoted or earned an award. Invite them to give a short presentation to spark interest in the networking event.

Invite A Relevant Academic Expert

Young professionals, especially recent graduates, often look up to the expertise of professors and other academics. Reach out to your local college’s business school and ask if any of the professors are interested in giving a presentation to your audience. For the best results, suggest some topics like workplace communication, networking, or financial skills.

Virtual Company Book Club

Young professionals have a lot to learn about how your company works. Tap into that desire to learn by organizing a book club. For example, a group of young professionals specializing in technology might be interested in discussing the book “The Personal MBA” by Josh Kaufman, which covers many different business topics.

Young Professional Virtual Recruiting Event Ideas

Some companies, like Google and Apple, are overwhelmed with new job applicants every time they post a new position. The rest of us have to take a different strategy – offering to recruit events to connect with these potential hires. 

1. Virtual Company Tour

While remote and hybrid working arrangements are popular, the office experience still plays an important role. Young professionals want to see what your office is like and the amenities and have a sense of what it would be like to work at your location. 

A virtual company tour is a relatively simple event idea. In essence, you share photos and videos of your office location with virtual attendees. Depending on your comfort level, there are a few ways to execute this idea. For example, you could ask employees to submit a few photos of themselves at the office. Or you could take employees on a virtual tour by sharing a live stream video from a smartphone.

What if you have a small office? Combining this event idea with the next one on our list might be worthwhile.

2. Virtual Intern Fair

Completing an internship or two is a valuable experience to start your career as a graduate or student. It lets a young professional take your company for a “test drive,” and you get the opportunity to see them at work. Assuming your company has an intern program or an interest in starting one, a virtual intern fair is a helpful way to engage potential talent.

To market your company’s internship program, keep the following tips in mind:

  • Compensation: Intern pay varies widely. If your company can offer a competitive intern compensation package, that is a great point to highlight in this virtual event.
  • Experiences: potential interns are looking for the opportunity to grow their networks and earn valuable skills. Look for ways to present your program’s unique experiences, such as the opportunity to research emerging technologies or interact with management.
  • What Happens After The Internship: every internship comes to an end, so what’s next? Invite your past interns to speak about their experiences – did they get job offers or find other ways to grow your career?

3. Virtual Partnership Program

Competition for talent is heating up in many industries, including technology. It’s no longer good enough to rely on job postings or recruiters alone. Look for opportunities to partner with associations and programs. These organizations can also help your company achieve its diversity and inclusion goals. For example, reach out to organizations like Wonder Women Tech and LGBTQ Tech.

By partnering with a diverse professional organization, your company will have the opportunity to attract more qualified talent. This type of partnership event is most likely to succeed if your company can highlight relevant past hires and other efforts to engage diverse talent.

4. Online Hackathon Events

What if your company had the opportunity to see young professionals at work building something? That’s precisely what running or sponsoring a hackathon event can do for you! Many leading companies like Amazon, Capital One, Coinbase, Intel, and have previously sponsored hackathon events. It’s a powerful way to connect with ambitious creative talent in the technology industry.

There are two ways to execute this virtual event idea. The simple option is to partner with an existing program like Major League Hacking. Alternatively, if your organization has a substantive 

5. Online Charitable Events

Many companies have charitable programs and encourage employee volunteerism. These efforts are a great way to connect with community-minded young professionals. Traditionally, community service efforts were performed in person, like building homes or cleaning public areas. 

To bring your charitable efforts into the digital world, look for opportunities to give back that can be performed online. For example, education volunteers can digitally help tutor students in math, science, and languages (e.g., English as a second language). In addition, you might partner with an organization that supports new immigrants entering the workforce. 

Team Building Virtual Events For Young Professionals

The first few virtual events examples will help you recruit young professionals. Once they’re hired, employee engagement and growth become more critical. Use these virtual event ideas to help newer hires grow their networks, enhance team building and cohesion and bring fun to the workplace.

1. Virtual Happy Hour Event

Gathering together to enjoy drinks and food is one of the most popular ways to build cohesion with your team members. With a hybrid or remote working world, gathering in person isn’t always an option. As an alternative, invite your young professionals to a virtual happy hour. To make the event even more appealing, offer a gift card so that your attendees can bring their drinks. 

A virtual happy hour is one of the most straightforward virtual event ideas to organize because it is unstructured. The downside is that not all employees will be interested or available to join this event. That’s why we have a few more event ideas for you!

2. Virtual Murder Mystery Event

Want to give your young professionals the chance to channel their inner Sherlock Holmes or Agatha Christie? Give them the chance to exercise their problem-solving skills in a new way by organizing a virtual murder mystery. These group experiences have been brought into the online world with games like Red Herring Games’ Virtual Murder Mystery Parties. You can also work with a facilitator to make the event memorable. 

3. Virtual Comedy Hour

Solving a mystery isn’t everybody’s cup of tea… But laughter is good for everyone! Mayo Clinic research suggests laughter can help with stress relief. There are a few ways to put together this event.

Spotlight Your Employees

Young professionals don’t always get the chance to impact everyone at work. That’s why giving new hires the chance to share a comedy set can work so well. Of course, you might want to set a few ground rules, like keeping the company’s values and code of conduct, to keep the event safe and enjoyable for all.

Bring In A Virtual Comedian

Performing live comedy, especially when unfamiliar to you, can be stressful. If your employees aren’t interested in performing, there’s another way to bring comedy benefits to your company. Bring in a “corporate comedian” – these specialized entertainers know how to bring the laughs while engaging the needs of corporate audiences. Look at companies like Clean Comedians and Treuer Laughs to discover your options. 

4. Virtual Fitness Competition

Sitting at your desk all day is a drag, so this virtual event can help to solve that challenge. Organize a fitness competition for young professionals and see who can log the most minutes of activity over a month. While most fitness activities will take offline, you can bring people together for a few virtual event touchpoints. At the start of the competition, invite participants to a kickoff event and explain how the event works. When the competition is over, organize another virtual event and give out awards for employees who log the best results!

5. Virtual Worksgiving Event

Thanksgiving is one of the year’s most significant events. Young professionals might need to travel to be with their families for this event. A few days before the holiday, organize a virtual worksgiving event. During the event, invite employees to share how they mark the holiday. In addition, you could also focus on the gratitude aspect of Thanksgiving – what do employees feel grateful for?

For more inspiration and ideas on how to run this type of event, see this resource: How to plan a virtual Worksgiving for your employees.

Get The Right Technology To Engage Young Professionals

For your virtual event for professionals to succeed, communication and engagement are critical. Video chat is part of the story, but remember that not all employees want to use video all the time. Give your employees the chance to engage using chat! Learn more about Arena Live Chat.

Preparing for Live Virtual Events with Arena Content Manager

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Preparing engaging live virtual events is a powerful way to engage your audience. With an engaged audience, advertising revenue, lead generation, and sales all become easier. Offering virtual events bring a lot of benefits. Yet, it can be stressful to organize these events. Fortunately, you can ease the burden on your team by preparing with the right team.

