Virtual and hybrid event experiences have come a long way since the start of the pandemic, and we are about to hit a new stride in the evolution of online events.
Event planners can access more advanced event technology than ever before, enabling more engaging virtual and hybrid events. These new platforms create the necessary space for everyone to mix, mingle, and reap the greatest reward from the event experience. And many platforms also provide data that can help event planners continuously update their strategy event after event.
But your in-platform event data can only tell you so much about what did or did not work with your last virtual or hybrid experience. To effectively improve your event strategy with each iteration, you need to actively gather feedback on the full range of attendee experiences before, during, and after your event.
Luckily, the secret to gaining this insight is pretty straightforward: ask your attendees directly. Let me help you get started.
How to Gauge The Virtual Event Attendee Experience
Post-event metrics like attendees per session, the average number of sessions per attendee, and the average number of conference connections are crucial to review. However, these metrics only provide a glimpse at how to improve your next event.
Put your attendees front-and-center during your event planning by actively surveying and connecting with attendees one-on-one throughout your event lifecycle:
- Before your event, gauge how long your virtual or hybrid event experience should last, preferred topics, and ideal ways to engage throughout the experience
- During your event, use quick one- or two-question surveys that capture your attendee feelings at key points during the conference or immediately after sessions
- After your event, measure the satisfaction of each event component and session, and see how many attendees would return to an event from your team
Sample Event Attendee Survey Questions
You can learn more about how to use virtual event attendee surveys to improve your online or hybrid event experience—including sample event survey questions for before, during, and after your event—in my recent article on MarketingProfs.
Tell me, what are your favorite virtual event attendee survey questions? Tweet me @AARiggs.