Are you looking for unique event engagement ideas to amp up your next event? You’ve come to the right place.
The main goal of any event is to give attendees an unforgettable experience that leaves them informed and entertained. Now, engaging the crowd can be a bit of a challenge, but trust me, it’s totally worth it for creating a kickass event that people won’t stop talking about.
In this article, we’re gonna dive into some tried and true event engagement ideas that you can use before, during, and after your event to keep everyone hooked and make a lasting impression.
Why is event engagement important?
Engaging attendees can significantly impact the success of an event. Engaged attendees are likelier to stay for the event, share their experiences with others, and attend future events. Engaged attendees are also more likely to connect with other attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors, which can lead to valuable business opportunities. Creating a memorable event experience through engagement can enhance your brand’s reputation and create a positive buzz that can last long after the event has ended.
Pre-event engagement ideas
Before the event, it’s essential to build anticipation and excitement among attendees. Here are a few pre-event engagement ideas that can help achieve this goal.
Social media is a powerful tool to create buzz and excitement before an event. Engage with your attendees through interactive social media campaigns such as countdowns, different platforms, teaser videos, and hashtags.
For example, encourage attendees to share a photo of when they get their ticket by using an event-specific hashtag. Set up a hashtag wall to collect and track all the photos.
Start tracking user-generated content published with your hashtag.
2. Pre-event contests and giveaways
Contests and giveaways are an excellent way to create buzz and excitement before an event. Offer prizes such as VIP passes, merchandise, or exclusive access to speakers or sessions. Create a sense of urgency by setting a deadline for entries and promoting the contest on social media.
3. Gamification
Gamification is an effective way to engage attendees right before an event starts. One idea is to create a game or scavenger hunt that requires attendees to visit specific locations or booths to win prizes. Think about it as a warm-up to encourage attendees to explore the event space and interact with exhibitors.
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On-site event engagement ideas
During the event, it’s essential to keep attendees engaged and entertained. Here are a few on-site event engagement ideas to help achieve this goal.
4. Photo booths
Photo booths are a fun way to engage attendees and create shareable content. Offer a custom backdrop or props related to your event, and encourage attendees to share their photos on social media using event-specific hashtags. Don’t forget to add a big sign with your event hashtag so everyone can use it.
Here’s a great example by Airmeet, who ran a selfie contest called “Snap and Win” during “Events to Experiences,” one of their virtual summits for event professionals using a social wall with an integrated photo booth. In response, they received dozens of selfies and positive feedback from their attendees. To keep the audience engagement high throughout the 3-hour event, Airmeet also incorporated an interactive session in between talks. During it, a moderator from Walls.io went through the selfies on the social wall and encouraged people to vote for their favorites using the Reactions feature.
Collect all branded selfies in one place
Once you have a hashtag and people start posting content on social media using it, make sure you collect all that content and showcase it on a live social media wall. Displaying attendee content on a social wall is a fantastic event engagement idea. You can reap multiple benefits by displaying real-time content from various social media platforms, including increased audience engagement, credibility, and brand advocacy.
6. Make participation easy by using QR codes
QR codes provide a cost-effective and engaging solution for event engagement. They allow event organizers to offer attendees an interactive experience while collecting data and tracking attendance. Here are a few ideas for using QR codes for event activation:
QR codes to break the ice: Create funny polls on your event display and enable attendees to participate easily and in real time by scanning a QR code. Wondering what to ask? Here are 54 fun and inspiring poll question ideas to ask your audience and break the ice.
QR codes to collect UGC: Have a QR code that leads attendees to a dialogue that allows them to post a message or a photo on your social wall display. It’s an easy and engaging way to collect user-generated content from your attendees.
QR codes to collect feedback: Simplifying the feedback process for your attendees is crucial. By incorporating QR codes, you can make the process quick and hassle-free by sending attendees directly to a poll on your social wall resulting in more accurate, timely, and helpful feedback.
7. Celebrity meet-and-greets
Invite a celebrity or influencer to attend your event and offer attendees the opportunity to meet and take photos with them. This can create excitement and buzz around your event and attract more attendees. As always, encourage attendees to use your branded hashtag so you can keep track of all the UGC on your social wall.
Post-event engagement ideas
After the event, it’s essential to keep the conversation going with attendees. Here are a few post-event engagement ideas that can help achieve this goal.
8. Post-event testimonials
Encourage attendees to share their experience on social media by using your event-specific hashtags or by tagging your brand’s social media accounts. This can extend the reach of your event and create a sense of community among attendees.
One great way of ensuring that people post their testimonials, is by offering a discount for next year’s event in exchange for a 30 second video testimonial. You’ll get your attendees excited for next year, and you’ll get valuable content that you can use to promote your next event.
⭐ Related: 9 Proven Lead Capture Form Strategies for Conversions
9. Surveys and feedback forms
Post-event surveys and feedback forms can help you gather valuable insights from attendees about their experience. This feedback can improve future events and tailor your marketing and engagement strategies.
If you set up your social media wall, you won’t have to access any other survey or form platform. You can simply create multiple Live Polls within the social wall your attendees are already familiar with, and ask for feedback. Within a matter of a few clicks you’ll receive helpful feedback.
10. Follow-up emails
Personalized follow-up emails can help you maintain a connection with attendees after the event. Send a personalized thank-you email with a recap of the event, highlights, and upcoming events. Offer attendees exclusive promotions or discounts to encourage them to attend future events.
Ultimately, thank them for being present, make them feel appreciated, maybe throw in a little discount for next year’s event. Your community will strengthen even more.
Wrap-up
Engaging attendees is critical to creating a memorable event experience that keeps attendees informed, entertained, and satisfied. By implementing pre-event, on-site, and post-event engagement ideas, you can make a lasting impression on attendees.
Remember to stay true to your brand and event’s message, and don’t be afraid to think outside the box when engaging attendees. With creativity and planning (and with Walls.io) you can create a successful and engaging event that attendees will remember for years.