7 Virtual Event Types to Improve Member Engagement

Over the last few years, we have seen a massive shift in how people connect online. While physical meetups are back, virtual events have proven to be a permanent part of building a successful brand. They allow you to reach people across Nigeria and the world without the cost of a venue or the stress of travel.

A virtual event is more than just a link to a video call. It is a digital space where your community can gather to learn, solve problems, and meet each other. When these events are done correctly, they become the primary way you turn casual followers into loyal members. Here are seven types of virtual events you can use to grow your community.

1. Webinars for Education

Webinars are the classic format for sharing knowledge. They are typically structured as a one-to-many presentation where an expert shares content with an audience. This format is perfect for teaching a specific topic or providing an update on your business.

One major benefit of webinars is that they are easy to record. You can share the replay with members who could not attend live. You can also take small clips from the recording to use as marketing content on your social media profiles.

2. Summits and Conferences

A virtual summit is a larger event that often lasts for several days. This format allows you to share a high volume of content and involve multiple speakers. Summits are excellent for building brand awareness and reaching a large audience in a short period.

Because these events require more planning, it is often helpful to partner with another brand in your space. This allows you to cross-promote to each other's audiences and share the workload of organizing the sessions.

3. Open Office Hours

Office hours are unscripted times when you make yourself available to your members. This could be a drop-in session where people ask whatever is on their mind or a more structured time for specific project feedback.

This format is especially useful for coaches and mentors. It gives members the opportunity to get direct access to you in a low-pressure environment. It also helps you identify the common challenges your audience is facing so you can create better products in the future.

4. Small Group Masterminds

Small group discussions allow for deep connection. Unlike a webinar, the goal here is to encourage conversation among all attendees. This is the perfect format for a book club or a high-level mastermind group.

To make these sessions more effective, ask members to submit their biggest challenge during the registration process. You can then use those real-world problems to guide the conversation. This ensures that everyone leaves the meeting with a practical solution.

5. Member Showcases

A member showcase is an event where your existing members share their work or their progress. This is one of the most powerful tools for social proof. When potential members see real people achieving results in your space, they are much more likely to join.

For example, if you lead a group of writers, you could host a session where a member walks the group through their process of finishing a mystery novel. These stories act as inspiring testimonials and give your members a chance to be recognized for their hard work.

6. Onboarding and Orientations

The first few days after a member joins are the most important for retention. A live onboarding session helps new members understand how to use your platform and where to find the most value.

During an orientation, you can give a tour of the community and introduce new members to each other. This reduces the confusion that often comes with joining a new digital space and ensures that people start engaging right away.

7. Practical Workshops

Workshops are different from webinars because they are action-oriented. Instead of just listening to a lecture, members are expected to work through a task during the event.

You might have members fill out a worksheet or brainstorm a strategy in small breakout rooms. The goal is to help them achieve a specific result by the end of the hour. Workshops are highly valued because they provide immediate progress toward a goal.

Making the Experience Seamless

One of the biggest obstacles to a successful virtual event is technical friction. If members have to jump between different apps and browser tabs to attend a session, they are more likely to get distracted or give up.

This is why Gamms focuses on bringing your events directly into your community space. By hosting your webinars, workshops, and office hours on the same platform where your members already hang out, you remove the barriers to participation.

You do not need to be a professional event planner to run a high-impact virtual session. You just need to choose the right format for your audience and provide a space where they can focus on the connection. Whether it is a small mastermind or a large conference, these events are the heart of a resilient community business.