Virtual events provide an incredible opportunity to connect with your audience and generate leads. However, if you're not prepared, you could miss out on some valuable information.
In this blog post, we will discuss 17 questions that you ought to consider asking your virtual event attendees. These virtual event survey questions will enable you to gather valuable feedback about your audience and improve your marketing efforts.
Why you should ask virtual event survey questions
Pre-event surveys and post-event surveys are vital parts of any virtual event. They can produce valuable insights about your audience and allow you to tailor your content and offerings to meet their needs.
The information gathered from these questions can also help you understand which aspects of your virtual event resonated with your audience and what could have been better.
Collecting data from virtual event survey questions therefore lets you make informed decisions about how to improve, rather than just relying on guesswork to figure out what your audience wants (or what you think they do).
In turn, this will result in greater attendance of your future events, increased engagement during them, and ultimately a greater return on investment (ROI).
Those are all huge benefits to any business, organization, or individual that hosts webinars, online meetings, conferences, or any other events.
How to ask virtual event survey questions
The key to any survey for obtaining useful responses is to ask the right questions. You should think carefully about which questions to ask in order to get the most meaningful and actionable insights.
Your questions must also be worded in a manner that encourages your audience to answer honestly in the first place, producing genuine and reliable responses. For example, you could ask for a general opinion about the virtual event, as long as you give respondents the opportunity to quickly answer via a rating button.
Conversely, you may ask an open-ended question that gives the respondent the chance to go into greater detail. However, bear in mind that such post-event survey questions should be about specific elements.
Asking the right post-event survey questions and using appropriate methods is a sure-fire way to get quality answers that are useful for improving future events. You can also ask pre-event survey questions to discover how opinions change throughout the event, as well as during it too.
✨ Fortunately, we have already done the hard work for you in determining the best survey questions to ask.
Below are 17 questions to consider posing to your virtual event attendees. Pick the most appropriate ones for your business objectives and modify them to suit your needs. Utilizing these questions will allow you to meet your recipients' needs and provide them with amazing experiences.
Virtual event survey questions
1. How did you hear about this event and what prompted you to attend?
Asking such a question will result in valuable insights into how your audience found out about your event and what motivated them to attend.
You could list a range of answer options such as:
- Social media
- Word-of-mouth
- Advertising
- and Other – please provide more details
Or it may be a completely open-ended question from the beginning.
2. How would you rate the overall quality of this virtual event?
Collecting scores is useful for obtaining a general assessment of the attendees' overall experience attending your virtual event and therefore its success, which is information you can then use to improve future virtual events.
Typically a rating question would be asked on a scale of one to ten, for example, which the respondents can easily pick from.
LiveWebinar offers a unique opportunity for those interested in hosting virtual events to get the full experience. Not only does it provide a powerful platform to stream your message, but you can also harness feedback from participants afterwards via the Thank You page. What better way to evaluate and determine how successful your event was than finding out what people thought of it immediately after they experienced it? That’s a valuable tool – and LiveWebinar helps make it possible!
3. How easy or difficult was it to navigate the virtual event platform?
As we transition from in-person events to online ones, providing an intuitive user interface and user experience is paramount to ultimately determining whether or not attendees feel engaged throughout.
Knowing how well your platform performs for users helps you to assess and implement necessary changes, thus guaranteeing successful and impactful virtual events.
4. Did you feel like you missed out on anything by not attending the event in person?
If people feel that they have a worse experience attending an event virtually than if it were in person, you should address any potential shortcomings before hosting without a physical event venue again.
This could include finding innovative ways to bring some elements to participants remotely through competitions or online activities, for example, that maintain the same levels of enthusiasm regardless of whether they're taking place on or offline.
5. Did you experience any sound or video issues during the event?
Asking this will give you better insight into how well your live streaming platform performed and if there were any technical problems that you were unaware of during the event.
Good audio and visual components play a crucial role in making sure that audiences are engaged, so collecting this information can be invaluable for improving future events.
6. How engaging were the event's speakers?
A question about the presenters' overall engagement levels can both gain feedback about their performance and provide event attendees a chance to give recognition where it is deserved.
Asking how they felt about the speakers will allow you to determine what type of personality your audience prefers to hear from.
Meanwhile, passing on praise can boost a speaker's confidence for the next time you invite them to one of your events, as well as increasing the chances of them wanting to take part in it.
On the other hand, constructive criticism can aid someone in improving their presenting skills so that they become more engaging for attendees of your or any other events they speak at.
7. How interesting was the content of the event?
Content is king – it should be engaging, informative, and relevant to your audience in order for them to remain interested throughout the event.
Remember that the right content focuses on giving your audience valuable information and leads to arousing consumer interest. So if you want to know if the content you provide is up to the task, just ask about it.
