Hold their attention, keep them comin’ back: Introducing interactive polls and chats

It doesn't take long for your audience’s attention to drift when distraction is just a click away. Now that we’re years into the global pandemic, many virtual conference attendees have become accustomed to (and bored with) the same old familiar format: log in to countless events, sometimes spanning multiple days with multiple sessions. Attendees are tired, and they’re logging in and dropping off fast. With all of this in mind, how can you keep your audience interested and returning for more?

The answer is both easy and complicated: if you want them to stay hooked, make it simple for them to interact.

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Fortunately, Hubilo’s engagement suite already allows you to host chats, polls, and Q&A sessions. But to make sure we’re offering engagement tools that are truly innovative, we’ve upgraded these to make them even more interactive. Now your audience can respond to chats, polls, and Q&A sessions that are shared directly on the main session stage! This allows session hosts or moderators to add session chats, polls, and questions to the main stage, improving exposure and piquing greater attendee interest. 

Let us explain more about how this helps you.

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Hook your audience so they’ll never want to leave

Imagine being at a concert where you’re watching your favorite performer. You’re somewhere in the audience, among the crowd. Then suddenly, you’re called up to the stage! You’re standing next to the headliner. All eyes are on you!

That’s what this new feature is like. The use of the session stage to highlight discussions, polls, and questions makes event attendees feel more engaged and heard individually as they see their chats and questions live on the session screen. And when you’re in the spotlight, why would you want to leave?

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It also makes it super-easy for attendees to respond and reduces the chances of them missing a chat or poll because they’re focused on the main stage events. So get creative! Pull up questions at AMAs, chats during community events and run polls during conferences and share the shine with your audience so you know they feel seen. 

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Highlight prominent speakers and sponsors

You can also use this feature to showcase comments from notable speakers and audience members, and to urge audience members to tap in on the conversation. Give a shout-out to a sponsor or exhibitor to increase their visibility in front of the crowd and encourage people to visit their virtual or on-site booth and connect with them.

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Feel your audience's pulse in real-time

Streaming a poll on the main stage is like doing a pulse check to see how everyone’s doing so far and what they’re feeling about the event at that stage. It’s front and center, it’s the focus of the conversation. Just by shifting where this is located and how it’s communicated about, you’re clearly letting your attendees know that their experience at your virtual or hybrid event really matters. The result will be greater poll responses. Ride the momentum of that audience appreciation and continue to build the excitement by having your host(s) present the top-rated chats and comments and respond to them in real-time. The speakers and hosts will also feel more engaged and connected to the audience by getting to showcase the audience’s comments right on the screen!

Now that virtual events have become the new normal, it’s time to level up to bolster audience engagement. Why stay limited to regular chats and polls? Take audience retention up a notch with interactive chats, polls, and Q&A. There’s enough spotlight for everybody.

Don’t wait-- request a demo and take engagement to the next level at your event!