The Benefits of Preparing Live Virtual Events

Spending time organizing your live virtual events is critical for several reasons. 

Minimize Audience Distractions.

Does this sound familiar? You’ve put serious effort into marketing your event and attendance looks good. Then, a few minutes into the event, the timing starts to fall apart. Your event moderator keeps having to fill air time while your team gets links, images and polls ready. Some of your most loyal fans may give you the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately, many in your audience will open new tabs in their browsers and disengage from your event. 

With robust virtual event planning, you can avoid the above distractions. As a result, your audience is more likely to stay focused on your content and the community experience.

Increase Positive Word of Mouth

Almost every organization wants to grow its audience. Whether you are looking for leads, potential students, donors, or sales, more people in your engaged audience is vital. Offering a live virtual event with professional-level quality means your audience is more likely to tell their friends. In addition, event attendees are more likely to tell friends and family about your events. Excellent live event preparation makes you more likely to achieve your viral growth goals.

Increase Repeat Attendance

To compete successfully today, it’s becoming crucial to offer multiple events. You might decide to focus all of your energy on a single high-end virtual event or hold events more frequently. We recommend holding events quarterly or monthly because that will give your team more practice in preparing, marketing, and executing events. In addition, it is easier to form a meaningful connection with your audience when you engage them repeatedly.

When each event is well-produced and engaging, you can only realize the benefit of repeated attendance – a deeper connection with your audience.

To get these benefits, preparation is essential. To save time on that process, leverage Arena Content Manager.

Getting Ready With Arena Content Manager Step By Step

Arena Content Manager is a management solution you can use to make your live virtual events run smoothly. There are a few ways to use Content Manager to streamline your event planning and lift engagement. Let’s cover three scenarios where Content Manager can save your event team time.

Optimizing The Virtual Conference Experience With Arena Content Manager

Virtual events and hybrid events are fast becoming popular ways to engage audiences, share your insights and grow your community. Successfully executing a virtual event focused on valuable content with few or no glitches is easier with Content Manager. Let’s say you’re running a virtual conference next month. Here are some ways you can use Arena Content Manager before, during and after your virtual conference.

Before The Virtual Conference

Think ahead to the event about the content assets you’ll need to engage your audience. For example, your guest speakers might have slide decks. In a less formal content, the speakers and event host might simply have a list of bullet points for what they plan to cover. Based on this information, load content assets to Arena Content Manager so that you can easily use them when the event happens.

Use the following tips to accelerate your content brainstorming process:

  • Images: do you have images of all of the speakers, presenters and guests? It’s best to load these into the Content Manager so you can easily introduce each new person.:
  • Videos: displaying a short video is often a good way to add variety to a virtual conference. If you use videos, remember to use them occasionally and keep them short because a virtual conference is at its best when it is interactive.
  • GIFs. There are only so many keynote speakers and panel discussions your audience can absorb. We suggest creating a few light-hearted GIF images for your event. Sharing these images during breaks can help to keep engagement high.
  • Social Content. You can create and save social media posts in Arena Content Manager. For example, you might create quote tweets sharing highlights from your star keynote speaker in advance. Then you can publish these posts as the event is unfolding.

In addition to the content above, give some thought to your primary objectives for the virtual conference. For example, are you seeking to create opportunities for the sales team? Or do you want to encourage people to buy products (e.g. event recordings, subscriptions or other items)? You may also want to create assets to support your primary call to action (e.g. create a visual that displays your call to action URL to reinforce the words of your presenters).

Preparing content assets ahead of time is also a powerful way to ensure the online event stays aligned with your event. If your team is under pressure to produce event content when the event unfolds, mistakes are more likely to happen. There’s nothing wrong with some improvisation but asking your event staff to come up with event content in real-time is stressful! 

In the example below, we’re mentioned creating new content assets. If you’re running your first-ever virtual conference, you may have to start from scratch. However, if you are running a series of events over time (e.g. a quarterly invite-only conference for VIPs in your audience), there are probably content assets you can reuse. Any asset you upload to Arena Content Manager can be used repeatedly, so your team will get more efficient every time you run an event. 

During The Virtual Conference

As your virtual conference starts, your event team can breathe easy. They’ve already created and saved multiple assets to use during the event. For the best results, it’s helpful to have 2-3 people to support the event in addition to your event host. One person to provide technical support, one person to use the assets you’ve created in content manager and another person to interact with your audience in live chat. With this small team, you’ll have everything you need to keep your participants engaged. 

As the virtual event unfolds, remember your event goals. For example, if you want to grow your paid subscriber base, consider making custom offers for your audience (e.g. get 15% off an annual subscription when you subscribe before the event ends). 

Create and Optimize Your Live Virtual Events Workflow With Your Team

Learning the art of running successful online events takes time and practice. Whether you have a dedicated events team or not, it’s helpful to build a virtual events workflow for your team. Use the following checklist to emphasize planning and preparation with Arena Content Manager in your workflow.

1. Discuss Your Event Goals

Before you start promoting the event or creating content assets, everybody on the team needs to be crystal clear on goals. For instance, are there one or two event metrics that you will focus on? It’s often helpful to balance quantity and quality metrics. If your goal is to create leads for the sales team, track the number of inbound leads and how many of these leads become qualified.

2. Create Your Pre-Event Content Assets in Arena Content Manager

Now that you know your event goal, it’s time to create your assets in Arena Content Manager. As mentioned before, you can reuse content assets from previous events, your website and other sources. Focus your efforts on creating materials that directly support your primary goal (e.g. encouraging attendees to sign up for your event series, email list, etc).

3. Assign Roles and Responsibilities To The Event Team

Now you have your event material created in Arena Content Manager, make sure your team knows what they are responsible for. In most cases, there are a few roles to cover including:

  • Event host. This is the person who is on the virtual stage to welcome attendees, introduce speakers and keep the event moving.
  • Technical Support. Glitches and problems occasionally arise in virtual events, so it’s wide to have a technical support person on call for the event.
  • Event Support: this role is responsible for using the content created in Content Manager effectively such as sharing images and videos with attendees.
4. Run The Event & Meet With The Event Team Afterward

The final steps of the workflow are to run the event and gather insights after the event. For example, ask your team if there are other kinds of assets you can create for your next event. The opposite may be true as well – those GIFs you created might be well suited to your specific type of event. Keep these lessons in mind as you prepare for your next event.

Start Using Arena Content Manager Now

You can find the Arena Content Manager directly in your Arena Dashboard. Simply sign into your account and start adding assets. The assets you drag and drop into Content Manager will be ready for you to use whenever you log back into Arena.

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Virtual Team Building: 16 Great Ideas to Boost Employee Engagement

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In today’s remote work environment, keeping teams connected and employees engaged it’s more important than ever, but it can be challenging. Virtual team building activities offer creative ways to promote remote team engagement, enhance communication, and boost morale.