If responses indicate that the content failed to capture your audience's attention then you can modify it accordingly, whereas knowing why your audience enjoyed the content will help you recreate it or do something similar again next time.
With LiveWebinar, delivering powerful presentations just got easier! Enjoy the flexibility of customizing your presentation flow by utilizing a variety of content options like whiteboard drawing and video streaming from outside sources. What's more, promotional banners will also be at our disposal to make sure every attendee gets informed about the latest offers and news.
8. How satisfied were you with the duration of the event?
The length of your event should be sufficient to cover all of the scheduled topics and keep your audience engaged, but not so long that they become bored or lose focus.
Questioning participants on how they felt about the duration of your event means that you can determine if it was too long, too short, or just right.
It's also worth asking your attendees if they generally prefer more frequent but shorter events or fewer but longer ones, since both of these factors will affect attendees' engagement.
9. How likely is it that you would recommend this event to a friend or colleague?
Endorsements from attendees are a good indication of how satisfied they were and can be incredibly useful for marketing your next event. Posing the question like this is an indirect way of asking “did the event meet your expectations?”
The results, if positive, can show the potential value that your virtual events hold for members of your target audience who have not previously attended, convincing them to participate down the line.
10. Are there any changes you would like to see implemented to improve future events?
Rather than trying to infer what modifications attendees would like to see, why not ask this question directly? The answers could be anything from different topics to improved technical features.
When attendees feel like their voices are being heard and that their opinion matters, they will be more likely to attend your next event and recommend it to others.
11. What topics or themes would you like to see covered at future events?
Getting input on subjects to explore will tell you what your attendees are interested in and how you can tailor your content accordingly to suit them.
As technology and trends evolve, so should your event topics in order for them to remain engaging and relatable, encouraging increased participation and engagement.
With multiple options readily available, such as polls and the voting manager within the LiveWebinar tool, collecting insights from your audience has never been easier. So, whether you’re trying to obtain deep and meaningful customer-generated data or just understand how many people in the room liked it - use this tool to quickly ascertain what people think of your event.
12. Is there anything we could do to make our virtual events more accessible?
Virtual events should be inclusive and accessible to all, regardless of any physical or mental needs or abilities.
A question such as this informs you about what barriers attendees may be facing so that the necessary changes can be put in place for everybody to participate without difficulty.
13. What time and day work best for you, and how long do you prefer such events to be?
Knowing when potential attendees are most likely to be available will contribute to you maximizing the number of participants.
You can use this information to optimize the times and dates of your virtual events so that they fit conveniently into your target audience's schedule and avoid clashes with other popular webinars or conferences, for instance.
14. What features would make our virtual events more enjoyable for you?
Functionalities such as chat rooms, polls, and, Q&A sessions are just a few approaches to make virtual events more interactive and engaging.
It’s essential that your online events offer interesting features if you want to keep attendees hooked. So, finding out what kind of activity they would like to be included ought to be a priority of asking virtual event survey questions.
You can also test the various features of your chosen webinar platform and see which ones perform best with your audience.
15. Which format do you prefer for virtual events?
Panel discussions, presentations, workshops, and webinars – just to name a few – are all popular virtual event formats, each with their own set of benefits (and drawbacks, of course).
Understanding which type your attendees prefer enables you to make better-informed decisions about the format to go with on a regular basis.
The IT industry is one of many thriving sectors suiting virtual events, primarily because of its yearning for innovation and tech-driven capabilities. Companies like EC-MSP that build long-term client relationships can reap the most benefits from virtual events, with multitudes of networking opportunities, webinars, online conferences and summits in their very own grasp. Going virtual means bigger audiences and staying ahead of competition – companies won't need to limit their reach due to physical constraints anymore! Even though a hyper-connected experience is not as viable through a monitor than in person, it's definitely worth a shot for everyone sitting on top (or above) the virtual ladder!
16. Would you like to receive notifications about upcoming events?
Giving attendees the chance to opt in or out of event mailing lists at this point in the survey is a clever idea for building up a database of interested leads who can be contacted before your next event.
This will make it possible for you to create a customized email list for each virtual event and target it directly at those who have expressed interest in a particular topic and/or format.
Having a target audience who have previously agreed to be notified prior to each future event you hold is an effective method to encourage more people to show up and make your next virtual event an overwhelming success.
17. Is there anything else you would like to add about your preferences or virtual event experience overall?
Questions don't always need to be specific.
Sometimes it's nice to finish with an open-ended question to get feedback on any other points that may have been missed out. This also gives respondents a chance to tell you about their own experiences and preferences outside of any specific points that you have already covered.
A simple question like the one above means you are leaving no stone unturned, giving you a more comprehensive overview of your attendees' preferences in terms of virtual events.
