Why virtual events are more engaging than campus-based open days

Feeling chatty?

A misconception about virtual events is that they lack the prospective student engagement factor of a physical event. At Ivent, our live chat functionality helps create conversions and ultimately, the more engaged prospective students are, the more questions they are able to ask and have answered (however insignificant the detail may seem to you), the more confident the student is about applying and latterly, accepting a place with you.

Quality vs. quantity & higher conversion rates

We have clearly seen that virtual events generally deliver both quantity and quality ‘engagements’ and a very high conversion rate. In our experience, live chat which includes online, audio and video functionality, entices an increased number of questions and comments. Data from a recent Ivent student recruitment virtual event showed that 65 questions were asked and answered in the space of just over an hour. At another online open day students engaged via the chat function even after the event ended – definitely not something that can be done with a campus-based event.

From the comfort of their own home, prospective students have the confidence to ask more questions than they would in person. Certainly, with our chat function, there is the option to have public or private chats and there is always someone there to answer questions meaning students don’t have to wait around to be seen and then have the pressure of asking their question quickly so that the next person in line gets their turn. Language barriers are eased with digital engagement and students don’t feel embarrassed asking questions on the smallest details they might feel nervous about asking in person.

It’s good to talk

One of the main reasons for having a student recruitment event at all is to engage prospective students. On the day, this is largely done through chatting with faculty members and asking questions. What we’re saying is that, whilst this clearly happens at a campus-based event, a virtual event makes this process even more effective. How?

Well, for starters, is it possible monitor and log ALL the questions all the students ask throughout the course of the event? Sure, staff might make notes on the questions posed, but the likelihood is that these will get lost in and amongst the activity and will be sporadic at best. The live chat function of a virtual event will not only show the volume of students engaged, but the log of questions asked by individuals is recorded and is then available to use for post event analysis. Perfect for following up specific queries or ensuring future events include the topics students have most frequently asked about.