From virtual happy hours to online workshops, these activities can help maintain a strong team spirit and ensure everyone feels part of the community. Let’s explore why virtual team building is important and what are some of the events you can promote to boost employee engagement. 

Why Virtual Team Building is Essential

In an effort to save money, many companies might think that team building activities are a waste of resources, especially when we talk about remote teams. However, there are plenty of reasons why remote team engagement activities are essential to building lasting connections with your employees. 

Let’s dive right into them.

Strengthening Trust

Trust is the cornerstone of swift and effective collaboration, particularly in high-stakes situations. Initiatives like virtual games and interactive sessions pave the way for establishing and nurturing this trust, leading to enhanced performance and quality.

Enhancing Communication Skills

Effective communication is the underpinning of successful sales, marketing, and even internal operations across different departments. By fostering virtual camaraderie, we cultivate an environment where communication flourishes.

Reinforcing Organizational Culture

The importance of company culture is universal. Especially in fast-growing teams, ensuring that the company’s core values are constantly reinforced prevents potential cultural erosion.

Boosting Employee Engagement, Retention and Satisfaction

The significance of recognizing and appreciating employees cannot be emphasized enough. Recognition can manifest in various forms, from awards to acknowledging personal milestones. Such gestures prevent feelings of isolation and play a crucial role in talent retention.

Community Building 

Communities are all about connections. When you allow your employees to bond beyond their daily activities, you offer them an opportunity to connect in new ways with their peers, growing a sense of belonging and enhancing employee engagement.

The easiest way to host events and enable conversations is through a centralized community engagement hub, where you can concentrate all valuable information and allow employees to interact with each other, even after the event is through. 

16 Ideas for Virtual Team Building Events

Embarking on virtual team building can be both simple and effective, depending on which tools you choose to host these kinds of meetings. There are now many no-code alternatives that can offer a seamless experience for both organizers and attendees, and, if you’re not sure which one suits you best, take a look at our guide to the top 10 virtual conference platforms. 

As for virtual team building strategies, you can start small, with modest activities that help your team familiarize themselves with the format. Once you get comfortable, you can explore several creative and engaging events. 

Below, you’ll find 16 remote team engagement ideas, ranging from simple to more complex events. These activities are designed to foster collaboration, enhance communication, and build stronger relationships within your remote team.

 

1) Introducing Virtual Icebreakers

An effortless way to embark on this journey is to weave icebreakers into routine virtual meetings, such as All-Hands Meetings, especially when there are new team members. Occasional exercises like “Two Truths and a Lie” or “Would You Rather” questions can set a relaxed and engaging tone for discussions.

2) Trivia Challenges

Trivia games are an excellent tool for fostering team spirit and knowledge sharing. Tailoring questions around company updates or general knowledge can spur participation and bonding.

3) Virtual Scavenger Hunts

This is a playful way to get team members to share a slice of their personal lives, from household items to tech gadgets. For more intricate events, virtual scavenger hunt apps like Let’s Roam or Scavify can be a game-changer.

4) Engage in Online Games

For those pressed for time, online games can be a quick-fix solution. Platforms like Skribbl or CardsMania can be an excellent starting point. To ensure an interactive gaming experience, Arena Live Chat can be seamlessly integrated, offering real-time communication capabilities.

5) Virtual Celebrations for Employee Recognition

Dedicating time during meetings to spotlight achievements or milestones, both professional and personal, can significantly boost morale and foster community feeling.

6) Host Virtual Happy Hours 

Traditional bonding over drinks can be virtualized, where team members join from the comfort of their homes. Gift cards can incentivize participation, ensuring a relaxed and informal atmosphere.

7) Virtual Executive Socials

Creating a platform for informal interactions between executives and employees can break hierarchical barriers and foster mutual respect and understanding.

8) Weekly Sharing Sessions

Encourage team members to share valuable resources, be it apps, websites, or books, enhancing the collective knowledge pool and encouraging innovation.

9) Randomized Virtual Coffee Chat

Want to foster individual connections within your team? You can do this without any intricate tech or virtual team building platforms. This concept mirrors the day-to-day interactions that make workplace dynamics lively. You merely shuffle participants’ names and pair them up.

10) Virtual Fitness Quest

Warm seasons call for outdoor activities. A month-long fitness challenge can be the nudge for colleagues to embrace health targets. Utilize an honor code for activity tracking and let everyone share their progress. 

Kickstart this by rallying fitness enthusiasts who can act as influencers within their teams and organize incentives for those who complete the quest. Conclude with a virtual gathering showcasing photos, and videos, and applauding top performers.

11) Online Cycling Expeditions

This mirrors the fitness quest, but it focuses on biking. It resonates especially if situated in bike-friendly cities, and it can even be paired with a sustainability initiative for your business. Perhaps, enlist a biking professional to share insights and increase employee engagement. 

12) Digital Summer Festivities

Revel in the spirit of a summer cookout, virtually. Consider:

  • Scheduling nuances, since summer months are prime for leave.
  • Geographical considerations. Ensure the theme caters to the majority.
  • Personalize the theme. If mainstream holidays don’t resonate, label it something generic like “Online Summer Soiree”.

13) Online Cooking Classes

Many of your employees might have a keen interest in home cooking, as well as sharing their favorite dishes and, of course, learning new recipes. An online cooking class is the perfect opportunity to gather colleagues to expand their repertoire and engage with each other while doing so.

14) Engage a Role-playing Game

Expert Board games like online Dungeons & Dragons are surging as team cohesion tools. While lengthy and intricate, professionals can streamline the experience, ensuring a blend of entertainment and team bonding.

15) Online Language Immersion Sessions

Got a multicultural workforce? This could be your ace. From spotlighting a specific language on a relevant holiday to consistent weekly sessions, the camaraderie from learning together is irreplaceable.

16) Digital Corporate Literature Circles

Cultivate a reading and learning culture within your team. Suggest employees list top business reads and consider roping in the authors for an interactive session. Even if that’s unfeasible, an engaging discussion on a practical business book can be enlightening.

How to Prepare for Virtual Team Building Events

Besides choosing the theme for your internal event and setting a date, there are some steps you need to follow in order to have a great virtual employee engagement event. Here’s a practical breakdown:

1. Choose a platform that enables you to easily create an event, preferably with an integrated live chat.

2. Do a breakdown of the event specifics. Organize the agenda, see if there are any specialists, teachers or speakers that should be brought in, and plan the pre and post-event marketing strategy.

3. Announce the event 30 days beforehand to promote internally and gather attendees. Don’t forget to send sporadic reminders to your team across your internal channels. 

4. Partner with internal influencers and leaders who can advocate for the event among peers to raise awareness about the initiative. 

5. Host the event, taking note of how employees are reacting to the content that is being brought to them. 

6. After the event, solicit attendees’ opinions to understand what they enjoyed, and cross that information with the internal data you have available.

Optimize Your Digital Event with Prime Tools

Hosting virtual team building events is essential for growing employee engagement and fostering a strong community, even when team members are physically distant. By investing in regular virtual events, companies can ensure their remote teams remain motivated, engaged, and united, ultimately driving better performance and satisfaction.

