How to Host Virtual Events That Engage B2B Communities

Virtual events are now a major part of how businesses connect. Here's why they work and how to make them successful:

• Reach More People: Virtual events eliminate geographic barriers, allowing you to connect with a global audience.
• Save Money: 79% of event planners report lower costs compared to in-person events.
• Boost Engagement: Features like live chats, polls, and Q&As make events interactive and engaging.
• Data-Driven Insights: Virtual platforms provide detailed analytics to help you understand your audience and improve future events.
• Growing Trend: Virtual events now make up 59.5% of all business gatherings, and the market is projected to hit $504.76 billion by 2028.

Key Tips for Success:

1. Set clear goals and track success with specific metrics.
2. Understand your audience's needs and tailor the event to them.
3. Choose the right platform with tools for engagement and accessibility.
4. Keep sessions short (15–20 minutes) to maintain attention.
5. Use interactive elements like polls, breakout rooms, and gamification.
6. Follow up with attendees and use feedback to improve.

The Virtual Event Playbook we used to drive 500+ registrants in 8 Weeks (+pipeline & revenue)

How to Plan Your Virtual Event

Planning a virtual event that truly delivers requires careful attention to your goals, audience, budget, and the technology you’ll use. Let’s break down the key elements, starting with defining clear objectives.

Set Clear Goals and Success Metrics

Before diving into logistics, take time to clearly define what success means for your event. Without specific goals, it’s tough to measure whether your event provided real value to your B2B audience.

Your event goals should align with broader business objectives like boosting brand awareness, generating leads, or driving revenue growth. These priorities will shape your content and help you identify the right metrics to track. For instance, 71% of event marketers value data-driven insights, and 68% of B2B marketers consider live events the most effective way to generate leads. When setting KPIs, aim for targets that are specific, measurable, and time-bound. Instead of vague goals, focus on metrics like attendance rates, engagement levels, or conversions.

Examples from companies like Tinuiti and Nutshell highlight how clear goals and the right tools can make a difference. Tinuiti saw a 27% jump in webinar attendance, an 11% increase in target account registrations, and tripled their conversion rate by using engagement analytics. Similarly, Nutshell boosted their trial conversion rate to 60% by incorporating interactive elements like polls and live chat.

Event professionals also stress the importance of tracking engagement. As Oliver Pearce puts it:

"We look at things like show rate - did we do enough to encourage turning up?"

Devansh Malik adds another perspective:

"We run a poll at the start to understand if we're attracting the right people."

Know Your Target Audience

Understanding your audience is critical to creating an event that resonates. This goes beyond demographics - it’s about understanding their roles, challenges, and how they measure success. This knowledge influences everything from your speaker lineup to the content format.

Targeting matters. Every year, $37 billion is wasted on ads that fail to engage the intended audience, yet 80% of consumers are more likely to engage with brands offering personalized experiences. For B2B events, focus on the pain points and interests of your audience. Mike Sanchez, VP of Revenue at GrowthGenie, explains:

"I like to build ICPs based on pain points. This is the most important distinguishing factor when I look at our customer groups."

He elaborates:

"It will provide you with a seamless route to scalability. It will provide you with the path of the least friction. You'll find more clients, and you'll find better clients."

Also, research how your audience consumes information. Where do they go for industry insights? What events do they attend? Such details help you choose the right promotional channels and content formats. A classic example is Old Spice’s 2010 campaign. By identifying that women were the primary buyers, even though men used the product, they tailored their strategy to appeal to the actual decision-makers.

When inviting attendees, focus on quality over quantity. A smaller, well-targeted audience can lead to deeper discussions and stronger business opportunities.

Create Your Budget and Assign Resources

While virtual events tend to cost less than in-person ones, smart budgeting is essential to maximize your return on investment. Start by identifying key expense categories like platform fees, speaker costs, marketing, content creation, and technical support. Some platforms charge per registrant, while others use flat-rate or subscription models. Don’t forget to account for extras like custom branding or advanced analytics.

Allocate funds for pre-event marketing and post-event follow-ups, as these steps are crucial for turning engagement into tangible results. Also, factor in hidden costs, such as staff time for training, rehearsals, and real-time event management. To stay on the safe side, set aside 10–15% of your budget for unexpected expenses.

