- gather feedback in real time, along with the information needed to personalise activities and experiences;
- encourage interaction between attendees, the development of relationships and networking — all of which are of very high value to anyone attending any kind of event.
1. What are the advantages of using online surveys and polls?
- They increase active participation: giving attendees the chance to answer questions or vote creates a direct interaction that makes the event more dynamic and more engaging.
- They provide immediate feedback: results can be displayed in real time, letting organisers adapt the content or explore topics of interest during the event.
- They encourage networking: actively involving the audience creates an environment of exchange and collaboration between attendees.
2. What criteria can we use to choose the ideal tool for running surveys and polls?
- Ease of use: a good tool can be set up and run quickly, even without advanced technical skills.
- Compatibility and integration: the software should integrate easily with the platforms already in use or with your event management tools, so as to guarantee greater efficiency and an uninterrupted experience.
- Flexibility and scalability: it is essential that the tool be flexible and scalable, suited to small events and large conferences alike, retaining every necessary feature without limitations.
- Advanced features: it can be very useful for the tool to offer extras for customising questions, different ways of displaying results and instruments for analysing the data gathered.
- Reliability and security: reliable, secure software is essential for avoiding technical problems during the event and for protecting attendees’ data in line with current regulations.
3. How do you optimise resources with efficient tools?
Choosing an efficient tool does not only improve audience engagement, it also simplifies the management of your own resources. What concrete advantages should you be aiming at?
- A lighter workload: good tools cut the time needed to configure and run activities during the event.
- Financial savings: using one complete platform that handles several aspects of organising the event optimises costs and avoids the need for multiple separate tools.
- Scalability over the long run: a scalable tool lets you run future events without new implementations or new training, improving operational efficiency over time.
These are certainly not the only questions to ask before deciding on the best tools for creating and running online surveys and polls at events. Many more will relate to the particular characteristics of the event you are organising, the objectives you have set and the resources available. But starting here, in our view, lets you get the machine moving without fear of stepping into thin air, and start building a map for finding your way through a landscape that grows richer in options all the time — though not all of them are equally valid for every context and every occasion.