Arena Community and Live Chat are invaluable tools for facilitating virtual team building. They provide real-time communication and interaction, making it easy to host engaging activities and keep your remote team connected. With these tools, you can seamlessly organize and manage events that bring your team together, create a sense of connection and belonging, promote collaboration, and boost morale.

Virtual Conference: Top 10 Platforms (Ranked)

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There are several virtual conference platforms you can use to host your online event. The best conference platforms let organizers host live stream events, accommodate large audiences, market their events, collect insightful data, broadcast on multiple platforms and devices, and encourage attendee engagement. 

To select a virtual event platform for your online conferences and virtual meetings, use the insights provided in this guide to make an informed decision. While our focus is on the best virtual conference platforms for large events, these tools can often be used to run a smaller online meetings as well. 

This guide reveals the top 10 virtual conference platforms, including features and pricing information for each so you can make a good decision as the event organizer.

Top 10 Virtual Conference Platforms

We have selected some of the best virtual conference platforms, according to user rankings on Capterra. Please note that these rankings change over time as more users review the apps and other solutions.

1. Grip (Capterra Average Rating: 5 stars out of 5)

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Grip offers virtual conference tools suitable for virtual and hybrid event experiences. As the event host, you can stream your online experience to other major streaming solutions like Zoom, YouTube, and Twitch. The software enhances networking, a key part of the attendee experience, through its AI-powered event matchmaking tool. Organizers can add a live stream to Grip’s main stage, and it automatically shows content on the users’ feeds. 

The platform’s Event Matchmaking tool creates a networking experience through speed networking, roundtables, instant video calls, multi-person meetings, and hosted buyer meetings. This matchmaking capability makes this platform stand out compared to other virtual meeting platforms. 

In addition to major streaming solutions, Grip also integrates with Arena to enhance audience engagement. Arena Live Chat is a live chat tool that improves engagement through instant messaging, Q&As, polls, surveys, group chat, and more. 

Arena Live Blog is another effective tool for digital agencies and companies looking to share quick updates as their conference unfolds. To capitalize on data collected from customers, companies also use Arena Personas plugged into their Customer Data Platform (CDP) to build customer profiles and better understand their preferences and interests.

2. Demio (Capterra Average Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5)

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Demio is one of our top virtual conference platforms because of its simple event registration capabilities, engagement benefits, and analytics tools. 

Demio offers real-time HD streaming, simulated events, and pre-recorded presentations. Organizers can add their own logo and branding, and attendees can join virtual conferences with just one click. 

Notable, the Demio platform integrates with over 50 third-party software apps like HubSpot, Drip, ConvertKit, and MailChimp. Organizers can view attendees, collect contact details, manage their registration, and export contacts to a CSV file. 

Demio offers a 14-day free trial, so you can evaluate if it is right for your needs. The company offers three paid plans: Starter ($34 per month with 50 attendees), growth ($69 per month with 150 attendees), and premium (request quote for pricing and support for more than 500 attendees).

3. Livestorm (Capterra Average Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5)

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Livestorm is a browser-based platform that offers powerful live streaming features, where events can be hosted on desktop and mobile devices. The webinar software can be used for pre-recorded online events, live events, or on-demand events. 

Organizers can track engagement, answer questions, add polls, chat with attendees, send emails, and use these insights to improve the experience for attendees.

Companies can promote their events through branded registration pages, built-in social sharing, company pages, automated emails, and more. Livestorm has solid features to enable an engaging interactive experience like Q&As for event guests, call-to-actions, live answer notifications, live attendees lists, and screen sharing. 

Like several of the other online community platforms profiled here, Livestorm offers several plans. To take the platform for a test drive and see how it performs with interactive webinars, try the free plan which has a maximum event duration of 20 minutes. To accommodate more event participants, top-tier support, and other features, sign up for the Pro, Business, or Enterprise plan. 

4. Communique Conferencing (Capterra Average Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5)

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Communique Conferencing has effective solutions for audio conferencing, web conferencing, and virtual community events. Its webcasting software lets organizers broadcast video and audio to over 30,000 attendees. This large virtual venue capacity means the platform pairs well with even the largest events.

Its virtual conferencing platform creates an online environment that includes features for networking, keynote presentations, booths, exhibit halls, and conferences. It also has a custom solution for hosting virtual career fairs and hybrid events. To find out more about the platform’s pricing, contact the company.

5. Zoom (Capterra Average Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5)

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Zoom offers several different products for video webinars, meetings, phone systems, events, chat, and more. Zoom Meetings can host up to 1,000 participants with audience chats, and Zoom’s webinar platform can broadcast to 50,000 attendees. Virtual conference hosts can stream HD video, cancel background noise, and add virtual backgrounds with Zoom’s software. 

Zoom’s key features include the capability to create their own post-conference landing page and set up reminder emails. To encourage audience participation, Zoom also offers Q&A sessions and attendee networking via breakout rooms.

Zoom’s Webinars starts at $690 per year (up to 500 attendees) and Zoom Webinar is priced at $890 per year (up to 500 attendees). At higher price points, the virtual event platform can serve over 10,000 live attendees.

6. Cisco Webex (Capterra Average Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5)

Cisco Webex is a virtual event platform that supports up to 10,000 attendees. To keep your attendees engaged, the platform offers breakout rooms (i.e. a virtual networking lounge), polls, chats, and Q&As. 

The platform’s webinars come with post-event reporting, moderator controls, custom presentation options, and personalized registration pages.  Cisco Webex offers several different pricing plans depending on each organizer’s needs.

The free basic plan is limited to 50-minute meetings and 100 attendees. The Business plan is $25 per month with support for 200 attendees. The enterprise plan provides support for up to 1000 attendees (contact sales for pricing).

7. Airmeet (Capterra Average Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5)

Airmeet is a platform that lets organizers host up to 100,000 participants for a hybrid or physical event. Organizers can connect attendees through mobile devices, live stream events on Facebook and YouTube, and use integrations to exchange event data. 

With this hosting platform, organizers can add real-time polling, collect event insights, sell tickets with different tiers, and easily register attendees with registration forms.

The virtual event software has several plans, including social webinars and events. Both plans include interactive features such as the ability to gather audience questions.

Its plans include Social Webinars for results-driven webinars and Events for large-scale conferences. AirMeet has three plans: free, standard and pro. The free plan is limited to 100 attendees per event, while the standard plan (starts at $2400 per year) supports more users. To access all of the platform’s robust features (e.g. virtual booths, email marketing support, and networking features), see the pro plan which starts at $7500 per year.

8. GoToWebinar (Capterra Average Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5)

GoToWebinar is another virtual events platform that checks all the boxes of a top virtual events software. The video conferencing platform comes with powerful integrations, helpful analytics, engagement features, and flexible webinar modes. GoToWebinar comes with advanced security features and can quickly process credit card payments through Stripe. 