Pick the Right Virtual Event Platform

The platform you choose is the backbone of your virtual event. It needs to be easy to navigate for everyone - attendees, speakers, and sponsors - and equipped with tools to keep your audience engaged. Look for features like breakout sessions, live polls, Q&As, and chat rooms. If participants struggle with the platform, they may lose interest, no matter how great your content is.

Hans-Peter Siefen, Co-founder of Nordic Business Forum, highlights the importance of engaging content:

"You need to surprise the audience with something they didn't expect. The content needs to be really timely. It needs to be something that the audience feels that they can't miss out on."

Networking is another priority for B2B events. Choose a platform that supports live chats, video calls, and virtual lounges. Many attendees value the chance to connect with others as much as the formal content itself.

Analytics capabilities are also key. Platforms with real-time insights and detailed post-event reports help you measure success and improve future events. And don’t overlook technical support - 24/7 assistance can be a lifesaver, especially if you’re new to virtual events.

Finally, consider scalability and customization. The platform should handle your expected attendee numbers and allow you to tailor the experience to match your brand. To make the decision easier, create a scorecard to compare platforms based on your must-have features. Security is also crucial, so choose a platform with strong measures to protect sensitive data.

Create an Engaging Event Experience

With your planning complete, it’s time to bring your virtual event to life. The goal? Create an experience that keeps attendees hooked from start to finish.

Build a Balanced Schedule

Here’s the reality: audiences lose interest after 20 minutes if they’re not engaged. Even more striking, less than 10% of virtual participants want to attend events longer than an hour.

So, what’s the solution? Keep sessions short and focused. Break your content into 15–20-minute segments. For larger events, divide them into smaller, digestible sessions, each sticking to this time frame. Keynote sessions can stretch slightly longer - up to 35 minutes - but that’s the limit. If you’re running a full-day event, keep the total length between 4-6 hours.

Don’t forget to schedule regular breaks, ideally every 25 minutes, to combat screen fatigue. Use these pauses wisely - pre-recorded videos, for example, can fill the gaps and maintain momentum.

Take inspiration from the Mullan Area Master Plan workshop in Missoula, Montana. When COVID-19 shifted their workshop online, organizers created short, 5-10 minute videos and hosted surveys on a central website. The result? Thousands participated in the virtual format compared to hundreds at previous in-person events. This approach not only boosted attendance but also attracted a broader, more diverse audience.

To keep things lively, mix up your content with live, pre-recorded, or hybrid sessions. This variety caters to different learning styles and keeps the energy high.

Once your schedule is set, the next step is selecting speakers who can captivate your audience.

Choose and Prepare Your Speakers

Your speakers are the backbone of your event. They need to adapt to the challenges of virtual presentations and engage an audience they can’t see face-to-face.

Choose speakers who bring fresh, valuable insights. Virtual attendees are picky about how they spend their time, so your speakers must offer something they can’t find elsewhere. They also need to be comfortable with the technology and ready to handle any hiccups.

Rehearsals are non-negotiable. Test audio, video, and screen-sharing tools, and work on pacing - virtual talks often need to be more dynamic than in-person ones to hold attention.

Train your speakers on virtual best practices. Encourage them to speak directly to the camera, use gestures and vocal variety, and pause regularly for interactive moments like polls or Q&A sessions. Unlike in-person events, virtual presenters need to actively create engagement opportunities.

With your speakers prepped, it’s time to add interactive elements that will keep your audience involved.

Add Interactive Elements

Interactive features transform passive viewers into active participants. Incorporate tools like live polls, Q&A sessions, breakout rooms, and chat functions throughout the event.

• Live polls: These are perfect for B2B audiences. Use them to learn about your audience at the start of a session, gather opinions during presentations, and collect feedback at the end. They’re a quick way to engage attendees and give speakers real-time insights.
• Q&A sessions: Don’t save these for the end. Sprinkle chat-based Q&As throughout the event to keep attendees thinking and engaged.
• Breakout rooms: Ideal for networking-focused events. Organize themed sessions based on industry, company size, or specific challenges. Provide prompts and time limits to keep discussions productive.
• Chat functions: Let attendees share resources, connect with each other, and give real-time feedback. Assign a moderator to highlight key comments or questions for speakers.

