The 5 Must-Have Elements that make for a Great Virtual Event

1. Choose the Right Type of Event for Your Team

Not all virtual events are the same. Finding the right event for you will depend on your team’s size, personality, and goals.  Some events work well for small teams, others for larger groups.  Some flex well for attendees, others don’t.  Some need physical stuff wtih particpants or prior preparation, others don’t.  Getting the right fit for them as well as you as the organiser is super important!  The less work you need to do the better!

✅ Competitive Teams → Virtual escape rooms, quizzes, task master challenges, competative gaming, actor led murder mysteries.
✅ Creative Thinkers → interactive murder mysteries , craft workshops or design challenges.
✅ Social & Casual Teams → Happy hours, mixology sessions, cook-alongs, game nights, virtual coffee chats.

Virtual events are often lower cost than live experiences (no room hire, no bar tab) so you can often book several experiences to allow for a variety.  Some groups book several different sessions simultaneously to allow participants to choose between them, others run a series of events over the course of the year to cover different preferences.

2. Make It Interactive (No Passive Webinars!)

The key to engagement in any virtual event is interaction.  You don’t want an event that will allow attendees to turn off their cameras or mics, or where they can continue to work while “watching” something passively.  So look for events that require participation, collaboration, discussion and real-time decision-making.

Find activities that include use of:
🔹 Breakout Rooms: Splitting the group into smaller teams will encourage more interaction as they can’t “hide” in a bigger group.
🔹 Gamification: create that competitive spirit.  You might want to include rewards to increase motivation.
🔹 Live Feedback: Use polls and Q&A to make people feel involved.

3. Add a Physical Element for a More Immersive Experience

One of the best ways to make a virtual event feel extra special is to send participants something through the mail that forms part of the experience.  The best way to create a cohesive feel is to give the team a shared experience with this physical item.  We’ve been on some hysterical calls where everyone had the same costume prop.

🎁 Ideas:
• Costume accessories.
• Themed snacks or drinks for a virtual happy hour.
• Themed gifts
• Any items needed for the experience e.g. if it’s a craft activity – the items needed for the craft – if a murder mystery, evidence or clues.

4. Build Anticipation Before the Event

If your team only hears about the event the day before, excitement will be low. Instead, create a build-up experience:
📅 One Week Before: Send a teaser email with a fun challenge.
📩 Three Days Before: Share sneak peeks or behind-the-scenes content.
🚀 On the Day: Have a fun icebreaker or kickoff message to set the tone.

5. Keep the Energy Going After the Event

One-time events are great, but real team cohesion comes from ongoing engagement.
🌟 Ways to Continue the Connection:
• Create a Slack channel for event highlights & follow-ups.
• Plan regular virtual check-ins or themed events every quarter.
• Recognize and reward top participants.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What platform should we use for our virtual event?
A: It depends on the event type. We like Zoom best and find it works well for interactive workshops, but we have worked with other companies who prefer teams or platforms like Gather.

Q: How do we get buy-in from leadership?
A: Show them the data—teams that feel connected are more productive and have lower turnover. Plus, virtual events are far cheaper than in-person retreats.

Q: What’s the ideal duration for a virtual event?
A: 60–90 minutes is the sweet spot. Anything longer and engagement drops unless you have the right experience planned.