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GoToWebinar’s Webcast solution can host 3,000 to 100,000 attendees and its webinars can be pre-recorded which makes it a great pick for virtual community events. Content can be delivered through pre-recorded webinars, webcasting, and interactive live recording. 

The platform has four plans: lite, standard, pro and enterprise. The lite plan starts at $49 per organizer per month and includes support for up to 250 participants. GoToWebinars also offers automated emails in each plan to support your email marketing campaigns

Its four pricing plans categorized by number of participants range from $49 per organizer per month to $399 per organizer per month. 

9. Eventzilla (Capterra Average Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5)

Eventzilla is an all-in-one virtual conference software that also offers event registration for hybrid, virtual, and in-person events. 

Event organizers can use this platform to build event agendas, run marketing campaigns, create mobile-friendly pages, and manage multiple events simultaneously. 

Users can try Eventzilla for free. The Basic plan starts at $1.50 per event attendee up to a maximum of 100 attendees. For additional users, see the company’s higher-tier plans.

10. ClickMeeting (Capterra Average Rating: 4.2 stars out of 5)

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ClickMeeting is a virtual conference platform for hosting product demos, online business meetings, online training courses, and huge online events. Its huge virtual events product lets users host up to 10,000 attendees. Users can stream events live on YouTube or Facebook and add call-to-action buttons to generate conversions. The ability to connect to a wider audience on social media platforms when video streaming makes ClickMeeting appealing.

Some of ClickMeeting’s powerful features include paid webinars, live webinars, on-demand webinars, screen sharing, and webinar recording (i.e., support for event recording). The product comes with a 30-day free trial and three paid subscription plans. 

ClickMeeting if one of the most affordable virtual conference platforms, with plans starting at $25 per month and pricing changing based on the number of attendees, integrations and other features.

How to Choose the Right Virtual Conference Platform

Assess Your Needs

Begin by identifying the specific needs of your event. Consider factors like the expected number of attendees, the type of interactions you want to facilitate (e.g., breakout rooms, Q&A sessions, networking features), and the level of technical support required. Understanding your goals will help you prioritize which features are essential for your virtual meeting platform.

Compare Features and Pricing

Once you have a clear understanding of your needs, compare the features and pricing of different platforms. Look for tools that offer the functionalities you need, such as live streaming, real-time chat, and analytics. Ensure the pricing aligns with your budget, and consider whether the platform offers scalable options to accommodate future growth.

Read User Reviews

User reviews can provide valuable insights into the reliability and user-friendliness of a platform. Look for reviews on trusted sites like Capterra and G2, paying attention to both positive and negative feedback. Reviews can reveal common issues and highlight features that users find particularly beneficial, helping you make an informed decision.

Conclusion

Whether you’re hosting a webinar, conference, or virtual training, consider using one of the top virtual conference platforms mentioned. One of the reasons that Grip is a fantastic option is because it integrates Arena Live Chat in its live event platform. To find out which product is best for you, sign up for a free trial and take each Arena product for a test drive yourself. 

A common theme among many of these tools is the importance of attendee engagement. With software tools provided by Arena, you can enhance user engagement, collect customer data, and build relationships with your audience during video conferences.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFy4Ho4jPnM

To select a virtual event platform for your online conferences and virtual meetings, use this guide fully updated in 2022. While our focus is on larger virtual meetings, these platforms can often be used to run a smaller online meetings as well. 

This guide reveals the top 10 virtual conference platforms, including features and pricing information for each so you can make a good decision as the event organizer.

Best Virtual Conference Platforms

Our rankings are informed by the Capterra average star rating provided to each platform as of August 2022. These rankings change over time as more users review the app.

1. Grip (Capterra Average Rating: 5 stars out of 5)

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Grip offers virtual conference software suitable for virtual and hybrid event experiences. As the event host, you can stream your online experience to other major streaming solutions like Zoom, YouTube, and Twitch. The software enhances networking, a key part of the attendee experience, through its AI-powered event matchmaking tool. Organizers can add a live stream to Grip’s main stage, and it automatically shows content on the users’ feeds. 

The platform’s Event Matchmaking tool creates a networking experience through speed networking, roundtables, instant video calls, multi-person meetings, and hosted buyer meetings.  This matchmaking capability makes this platform stand out compared to other virtual meeting platforms. 

In addition to major streaming solutions, Grip also integrates with Arena to enhance audience engagement. Arena Live Chat is a live chat tool that improves engagement through instant messaging, Q&As, polls, surveys, group chat, and more. 

Arena Live Blog is another effective tool for digital agencies and companies looking to share quick updates as their conference unfolds. To capitalize on data collected from customers, companies also use Arena Personas plugged to their Customer Data Platform (CDP) to build customer profiles and better understand their preferences and interests.

2. Demio (Capterra Average Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5)

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Demio is one of our top virtual conference platforms because of its simple event registration capabilities, engagement benefits, and analytics tools. 

Demio offers real-time HD streaming, simulated events, and pre-recorded presentations. Organizers can add their own logo and branding, and attendees can join virtual conferences with just one click. 

Notable, the Demio platform integrates with over 50 third-party software apps like HubSpot, Drip, ConvertKit, and MailChimp. Organizers can view attendees, collect contact details, manage their registration, and export contacts to a CSV file. 

Demio offers a 14-day free trial, so you can evaluate if it is right for your needs. The company offers three paid plans: Starter ($34 per month with 50 attendees), growth ($69 per month with 150 attendees), and premium (request quote for pricing and support for more than 500 attendees).

3. Livestorm (Capterra Average Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5)

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Livestorm is a browser-based platform that offers powerful live streaming features. Events can be hosted on desktop and mobile devices. The webinar software can be used for pre-recorded online events, live events, or on-demand events. 

Organizers can track engagement, answer questions, add polls, chat with attendees, send emails, and use these insights to improve the experience for attendees.

Companies can promote their events through branded registration pages, built-in social sharing, company pages, automated emails, and more. Livestorm has solid features to enable an engaging interactive experience like Q&As for event guests, call-to-actions, live answer notifications, live attendees lists, and screen sharing. 

Like several of the other video conferencing tools profiled here, Livestorm offers several plans. To take the platform for a test drive and see how it performs with interactive webinars, try the free plan which has a maximum event duration of 20 minutes. To accommodate more event participants, top-tier support, and other features, sign up for the Pro, Business, or Enterprise plan. 

4. Communique Conferencing (Capterra Average Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5)

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Communique Conferencing has effective solutions for audio conferencing, web conferencing, and virtual events. Its webcasting software lets organizers broadcast video and audio to over 30,000 attendees. This large virtual venue capacity means the platform pairs well with even the largest events.

Its virtual conferencing platform creates an online environment that includes features for networking, keynote presentations, booths, exhibit halls, and conferences. It also has a custom solution for hosting virtual career fairs and hybrid events. To find out more about the platform’s pricing, contact the company.

