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This article includes historical information for context. While the core content remains valuable, some details reflect past events and may not be up to date. We regularly update our blog to keep you informed of current insights.

Eight seconds. This is how much time companies have to capture the attention of virtual event attendees before it wavers. (1) Grabbing their attention is only the first step. From there, brands must keep the audience’s attention while a myriad of distractions assail their senses.

This is the age of great distractions and severely abbreviated content, courtesy of smartphones and TikTok. This duo can prove deadly to businesses when it comes to audience engagement. Due to their high-tech nature, virtual events present distinct challenges to the organizations that host them.

When attendees are at home and separated from the group, distractions and a lack of accountability are a recipe for disaster regarding engagement. Fortunately, there are strategies to hold their attention during virtual meetings.

Provide a Guide on Interacting

In many cases, it is not a lack of desire to interact with virtual event attendees, but rather a lack of knowledge on how to do so. Remedying this situation is as simple as providing clear instructions on interacting with presenters, speakers, other attendees, and the platform itself.

Optimal results are achieved by sharing these instructions in multiple ways. The moderator can deliver a synopsis of them at the beginning of the event. However, it is essential to outline the information in written form rather than as a digital download.

Participation Is Golden

 Offering attendees ways to participate in virtual meetings actively is a classic strategy for keeping them engaged. This approach has endured for many years because it works.

Effective tools for letting attendees play an active role in virtual events include:

  • Quizzes
  • Polls
  • Surveys

These three tools offer several compelling benefits. First, they are easily personalized according to the event’s focus, characteristics of the audience and different segments within the overall target audience. Second, they play a dual role by revealing key insights while keeping attendees engaged. Event organizers can leverage the information gleaned from them to inform future meetings and marketing efforts.

Networking Is Still a Priority

While virtual events do not occur in person, providing attendees with dedicated opportunities to network with each other remains critical. Although there may not be a physical space for them to talk, organizers can create virtual discussion rooms that serve the purpose nicely.

These spaces can look eerily realistic, giving attendees a strong sense that they are standing or sitting face-to-face with the other audience members. Networking sessions should be scheduled with sufficient time to allow participants to engage in fruitful conversations at a leisurely pace.

While eight seconds is a short window of time to capture audiences’ attention during virtual events, it can be done with meetings that incorporate the elements outlined in this article. Businesses that implement them will experience significant returns from their virtual events.

Uncertain times call for creative thinking. Contact Gavel International to be inspired by solutions that connect and engage your people.
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SOURCES:

1 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2016/03/12/humans-have-shorter-attention-span-than-goldfish-thanks-to-smart/

This article was last updated on June 5, 2025

Eloisa Mendez
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