5 Virtual Networking Ideas You'll Actually Enjoy

Virtual networking can be a daunting task for planners, though it can offer tremendous benefits if it is executed successfully.

Conducting an engaging event aids businesses and individuals by prompting new business opportunities and paving the path for fruitful collaborations. 

In the evolving digital world, organizations often find it challenging to keep the audience engaged and interested throughout the session. They may struggle to bring about meaningful networking results. 

Nonetheless, it is possible to host virtual events that are just as fresh and exciting as the physical ones.

Event planners need to take the leap to adopt creative virtual networking ideas to upraise the remote event into an interactive and engaging seminar rather than a dull conference where the lack of interest causes the attendants to zone out. 

If you're contemplating virtual networking ideas to make your upcoming event engaging, here are some tips to make the most out of your virtual event. Following these techniques can help you in the successful execution of the event:

• Pre & Post Event Chats
• Interactive Games
• Real-Time Illustrations
• Speed Networking
• Book Virtual Talent on Ovationz

Let’s look at each of these networking ideas in more depth.

#1 Pre-Post Event Chats

Apart from the already planned sessions where the speakers would be discussing the prepared topics, the dynamics of networking need to expand beyond the formal sessions. Breakout rooms are one of our favorite virtual networking ideas.

Whether you're conducting a conference with a virtual keynote speaker, initiating funds for a charity event, or launching your new offering to the audience at your virtual event, breakout room discussions can promote a relatively casual discussion among the audience. 

It's useful to create a group outside the duration of the meeting session where the attendees can engage and connect with each other. You might want to sort out the audience into smaller, random groups to encourage smoother discussions. 

Setting up breakout rooms and chat groups can be a great tool to establish meaningful connections between the participants by providing an informal environment for getting to know each other. Breakout room dialogues provide a chance to learn about the participants’ relevant experience in the field and their views and insights on the conference.

Since there are no geographical restrictions or boundaries, virtual sessions pave the way for individuals around the globe to join the conferences. This creates meetings with various cultural perspectives, where attendees can discuss their business challenges and enhance the overall experience. 

Such sessions are beneficial both for the organizers and the audience because they: 

• Generate new ideas;
• Raise questions; 
• Promote interactivity; and 
• Present an opportunity to express expectations.

Giving opportunities to the attendees to express their expectations can aid in planning the content for future conferences, acting as an integral feedback tool.

#2 Encouraging Interaction Through Games

Make the virtual session interactive by using ice-breaking elements that can help the attendees to network and connect with each other. Instead of moving forward with your conference with primarily a mundane objective, give some energy to the audience by allowing them to bond over sessions that activate the interest of the attendees and create a little bit of laughter. 

Allow the conference attendees to engage in games and explore their co-attendees’ strengths and weaknesses. Initiate intriguing games like puzzles, trivia, riddles, and scavenger hunts to maintain excitement and enhance the environment of the conference. 

Having miscellaneous missions and challenges at hand, the attendees are likely to have greater interest. As the event host, you can plan missions and offer incentives. As they show better participation in breakout rooms or take an active part in the discussions, they can win team points or prizes.

Incorporating such activities in your virtual event plays a role in boosting the audience's engagement, retaining their interest, and encouraging them to network with other participants.

#3 Provide Real-Time Illustrations

This is a fantastic virtual networking idea you don't see often: Depending on the theme of your event, providing real-time illustrative or graphical representations of your content can be a great way to boost the engagement of your attendees. 

Whether it's the doodle videos or digital live scribing, invite the artists on board to assist you with your conference. As the speakers deliver their content, the illustrators create visuals of the content to make it more understandable, informative, and entertaining as well, enabling greater retention of the subject in discussion. 

In addition, you can use these graphical representations as a marketing resource for your future campaigns. Share the illustrations on social media to drive traffic and increase views on your page, and ultimately build an association with your brand or product. 

#4 Incorporate Speed Networking

Speed dating is a prevalent concept in movies, but it's also a great virtual networking idea. In fact, it is one of the quickest yet most exciting ways for attendees to interact with one another. 

Having considerable potential for online networking, your participants have the opportunity to connect and interact easily, even the most introverted ones, without having to step out of their comfort zones.

Speed dating is essentially done by pairing the participants in virtual chat rooms for around 5-10 minutes for a session lasting almost an hour. Together in a virtual venue, they utilize this time to introduce one another, converse about their interests and experiences, and exchange ideas. After the set duration, the round ends, and the attendees are set into new pairs. 

Networking in pairs allows participants to expand their corporate connections in a fun and interesting way.

#5 Book Your Event On Ovationz 

In the highly digitalized era of today, where physical conferences have witnessed a stark decline, many new platforms have sprung up to aid organizations to conduct successful events by attracting the potential audience, delivering the message efficiently, and facilitating purposeful interactions among the participants. 

If your organization is seeking to host an outstanding virtual event in today's remote workplace, Ovationz offers a platform that connects dynamic online talent with event organizers, party planners, and meeting hosts. 

Ovationz helps you find perfect-fit talent for your upcoming meetings. So, whether you're looking for expert speakers for your topic, entertainers, facilitators, or any other talent, the platform offers a one-stop solution, considerably relieving you from the underlying stress of successfully holding a networking event. 

Summary of Virtual Networking Ideas

The prevalence of virtual events instead of physical conferences and meetings is becoming increasingly popular due to the current physical limitations. Many firms are on the path to transition towards establishing themselves as a digital enterprise, requiring individuals to primarily work remotely. 

Virtual networking has become an integral part of digital enterprises for organizations to succeed in today's dynamic work environment. This has made it inevitable for organizations to constantly incorporate creative virtual networking ideas in their remote sessions to expand their network and enhance the efficiency of their organization. 

Adopting these tested techniques and using platforms like Ovationz will turbo-charge your event and leave your audience delighted.