5. Zoom (Capterra Average Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5)

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Zoom offers several different products for video webinars, meetings, phone systems, events, chat, and more. Zoom Meetings can host up to 1,000 participants with audience chats, and Zoom’s webinar platform can broadcast to 50,000 attendees. Virtual conference hosts can stream HD video, cancel background noise, and add virtual backgrounds with Zoom’s software. 

Zoom’s key features include the capability to create their own post-conference landing page and set up reminder emails. To encourage audience participation, Zoom also offers Q&A sessions and attendee networking via breakout rooms.

Zoom’s Webinars starts at $690 per year (up to 500 attendees) and Zoom Webinar is priced at $890 per year (up to 500 attendees). At higher price points, the virtual event platform can serve over 10,000 live attendees.

6. Cisco Webex (Capterra Average Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5)

Cisco Webex is a virtual event platform that supports up to 10,000 attendees. To keep your attendees engaged, the platform offers breakout rooms (i.e. a virtual networking lounge), polls, chats, and Q&As. 

The platform’s webinars come with post-event reporting, moderator controls, custom presentation options, and personalized registration pages.  Cisco Webex offers several different pricing plans depending on each organizer’s needs.

The free basic plan is limited to 50-minute meetings and 100 attendees. The Business plan is $25 per month with support for 200 attendees. The enterprise plan provides support for up to 1000 attendees (contact sales for pricing).

7. Airmeet (Capterra Average Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5)

Airmeet is a platform that lets organizers host up to 100,000 participants for a hybrid or physical event. Organizers can connect attendees through mobile devices, live stream events on Facebook and YouTube, and use integrations to exchange event data. 

With this hosting platform, organizers can add real-time polling, collect event insights, sell tickets with different tiers, and easily register attendees with registration forms.

The virtual meeting software platform has several plans, including social webinars and events. Both plans include interactive features such as the ability to gather audience questions.

Its plans include Social Webinars for results-driven webinars and Events for large-scale conferences. AirMeet has three plans: free, standard and pro. The free plan is limited to 100 attendees per event, while the standard plan (starts at $2400 per ear) supports more users. To access all of the platform’s robust features (e.g. virtual booths, email marketing support, and networking features), see the pro plan which starts at $7500 per year.

8. GoToWebinar (Capterra Average Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5)

GoToWebinar is another virtual events platform that checks all the boxes of a top virtual events software. The video conferencing platform comes with powerful integrations, helpful analytics, engagement features, and flexible webinar modes. GoToWebinar comes with advanced security features and can quickly process credit card payments through Stripe. 

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GoToWebinar’s Webcast solution can host 3,000 to 100,000 attendees and its webinars can be pre-recorded which makes it a great pick for digital events. Content can be delivered through pre-recorded webinars, webcasting, and interactive live recording. 

The platform has four plans: lite, standard, pro and enterprise. The lite plan starts at $49 per organizer per month and includes support for up to 250 participants. GoToWebinars also offers automated emails in each plan to support your email marketing campaigns

Its four pricing plans categorized by number of participants range from $49 per organizer per month to $399 per organizer per month. 

9. Eventzilla (Capterra Average Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5)

Eventzilla is an all-in-one virtual conference software that also offers event registration for hybrid, virtual, and in-person events. 

Event organizers can use this platform to build event agendas, run marketing campaigns, create mobile-friendly pages, and manage multiple events simultaneously. 

Users can try Eventzilla for free. The Basic plan starts at $1.50 per event attendee up to a maximum of 100 attendees. For additional users, see the company’s higher-tier plans.

10. ClickMeeting (Capterra Average Rating: 4.2 stars out of 5)

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ClickMeeting is a virtual conference platform for hosting product demos, online business meetings, online training courses, and huge online events. Its huge virtual events product lets users host up to 10,000 attendees. Users can stream events live on YouTube or Facebook and add call-to-action buttons to generate conversions. The ability to connect to a wider audience on social media platforms when video streaming makes ClickMeeting appealing.

Some of ClickMeeting’s powerful features include paid webinars, live webinars, on-demand webinars, screen sharing, and webinar recording (i.e., support for event recording). The product comes with a 30-day free trial and three paid subscription plans. 

ClickMeeting plans start at $25 per month and pricing changes based on the number of attendees, integrations and other features.

Conclusion

Whether you’re hosting a webinar, conference, or virtual training, consider using one of the top virtual conference platforms mentioned. One of the reasons that Grip is a fantastic option is because it integrates  Arena Live Chat in its live event platform. To find out which product is best for you, sign up for a free trial and take each Arena product for a test drive yourself. 

A common theme among many of these tools is the importance of attendee engagement. With software tools provided by Arena, you can enhance user engagement, collect customer data, and build relationships with your audience during video conferences.

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6 Creative Online Event Ideas for Hiring Top Talent

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Forging new connections with potential employees through digital channels may be more challenging than in-person events. However, it is more than possible when you use proven event formats. 

Online event ideas for hiring are increasingly important due to the state of the job market. Reuters reported that US job openings were near a record high. There were 1.8 open jobs for every unemployed person in January. In this environment, employers need to think creatively about ways to attract talent.

Transform Your Online Recruitment Strategies

Ever since COVID-19, with the forced move to remote work, the hiring landscape has also changed drastically. In-person recruitment and interviewing have opened space for online recruitment strategies, which allowed recruitment managers to spread their reach and open doors for candidates all over the world. 

Sure, on-site recruitment events continue, but there are several benefits for both candidates and recruiters. Besides the aforementioned larger candidate pool, online hiring events and career fairs help companies save time and money, facilitating candidate follow-up and gathering important feedback for future events.

Let’s take a look at 6 great online event ideas for hiring and enhancing your online recruitment strategies.

1. Sponsor A Virtual Hackathon Online Event

Technical professionals like software engineers and web developers are in high demand. These technical experts receive countless LinkedIn messages from recruiters and managers every month. Competing directly against other recruiters is not your only option – that’s where hackathons come in.

A hackathon is typically a one or two-day event where participants create an app or software to solve a problem. The short time frame and camaraderie have made these events popular. To make the event more compelling, offer support from subject matter experts in your company to provide data and advice to participants.

You can either run your hackathon event or sponsor an existing event. For instance, you could join companies like IBM, Salesforce, Amazon, and KPMG, previously sponsored hackathon events. 

For more tips on planning a hackathon event, see Joshua Tauberer’s guide on how to run a successful hackathon.

2. Virtual Coffee Chats

Grabbing a coffee with an experienced professional is one of the best ways to create a connection. The downside to these informal interactions is that they can be challenging to scale up. Organizing a virtual coffee chat event, on the other hand, is an excellent way to bring together a small group of 5-10 people.

There are two popular ways to structure a virtual coffee chat: structured and unstructured. 

Structured Coffee Chat

A structured coffee chat requires more planning effort. You will invite specific employees to speak with potential hires and support the matchmaking process with this approach. This guided approach is an excellent idea if you have sufficient time to plan it. 

Unstructured Coffee Chat

An unstructured coffee chat format works well when you add this to another online event. For example, you might have a virtual panel discussion of employees sharing their experiences about working at the company. Following the panel, you might invite attendees to arrange one-on-one coffee chats.

