Easy Revenue Boosters To Keep Guests Watching Your Stream

Engage guests at your virtual event with revenue boosters—and incentivize participation to raise big money.

If you’ve ever attended a long Zoom meeting, you know how challenging it can be to stay engaged with a computer screen for an hour or two. It’s no different for guests attending your virtual event, who could face even more distractions at home.

Use these strategies to design a successful livestream program: Build excitement to a main feature, cultivate a fun and entertaining environment, crowd-source content and establish a personal and emotional connection to the cause.

Audience Participation

The absolute most effective way to keep guests engaged is to involve them in the show. Let attendees make their mark, and they’ll keep watching the stream for their moment to shine.

Solicit guest submissions. Want to really showcase the power behind the work your nonprofit does? Ask those affected by the cause to record themselves talking about what it means to them, and stitch the best highlights together into a single reel to bring that personal connection to your event.

Reaction videos are another wonderful way to bring fun and excitement. Ask guests to record themselves while watching an exciting part of the stream and play them later.

Contests. Who put the most work into their outfit for the night? What is the best food pic of the night? Ask donors to use a hashtag or submit their photos directly, and then hold a vote where the winner is announced on the stream.

Treasure hunts. Guests participating in the treasure hunt will spot the “treasures” or “clues” as they appear during the stream. A bingo format also works well, and can bring a lot of levity to your event! Generate some additional revenue by charging an entry fee for bingo cards or treasure hunts.

Auction Teases, Previews and Closings

Add auction games and revenue boosters to your fundraising event and empower everyone in the room to give to your cause with this complimentary, no cost digital download!

A fantastic way to keep guests tuned in all the way to the live auction is to tease it. Showcase each live auction item with pre-recorded video and scatter throughout the stream to build anticipation. (This also works great for any popular or big-ticket auction item!)

A few minutes before the scheduled time, announce each silent auction closing—then count down to the closing time to drive up final bids and encourage last-minute bidding wars.

The super SUPER silent auction is a fun, thrilling surprise for guests. As sections of the auction close, hint at something special and mysterious to come if attendees remain on the stream, and then unveil your super silent auction item at the perfect moment.

Games and Raffles

One surefire way to keep guests engaged and a proven revenue booster? Fun and games! Not every traditional auction game will translate perfectly to a livestream, but everyone loves to win something.

Raffles

Sell raffle tickets on your website or alongside your online event registration for an exclusive prize, and use the anticipation to keep people watching until the winner is announced right before your final giving push.

Auction games

If you choose to play an auction game on the livestream, focus on just one or two games to keep the program moving along, and charge a fee for every play just like you would at a live event.

With the camera focused on your wine wall, balloon wall, or jewelry box wall, ask guests to select a number, and the emcee pulls it for them to reveal their prize!