Online events such as webinars have become increasingly popular with more and more event planners opting for this type of event. There are many advantages to hosting webinars as opposed to physical events including its cost-efficiency and the fact that many people are still hesitant to attend physical events due to the pandemic.
However, with its rise in popularity, online events have also seen the increase of webinar fatigue. Webinar fatigue is quite literally the fact that people are getting tired of webinars as they are constantly bombarded with webinar invitations and because they are most likely already spending most of their day in front of a screen. It’s not all doom and gloom though. There are ways of making your webinar a positive and engaging experience for your attendees.
Tips to combat webinar fatigue:
1. Make it a dialog and not a monologue
People hate to be ‘talked at’, so be sure to make your presentations more of a conversation. This can be done by including live commenting, polls and Q&A in your events.
2. Spice things up some AV tech
If attendees are spending the entire webinar staring at someone sitting at their desk and presenting, or even looking at a poorly designed presentation, chances are they are going to get bored. So, bring in some video or even use a green screen to add a level of intrigue.
3. Gamification is key
Gamification is a great way of engaging your audience. This can be done in many ways and you can even up the stakes by offering spot prizes or giveaways.
4. Diversify the format of your content
If your presenters are only using a Powerpoint or Keynote presentation filled with copy, or numbers, you’re likely to lose your audience’s interest. Ensure that your speakers include visuals, videos and an array of media forms in order to keep things interesting.
5. Include more breaks
This may seem obvious, but you’ll be surprised how much this is neglected, especially in online events. Attention spans are not what they used to be and it is especially easy for online event attendees to simply log off if they’re not being engaged.
6. Build a social community
One of the main benefits for attendees at any event (whether physical, online or even hybrid) is networking.
People relish the opportunity to make connections that could lead to business opportunities. So, ensure that you offer networking opportunities. This can be in the form of a chatroom, breakaway sessions or using online platforms that allow for attendees to do speed networking and be matched with each other to have conversations after the webinar.
If you want to ensure that your event stands out from the crowd and is an engaging experience for all your attendees, Book a Demo today to see how Flock Eventing Platform can help you do just that.