To make your virtual coffee chat more memorable, consider sending coffee gift cards to participants in advance. Sending a $10 gift card to each attendee is a cost-effective way to encourage people to remember to attend your event.

Boeing and Princeton University are using a virtual coffee chat event to help students discuss career opportunities at the aerospace firm. Note how Princeton presents the event as an informal way for students to learn more about Boeing. Virtual coffee chats are an excellent informal way to spark interest in your company.

Discover 15 virtual event ideas to engage young professionals.

3. Virtual Meet and Greet With CEO And Executives Online Event

Is your leadership team passionate about recruiting new employees? If the answer is yes, then shine a spotlight on your leaders by hosting a virtual meet-and-greet event. This event format is particularly compelling in larger organizations where junior employees are less likely to have opportunities to meet senior executives.

The Akron Children’s Hospital in Ohio offered a virtual meet & greet event with Chris Gessner, President, and CEO of the hospital. The one-hour virtual event was offered three times: once at 12pm and twice at 6 pm. Offering virtual events at different times makes it easier to connect with more candidates. 

4. Sponsor A Virtual Business Competition

Are you looking to build relationships with students? Sponsoring a virtual business competition is one way to go. AT&T, Intuit, Marriott, and Walgreens partner with DECA, a Virginia organization that runs competitions for high school and college students. 

The DECA approach to running a virtual business challenge is helpful to review if you want to plan your virtual competition. DECA offers competitions focused on different themes such as finance, hotel management, restaurants, fashion, retail, sports, and personal finance. Giving participants a clearly defined problem to solve is a great way to spot high-potential employees.

5. Diversity and Inclusion Online Recruiting Events

Diversity and inclusion in hiring is a significant priority for human resources leaders. Traditional recruiting events and methods have underperformed when attracting more diverse applicants. That’s why it is important to leverage virtual events aimed at crucial groups. 

Recent research from Handshake shows that virtual events can play an essential role in sharing opportunities: 

Our study finds that women, students of color, and neurodiverse students find virtual career events and interviews to be less anxiety-inducing, easier to balance, and more accessible when compared to meeting with prospective employers in person.

Chipotle, Verizon, and Kimberly-Clark executives recently came together in a virtual event to celebrate International Women’s Day. The virtual career development event allowed attendees to connect with highly successful female executives and learn how to advance their careers.

6. Virtual Office Tours To Attract New Employees

Many employees are curious to see your offices to understand your organization’s culture. A LinkedIn survey of 14,000 professionals found that office visits are the number one way job candidates prefer to learn about a company’s culture. Offering a virtual office visit is one way to make your organization more relatable to potential hires. 

There are a few ways you can plan a virtual office visit. The real-time approach offers authenticity and interaction, such as having an employee explore your office with a phone or tablet. To make your virtual office tour more engaging, take time to create a virtual event script. 

What To Do After You Choose Your Online Hiring Event 

Selecting an online hiring event format is the first step of the planning process. You also need to think through the technology, content, and interactive elements of the experience to engage applicants. To help you plan your online hiring event, use Arena’s free ebook to improve your live events.

 

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Webinar Platforms: Top 7 Solutions for Online Events

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There are so many webinar platforms on the market today that creating a shortlist is time-consuming. There is no single webinar platform suitable for every situation. A Fortune 500 company might want a webinar able to support thousands of attendees and provide detailed analytics. A small company might be more focused on an affordable price.

To help you save time, use this guide to the seven best webinar platforms and see how they compare in features, integrations, and more.

What Is The Goal Of Your Webinar?

Before diving into the specifics of the best platform for webinars on the market, let’s consider goals for a moment. Webinars are typically offered for three reasons. First, sales webinars sell products and services (a good strategy for higher-priced products over $500 or $100). Second, a business can use a webinar as a lead generation tool – invite attendees to book appointments following the webinar. Third, some organizations use webinars to deliver educational content.

Don’t forget to check some great resources for virtual events for education and e-learning, sports, news publishing, and ecommerce at Arena’s website.

Take a few minutes to get clear on the goal of your webinar. Now, let’s take a look at some of the webinar platforms on the market.

1) Arena Live Chat

  • Capacity: there is no limit on the number of live chat attendees.
  • Free Trial Available: there is a free 14-day trial.
  • Integrations: multiple integrations are available, including Arena for WordPress.

Arena Live Chat is an excellent solution for making your audience part of the conversation. When you give webinar attendees the ability to connect and ask questions, you’re more likely to achieve your goals. Once you select a video platform for your webinar, consider adding Arena Live Chat to give webinar participants a voice in the event. See how to enhance the e-learning experience by adding Live Chat, for instance.

2) GoToWebinar

  • Capacity: depends on the plan. The Starter plan is limited to 100 participants.
  • Free Trial Available: Yes, there is a 7-day free trial.
  • Integrations: GoToWebinar includes integrations with G Suit, Salesforce, Microsoft Teams, and other apps.

GoToWebinar is one of the best-known webinar platforms on the market. Capterra has also highlighted the app as a top performer for live streaming. The app includes the ability to track attendees, record sessions, and run virtual classrooms.

3) WebinarJam

  • Capacity: depends on the plan. The basic plan is limited to 500 attendees.
  • Free Trial Available: there is no free trial available. However, the company offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
  • Integrations: WebinarJam integrates with sales and marketing apps such as Aweber, MailChimp, GetResponse, ClickFunnels, and LeadPages.

This cloud-based webinar platform gives users several helpful features to engage your audience. You can record webinars, run the event with multiple hosts and use polls to keep your audience engaged. The lack of a desktop app might turn off some users.

4) Livestorm

  • Capacity: depends on the plan. The premium plan starts with a capacity of 100 attendees, while the enterprise plan can support up to 3,000 attendees.
  • Free Trial Available: Livestorm offers a free Starter plan to run 20-minute events with a small number of people.
  • Integrations: Livestorm has an impressive suite of native integrations such as Slack, Pipedrive, HubSpot, and Intercom. In addition, you can also use Zapier to connect Livestorm with other platforms.

This browser-based webinar tool is easy for people to join with a single click. Capterra has recognized Livestorm as an “emerging favorite” in three categories: live streaming software, video conferencing software, and webinar software. This webinar platform also makes it easy for attendees to join the conversation. It includes screen sharing, polls, and chat features. If you are looking for a webinar platform that can do double duty as a video platform for sales, Livestorm is a good option.

5) Zoom Video Webinars

  • Capacity: up to 50,000 people (possibly the highest capacity webinar platform on the market)
  • Free Trial Available: there is no free trial for Zoom Webinar. However, you can use essential Zoom Meetings with up to 100 participants for free (subject to a 40-minute limit).
  • Integrations: Zoom Webinars offers an impressive variety of integrations: Zoom for HubSpot, Intercom, Domo, Eventbrite, Rev, MixMax, and dozens of others.