For longer events, gamification can be a game-changer. Think virtual scavenger hunts, networking bingo, or trivia competitions. These activities help maintain energy and excitement throughout the day.

These interactive tools set the stage for a more inclusive and accessible event.

Make Your Event Accessible to All Attendees

Accessibility isn’t just about compliance - it’s about creating an inclusive space where everyone can participate. Over 1 billion people live with some form of disability, accounting for 15% of the global population, yet 90% of websites are still inaccessible.

Start by choosing the right platform. Look for VPAT-certified software that supports screen readers, keyboard navigation, and other assistive features. WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance is the gold standard for digital accessibility.

Enable closed captioning for all sessions. This isn’t just for attendees with hearing impairments - 98.6% of people find captions helpful, regardless of disability, according to research from Oregon State University. For accuracy, provide CART (real-time captioning) even if your platform offers automated captions.

Make your registration process inclusive. Ask attendees about their assistive needs and include a clear statement on your website and forms that outlines how they can request accommodations.

During the event, train speakers to state their names before speaking and describe any visuals for attendees who are blind or visually impaired. Ensure speakers are well-lit (for those who rely on lip-reading) and encourage them to slow down and enunciate.

Share all materials, including PowerPoint slides, electronically before the event. Use accessible design principles - readable fonts, high contrast, alt text for images, and clear language. Provide these materials via email, chat, or a short URL.

Finally, have a dedicated technical support team ready to address accessibility issues in real-time. Assign an accessibility point person and make sure attendees know who to contact for help or feedback.

Accessibility isn’t an afterthought - it’s a critical part of your planning process. Collect feedback on accessibility through post-event surveys to refine your approach for future events.

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Keep Attendees Engaged Before, During, and After Your Event

Engagement doesn’t start when your event begins - it starts the moment you promote it and continues well after it’s over. The most impactful virtual B2B events create a seamless experience that builds anticipation beforehand, keeps energy high during the event, and encourages ongoing conversations long after it wraps up. Let’s dive into how to make that happen.

Promote Your Event and Drive Registration

How you promote your event determines not only who attends but also how engaged they’ll be. Start by segmenting your audience based on factors like demographics, industry, and past interactions. This allows you to craft personalized email campaigns and use targeted social media ads to speak directly to their challenges and interests.

Content is your magnet. Focus on topics that address your audience’s pain points and bring in speakers who can deliver both expertise and engaging presentations. For instance, Salesforce’s Dreamforce uses personalized emails and targeted ads to draw industry professionals. Similarly, HubSpot’s INBOUND conference relies on tailored email campaigns and strategic content promotion to secure registrations.

To create urgency, offer early bird discounts or group rates with clear deadlines. Grow your email list through networking events or lead magnets, and consider hosting a free webinar or mini-workshop as a teaser for your event’s value.

Your speakers can also be powerful allies in promotion. Encourage them to share the event with their networks. Testimonials from past attendees or clients can further build trust, while low-pressure invitations that highlight the benefits for attendees can boost registration numbers. Once people sign up, the next challenge is keeping them engaged.

Boost Engagement During the Event

When your event goes live, keeping the energy up and fostering connections is critical. With live streaming in B2B events increasing by 76% since 2016, attendees now expect interactive and engaging experiences.

Incorporate live chat, Q&A sessions, polls, downloadable resources, and even emoji reactions to keep participants involved. Gamification works wonders too. One virtual event saw a 30% increase in session participation by rewarding attendees for asking questions, engaging in chat, and visiting sponsor demos. HubSpot’s INBOUND event added a fun element with a game called "Throw Like a Pro", featuring interactive challenges and leaderboards to keep the energy high.

Small touches can have a big impact. For example, one event sent branded sticky notes for attendees to showcase their goals on camera, while another hosted a "Virtual Coffee Hour" with pre-shipped brew kits, leading to triple the number of post-event social media posts. Themed breakout rooms, like a "Green Tech Café", can also boost engagement - one event saw a 40% increase in repeat logins by using this approach. AI-powered matchmaking tools can further help attendees connect over shared interests.

A skilled moderator is essential for keeping discussions lively, and real-time analytics help you adapt your strategy during the event. Salesforce, for example, uses live content to drive social media activity during events; in 2022, its Salesforce Live content generated 1.5 million organic impressions and captured a 37% influencer share of voice.