It also reinforces the idea that you are open to feedback and taking it seriously. which builds trust between your brand and its customers.
Start asking survey questions at your next virtual event
No matter what business or industry event organizers are in, surveying your attendees is a useful approach to get valuable feedback and improve the overall experience.
Virtual events are no different.
Using the 17 questions above as a guide, picking the most appropriate for you, and tailoring them to your specific needs will enable you to gather the necessary data to create virtual events that perfectly match your target audience.
A better understanding of what people enjoy about your virtual events and why they attend them can give you:
👉 A post-survey
👉 Mid-survey
👉 And/or pre-event survey
This can help you figure out what features they enjoy, which formats they prefer, and when would be the best time to hold your next event, among others.
So, next time you organize a future event, give it a go and start collecting valuable insights that let you make smarter decisions – the results might surprise you!
Virtual event survey frequently asked questions
When is the best time to run a virtual event survey?
The ideal time to run a virtual event survey is right after the event has finished. Doing so will mean that you capture feedback while it's still fresh in the minds of attendees, giving you the most accurate responses and feedback about their experiences before their memories of it have had time to fade away.
Of course, participants often don't want to take part in virtual event surveys because they have neither the time nor the inclination to do so. So in addition to choosing the right time to conduct the survey, make sure it is properly structured. In order to create appropriate virtual event survey questions, you can refer to the examples in this article.
How can I run a post-event survey?
Surveying attendees after a virtual event has finished can be done through a variety of methods, but the questions are typically asked via email, a survey platform, the event app (if applicable), or other online channels such as social media.
This gives people the chance to answer the survey at their own convenience and in the comfort of their own home, meaning that you don’t have to worry about any technical difficulties or time constraints.
Which survey platform should I use to question the participants of my virtual events?
The best choice will depend on your exact needs and budget, but some popular choices include:
- Google Forms
- SurveyMonkey
- Typeform
However, you should consider using an all-in-one virtual event hosting platform like LiveWebinar that lets you create surveys and polls within your events, as well as other features like Q&As and live chat.
Choosing LiveWebinar means you don’t have to use any other platform for building surveys. You save your time and money with our solution, since you don’t have to waste your efforts searching for the new, right tool.
Is there an alternative to post-event surveys?
If your virtual event platform has the required features, you could also consider running your survey near to the end of but still during the event. Live polling can be an effective way to get quick and easy feedback from attendees, as well as to encourage an interactive experience.
With LiveWebinar, you can take advantage of live polling.
Thanks to our platform, you can conduct real-time webinar polls and get immediate feedback from your users.
What are the benefits of conducting live polls during a virtual event?
By asking questions while your event is still taking place live polling, you can quickly find out what people are thinking in real-time and adjust the topic of conversation or format accordingly.
Being proactive and responsive to your audience's needs and feedback contributes to creating an engaging experience for everyone involved and showing you care about their opinions. This, in turn, will increase the likelihood of them attending future events, among many other benefits.
How should I conduct live polling during an event?
The best way to conduct an effective live poll is to use a tool that allows you to quickly set up the questions, post them during the event, and then quickly get results.
LiveWebinar has precisely this feature, among many others.
That means you can ask questions, get responses from attendees, and then move on without having to wait for the results – which you can view in an easily readable chart and even share with the audience if you like.
Why is LiveWebinar the best choice for hosting virtual events?
LiveWebinar is a cloud-based solution with powerful options. This platform is the perfect choice for running online or hybrid webinars, meetings, and conferences, etc., because of its extensive range of features and tools.
The intuitive system makes it easy to create a professional event with features like registration pages, advance scheduling, branding customization, polls and surveys, real-time analytics, live chat for attendees, and much more.
How easy is it to join a virtual event on LiveWebinar?
Your recipients will be able to attend your meetings in just a click from anywhere in the world on any device with a Wi-Fi connection. Attending meetings is not affected by location, whether on vacation in Italy or doing business in Peru.
And, of course, LiveWebinar doesn't require any downloads or plugins. Moreover, no technical skills or programming knowledge are required to use our platform – you will be able to handle it in no time.
Hosting an event on a large scale can be an intimidating feat, with many factors to consider. LiveWebinar Enterprise has created an all-in-one solution that mitigates these worries and provides businesses running large-scale events everything they need to ensure success.
Aside from having access to unparalleled customization capabilities, users of LiveWebinar Enterprise can also take advantage of its fully color-matched branding tool, giving them the ability to completely customize their webinar hosting platform according to their needs.
And perhaps the biggest bonus of all – deploying the software onto your own domain! No more worrying about losing out on potential viewers due limited brand visibility - with LiveWebinar Enterprise as your platform of choice, you're sure to reach maximum engagement without worrying about technical aspects.
Simply create an account today and find out what this platform can offer you.