Zoom is best known as a video conferencing app. However, the company also has a webinar capability.  While Zoom has a strong reputation as a video conferencing tool, it is less well known as a webinar platform. Zoom Webinars stands out for their scalability. It is tough to beat Zoom if you need to deliver a presentation to thousands of people with many different presenters.

6) Webex

  • Capacity: depends on the plan. The Business plan supports 200 participants, while the Enterprise plan has “customizable” limits.
  • Free Trial Available: there is a free plan available that can accommodate up to 100 people for a 50-minute session.
  • Integrations: The Webex App Hub supports many popular apps such as Salesforce, Zapier, and security tools.

Webex is the webinar solution created by Cisco. The company has a good reputation for creating robust communication tools for corporate users. The platform’s paid plans include support for MP4 recordings, the ability to stream meetings from Facebook Live, and toll-free phone numbers for people who prefer to join by phone.

7) Adobe Connect

  • Capacity: varies depending on the plan. The middle tier offering (Adobe Connect Webinars) starts with 100 participants, but you can pay for a higher capacity limit.
  • Free Trial Available: yes, Adobe Connect currently offers a free 30-day trial.
  • Integrations: Adobe Connect has fewer integrations than some of its competitions. Available integrations include ScheduleOnce, Blackboard, and SAP Enterprise Learning.

Adobe is best known for its graphic design apps. However, the company has also offered a webinar tool for several years now. The video app includes support for multiple hosts, polls, file sharing, and recording. That said, some reviewers have experienced problems with the product’s video quality.

Note that running Adobe Connect may require that you have Adobe Flash Player runtime installed. If you are aiming to maximize attendees, this requirement could be a problem.

What To Do After Choosing Your Webinar Platforms

Sorting through the webinar platforms to find the right tools for your company is just the first step. You have to give just as much attention to the content of your webinar. To help you craft a compelling experience, download Arena’s free ebook: How to Create Live Events

Streaming Live Sports Best Practices for Engagement

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Pairing a live chat or live blog with your live sport stream is one of the best ways to update and involve your audience. Before you set either one up, you need to know the basics for using them effectively. This article goes over the best practices for adding a live chat or live blog to your live sport stream. 

How to Make the Best Live Chat and Live Blog Experience Possible

If you’re not already familiar with live chat or live blog, they are tools you can use to boost connection and engagement with your fans and customers. Follow the guidelines presented below to create the best experience possible. 

1. Motivate Your Audience

The first best practice when implementing your live chat or live blog is to show your viewers that you value them. Thank viewers for joining your live stream, encourage their feedback and engagement, and answer any questions they have. 

When someone joins your live chat, send them a welcome message like “Welcome [user first name]! Thanks for joining our live stream today!” Avoid creating a one-way conversation by letting viewers comment through live chat. Allow them to ask questions and do your best to answer as many as you can. 

You can encourage your audience to engage by asking questions of your own. You can then ask them to give their best answer or prediction. For example, you could ask, “How many points will the Nuggets score this quarter?” Offer a reward to anyone who guesses correctly, increasing the chance that people will comment. 

It can incentivize people to join your event if you create a free live sports streaming event. A free live sports streaming event can set you apart from competitors who charge money to view their stream. You can then encourage them to comment in the live chat or view your live blog. 

2. Capitalize on Down Time

When people watch live sports, it’s common to experience breaks in the action. 

Football and basketball games have timeouts, injuries, and halftimes. Baseball games have inning and pitching changes. Tennis matches have side changeovers. No matter which type of live sports event you’re broadcasting, you’ll have opportunities to capitalize on down time. 

There’s a chance that viewers will log off during these breaks, but you can use a live blog to keep them interested. Post relevant content like team schedules and highlights, coach and player interviews, and rules explanations. 

You can also use live blog and live chat simultaneously during breaks. For example, you can post a team’s remaining schedule during a timeout. 

Then, you can ask your audience to predict how many more games the team will win. To encourage more engagement, you can offer a product discount to a randomly selected commenter on your question. 

3. Minimize Technical Problems

The best way to quickly send your audience to a competitor’s live stream is to host a stream filled with technical problems. These include freezes and audio glitches. You need a smooth connection to let your audience watch live sports without issues. 

To create a stream that’s as clean as possible, ensure you have a strong connection and are set up on a good streaming platform. Some of the best platforms we recommend are Restream, Dacast, and Brightcove.

Another way to reduce technical errors is by using live chat to help your viewers troubleshoot common problems. For example, you can provide tips on the best browser to use, recommend users to move closer to their routers, or offer other advice for unfreezing video and audio. 

4. Plan Ahead

When running a live blog, you’re under pressure to post relevant content quickly. This can be stressful so make sure you create a plan before the live sports event. Come up with at least four to five pieces of content you can post in certain slots. These can include statistics, highlights, interviews, and more. 

If you don’t want to create entire pieces of content beforehand, you should have a rough outline or set of notes for what to post. 

Not all content should be pre-made because that would eliminate the purpose of a live blog. However, planning some of your content out will allow you to quickly post when you’re struggling to think of ideas. 

It also helps to invite at least one teammate to join you. This allows you to collaborate on ideas and divide the workload. You could have one team member post content while the other team member edits. You could also alternate which team member is in charge of posting so no one gets burned out. 
Fox Sports Australia, for instance, leveraged automated features like social stream, auto score update and auto play-by-play to free up its editors to perform other tasks during online transmissions. This allowed the sports media company to offer over 500 monthly sports event in it website without losing efficiency.

5. Eliminate Inappropriate Messages

The internet is full of “trolls”, or people who post inappropriate, irrelevant, or offensive comments online. If you set up a live chat, you’ll be sure to encounter these types of posters. They might be insulting other users, sporadically posting comments, or using profane language. 

You need to monitor these messages, so your live chat doesn’t become unattractive to your audience. If someone joins your live chat that’s full of unhelpful or harmful messages, they’ll likely leave the chat. To prevent this, consider using a software like Arena Live Chat. 

With Arena Live Chat, you can monitor, identify, and remove internet trolls. The software also lets you automatically block profane language. This is especially important if you expect children to attend your live stream. By cleaning up your live chat, you’ll ensure everyone is comfortable and the discussion stays on topic. 

Conclusion

Once you have a live sports event in mind and a platform to let your audience watch live sports, add a live blog or live chat. A live chat is a way for the audience to share their opinions and interact with you, and a live blog lets you quickly post updates in real-time. 

When using these tools, keep in mind the five best practices covered in this guide. 

First, always make sure to value and encourage your audience. Take advantage of breaks in the action by sharing informative content. Always ensure your live stream is running smoothly. Plan some of your live blog content ahead of time. Finally, never tolerate live chat misbehavior. If you want more great tips you should check out our Best Live Streaming Tips article.

To quickly set up a live chat and live blog, download Arena’s software today. The tools can be set up in minutes, and the software has been trusted by thousands of customers including Fox Sports, Microsoft, and Sony Music. Click the link below to try Arena for free. 

Sign up for Arena today!