Follow Up After the Event and Build Community

The work doesn’t stop when the event ends. Following up promptly is key to maintaining momentum. Engagement can drop by 20% for every day you delay, so send a thank-you email within 24–48 hours and include a brief survey with an incentive to gather feedback.

Develop a follow-up email campaign tailored to attendees’ sessions and interactions. With 75% of agency marketers rating email marketing as a strong ROI channel, and 40% of event marketers calling it the most effective promotional tool, email remains a powerhouse.

Keep the event alive by repurposing highlights into an interactive digital experience. Share behind-the-scenes content, launch a user-generated content campaign with a custom hashtag, or create a members-only portal for exclusive access. The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) extended its annual Consumer Electronics Show into a year-round conversation through its Tech Talk podcast.

Building a community space - whether on Slack, LinkedIn, or a dedicated forum - gives attendees a platform to continue networking and exchanging ideas. A thriving community is built on peer-to-peer connections, not just your interaction with the audience.

The B2B Ecosystem offers tools and resources to support your community-building efforts. With active groups across social platforms, Slack, and newsletters, as well as directories for B2B solutions and industry insights, it provides the framework to sustain engagement and nurture long-term professional relationships.

Use the data you’ve gathered to send tailored resources to high-value attendees, invite them to exclusive networking sessions, or even offer one-on-one consultations. The goal is to create a vibrant community that stays connected well beyond the event.

Use Data and Tools to Improve Future Events

The data you gather after an event isn't just numbers - it's the foundation for making your next event even better. By analyzing engagement, using advanced tools, and proving your event's value, you can refine your strategy and achieve stronger results.

Track and Analyze Engagement Data

Understanding how attendees interact with your event is key to identifying what works and what doesn’t. Not all attendees engage equally, and those actively participating are more likely to become customers, partners, or advocates for your brand.

Here’s a startling fact: only 42% of attendees complete a session. That means over half of your audience may leave before a session wraps up. By examining specific engagement metrics, you can figure out where attendees drop off and why.

Some important metrics to track include:

Event apps, for instance, can boost engagement by 3–5 times. Similarly, gamified elements like quizzes or leaderboards often outperform other methods, with participation rates 2–3 times higher. To keep digital audiences engaged, consider adding interactive features every 3–5 minutes. If your data shows high drop-off rates at particular points, it’s a clear signal to make those segments shorter or more interactive.

Once you’ve gathered this data, advanced tools can help you analyze and act on it efficiently.

Use Solutions from The B2B Ecosystem

The insights you collect can guide your choice of tools to elevate future events. AI-powered platforms are especially effective for analyzing attendee behavior and planning more targeted experiences. By 2025, half of all meeting planners worldwide are expected to use AI, giving them an edge in personalization and decision-making.

The B2B Ecosystem offers tools like GTM Brain, which develops go-to-market strategies, and AI Process Optimizer, which identifies inefficiencies in event planning. The TAM Analyst tool helps you understand your total addressable market, ensuring your events reach the right audience segments.

AI tools can personalize attendee experiences by recommending sessions, speakers, or even tailored content like email campaigns and in-event messaging. They’re also great at processing qualitative data, such as session feedback and Q&A discussions, to reveal trends that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Real-time tools take this a step further. For example, Spark, a generative AI platform launched in 2023 by Gevme and PCMA, can analyze live presentations and generate summaries or "idea clouds" of key themes as sessions conclude. These features not only enhance attendee experience but also provide actionable insights for organizers.

With these tools at your disposal, the next step is to use the data to demonstrate your event’s value to stakeholders.

Show ROI to Stakeholders

Effectively presenting ROI can determine whether your event budget gets approved for next time. Different stakeholders care about different metrics: CEOs might focus on lead generation, while marketing directors may prioritize brand visibility.

Turn raw data into a compelling story. Start by setting clear business objectives before the event and then track metrics that align with those goals. For example, if lead generation is your priority, focus on metrics like qualified leads, conversion rates, and pipeline value. For brand awareness, highlight stats like reach, engagement, and social media mentions.

