Over more recent years, the rise in popularity of virtual events has skyrocketed. With hosts and attendees alike benefiting from the features available, more and more businesses are turning to virtual events in place of their traditional in-person events.

From hosts who are more hesitant to make the switch to online events, a common concern is that they will not be able to track the success of the event afterwards. When it comes to physical events, it is easy to track the number of people attending and leaving as well as gaging their interest through facial expressions and the way they interact throughout the course of the day.

As technology continues to develop, the options available for virtual events are endless, making the impossible possible. In fact, the capabilities of the best virtual event platforms make it easier than ever before to measure the success of events and continue to engage with the audience following the end of the event.

Key metrics to consider

To track your events and keep a record of the key statistics, we recommend paying particular attention to the below metrics and using these to compare with any other events you decide to carry out in the future.

• Attendances
  The nature of online events makes tracking attendances easier than ever before. By being able to tell how many people were invited, how many signed up and how many actually attended, you will gain insights into where you seem to be losing the most interest.
• Duration
  Once your attendees have signed into your event, it is a great indicator that you’ve generated interest and excitement. Maintaining this level of excitement is key as virtual events are much easier to leave than physical events. Keep an eye on the average duration each guest spends at the event to identify any key timeframes which led to drop offs.
• Engagement
  During your virtual event, it is important to keep all attendees engaged with interactive activities or a range of different rooms for them to choose from. Online event platforms allow you to identify where the most people are clicking into or which areas achieved the highest engagement so you can take key learnings forward to future events.
• Areas of interest
  Whether you have guest speakers, online seminars, interactive activities, breakout rooms or live Q&A’s, identify what your audience liked the most. Knowing which parts of your event grabbed the most attention will allow you to connect better with them and plan better events that aim to increase the amount of time attendees spend at your event.

With your online events having the potential to reach a much larger audience that can expand to a global scale, make the most of your new platform and find what works for your target market. By taking time to analyse your results and dive into the metrics, you can continue to improve your future events and create an online community of loyal attendees who will be the first to mark the date in their calendar!