Concrete examples help make your case. A B2B healthcare company that hosted a virtual summit with 5,000 attendees saw its website traffic jump by 80% within two weeks - a clear sign of increased brand awareness. Similarly, a global tech firm’s virtual innovation summit led to a 60% rise in applications for data science roles over three months.

When presenting to stakeholders, avoid technical jargon. As Jason Patterson, founder of Jewel Content Marketing Agency, advises:

"Content marketing is often poorly understood by the uninitiated, so don't use content geek speak when presenting content results and/or data to them. Speak in the audience's language, not yours".

Use visuals like charts and graphs to make your data easy to digest. Highlight percentage improvements, show before-and-after comparisons, and - whenever possible - connect metrics to dollar values. For example, if your event led to a 25% increase in sales pipeline value, show how that translates into future revenue.

Finally, demonstrate that you’re learning and improving. Share how feedback from previous events informed your decisions, and invite input for future partnerships. This feedback loop not only shows responsiveness but also builds trust with stakeholders.

Conclusion: Build Long-Term Engagement Through Virtual Events

Every stage of your virtual event - planning, execution, and follow-up - plays a role in creating long-lasting connections. Virtual events aren't just one-off experiences; they lay the groundwork for enduring B2B relationships.

To achieve this, focus on clear objectives, interactive elements, thoughtful follow-ups, and ongoing analysis of your event data. When done right, virtual events can generate connections that last well beyond the live session. For instance, Matillion used ON24's platform to host an event that resulted in 100,000 minutes of engagement and exceeded pipeline expectations. Their success came from understanding their audience and consistently delivering value.

As your event wraps up, the data you’ve gathered becomes your guiding light. With 90% of event planners still relying on surveys to measure attendee satisfaction, post-event insights are key to refining your strategy. Tailored interactive content, for example, has been shown to increase engagement by 52.6% compared to static formats. Use this data to craft personalized content campaigns, share event recordings, and offer exclusive content hubs to keep your audience engaged long after the event ends.

It's worth noting that 19% of event planners still struggle to determine their event's ROI. To avoid this, track metrics like participation rates, poll responses, chat activity, and session duration. Combine these with post-event surveys and team debriefs to uncover valuable insights for future events.

The real key to long-term engagement is ensuring every event builds on the last. By prioritizing continuous improvement based on real feedback and data, your virtual events can become powerful tools for nurturing meaningful B2B relationships and driving tangible business outcomes.

FAQs

What should I look for in a virtual event platform to keep my B2B audience engaged and ensure accessibility?

To host a virtual event that truly connects with your B2B audience, it’s important to choose a platform that supports accessibility and encourages interaction. Look for features like real-time closed captioning, screen reader compatibility, keyboard navigation, and multi-language options to ensure participants with varying needs can fully engage.

On top of that, platforms offering tools like live polls, Q&A sessions, and interactive chat can spark active participation and create opportunities for meaningful engagement. These elements help make your event more inclusive and engaging for everyone involved.

How can I measure the success of my virtual event and prove its ROI to stakeholders?

To gauge how well your virtual event performed and show its return on investment (ROI), hone in on key performance indicators (KPIs) that match your objectives. These might include metrics like attendee engagement, the average time participants spent at the event, lead conversion rates, and satisfaction scores collected through post-event surveys or Net Promoter Score (NPS) feedback.

Another way to measure ROI is by comparing the total event expenses to the revenue generated or evaluating the quality of leads gathered. Keeping track of these numbers gives you a clear snapshot of your event's success and helps you present its value convincingly to stakeholders.

How can I keep my B2B audience engaged before, during, and after a virtual event to build lasting connections?

To create meaningful connections with your B2B audience, focus on crafting interactive experiences at every stage of your event.

Before the event, build anticipation by offering sneak peeks, sending out personalized invitations, and encouraging attendees to network ahead of time on platforms like Slack or LinkedIn. This sets the tone and gets people excited to participate.

During the event, keep the energy alive with interactive elements like live polls, Q&A sessions, virtual breakout rooms, and gamified activities. These tools not only engage attendees but also make the event more dynamic and memorable.

After the event, don’t let the momentum fade. Share exclusive content like event recordings or additional resources, and keep the conversation going through community forums, newsletters, or even virtual meetups. This ongoing interaction can turn participants into dedicated community members, strengthening your long-term relationships.

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