8 Virtual Conference Networking Ideas That You Need to Try Out!

Do you need help to foster meaningful connections at your online conferences? Networking is a crucial part of any conference, whether it's a virtual event or a physical one. It’s all about building relationships and driving your business goals forward, but it’s not easy…  

Networking online can feel a little tricky, especially since the virtual world is still pretty new to most of us. The process can seem a bit forced, like those awkward first-day introductions in class. And let’s be honest, standing out in a crowd and making a memorable impression isn’t everyone’s thing, especially when the personal touch appears to be missing. These challenges make building trust and meaningful connections online tough, but not impossible. That’s where fun, engaging virtual networking ideas come in handy! But, we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

Want to know how you can make virtual networking easier? We’ve rounded up the top virtual conference networking ideas for you.

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The Role of Networking in Professional Growth

Networking isn’t just about exchanging business cards; it’s like building your own Avengers team. Virtual conferences are the perfect place for attendees to connect with industry experts, thought leaders, and potential collaborators, helping them build their professional network and discover new opportunities.

What’s great about virtual networking is that it breaks down the barriers of a physical event. Instead of being limited to your immediate field or geography, attendees can connect with professionals from all sorts of disciplines, just like the Avengers come together from different parts of the world (and space) to tackle bigger challenges.

Plus, virtual conferences offer interactive sessions and workshops led by industry leaders—think of it as a chance to learn from the Yodas of a specific field. By participating and speaking to these experts, attendees not only gain knowledge but also get a chance to showcase their expertise, which can open up new doors in their career.

Embracing virtual networking is like stepping into a whole new universe of possibilities, where one can expand their knowledge, connect with amazing people, and take their career to the next level. As the event organizer, it’s up to you to encourage those opportunities among your attendees. But how do you do that — great question, let’s explore!

Make Virtual Networking a Highlight Rather Than a Chore

Planning a virtual event might seem daunting at first, but don’t let that scare you off! With interesting ideas, networking online can be just as effective, if not more so, than in-person. The right way to go about it is to include engaging, interactive elements that captivate your audience and empower them to make genuine connections.

From themed breakout rooms to interactive games and dynamic networking formats, these creative ideas are designed to take your virtual networking to the next level. With thoughtful planning and the right tools, virtual networking can become a vibrant, valuable part of your event strategy, attracting attendees and keeping them coming back for more. 

So, without further ado, let’s move on to our top eight virtual networking ideas you should try at your next conference.

8 Virtual Conference Networking Ideas to Try

1. Interactive Sessions with Industry Experts

A virtual conference is usually packed full of interesting speakers and presentations. But, unfortunately, when it comes to online conferences, a lot of those presentations just turn into (boring) one-way lectures. Presentations alone are not enough to spark new conversation or connections. That’s why adding interactive elements to your presentations can open a whole new realm of possibilities by encouraging more interactions. 

During these short presentations by industry experts, you can elevate the interaction level with some polls and Q&A. These can provide real-time feedback and encourage participants to interact with the speakers and each other, creating valuable moments of connection that can lead to meaningful conversations. Remember, interactive presentation sessions not only deliver essential knowledge, but can also foster new professional relationships.

Have a theme for your virtual conference or event? A theme can make these sessions more interactive. For example, sessions could focus on future trends or how AI revamps a particular industry. This also helps you attract more genuinely interested and like-minded participants to your events, increasing the chances of successful connections as attendees naturally have things in common. Having multiple sessions with different speakers simultaneously also allows participants to switch between session tracks, improving their networking opportunities with a broader range of participants.

2. Virtual Speed Networking

You may have heard of “speed dating,” where pairs of people are given 2-5 minutes to learn what they can about each other and decide if they want to move forward with a relationship. Well, networking has its own spin on the popular concept with “speed networking”. Instead of finding a romantic relationship, the goal of participants is to look for social or business connections. During these short conversations, participants can ask each other questions or use conversation starters provided by the host. Anytime they find someone they see a potential professional relationship with, they can exchange contact information so they can revisit their conversation.

Speed networking is one of the most effective ways for participants to network because it’s all about quantity and speed. The goal of any speed networking event is to meet lots of people quickly, so you can find the “needle in a haystack” – someone you genuinely connect with. The lightning format not only adds an element of fun that puts everyone at ease, but also maximizes networking opportunities in a short amount of time. This dynamic approach keeps the energy high and encourages spontaneous connections.

How do you run a virtual speed networking event, though? Great question—the best virtual networking platforms have dedicated features to facilitate these lightning-fast networking sessions. For example, Remo has an in-built "Shuffle Guests" feature (which randomly shuffles participants around breakout rooms), timer, and ready-made speed networking floor plans, all of which help you easily host a speed networking event.

This is one of the easiest ways to reduce awkwardness and quickly grow your network. Participants can make the most of their time and connect with diverse people in no time.

Want to know more about speed networking? Check out 'Speed Networking Ideas to Help You Make Connections"

3. Roundtable or Breakout Room Discussions

Roundtable or breakout room discussions are small, focused group conversations designed for quick and engaging networking. In these discussions, a moderator is usually assigned to each group with a specific topic, and participants join the group for in-depth discussions. The ideal group size is 8-10 participants, allowing everyone to contribute while offering various viewpoints. You can even host multiple discussions, allowing attendees to switch between groups, meet new people, and engage in different conversations.

This setup is great because it keeps the conversation focused and on track. It might sound structured, but it’s a super effective way to build meaningful connections. With the topic already set, attendees can dive straight into the discussion without worrying about small talk or breaking the ice. This lets them focus on the conversation and engage in more profound, meaningful interactions much faster.

If you're planning to host roundtable discussions, here are a few tips:

• Provide the moderator with cues or questions to keep the conversation flowing smoothly.
• Consider offering background information or pre-reading materials to participants so they're well-prepared.
• If you're hosting multiple rounds, have the moderator summarize previous points to enhance the overall learning experience for attendees.

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4. Icebreaker Questions

Ever joined a conversation where everyone is silent and no one starts speaking? Unfortunately, this situation is all too common when it comes to any virtual networking segment of a conference. Whether it’s in person or online, it can be a nerve-wracking venture to start a conversation. That’s where icebreaker questions can save the day!

These questions are short, fun prompts to help jump-start a conversation or “break the ice.” They can be anything from general questions, like "What are you looking to learn from the event?" to funny ones, like "What's the worst thing you ever did as a kid — and got away with?"

Beyond just giving a conversation a starting point, these questions help attendees relax and have a casual conversation. 

Best of all, this is the easiest and most effective networking activity for you to host. All you need is some icebreaker questions, and we’ve got you covered there too. Remo’s got a fantastic AI Icebreaker Question Generator, which gives you tailored questions in one click.

5. Live Chat with Replies and Emoji Reactions

This idea encourages networking and conversations among guests using a live chat feature. Almost every virtual platform has a chat feature that lets users communicate one-on-one or in groups (some, like Remo, even lets you spice things up with GIFS and emojis too!). It’s a powerful tool that can help spark conversations between people. 

When using the chat feature for networking, we’d recommend you have a team member moderating the chat. They’d be responsible for actively encouraging people to use the event chat, ensuring messages are friendly or appropriate for the event, and even jump starting conversations. For example, our favorite chat welcome message actively asks people to respond and introduce themselves:

"Welcome to the {event name} event! Let's kick off by introducing ourselves and sharing our favorite pizza topping. I'm {your name} from {your location}. My favorite pizza topping is {your answer, e.g. the highly controversial pineapple 🍍}—how about you?"

You can use the chat anytime throughout the event (and you should), but we’ve found the best time for encouraging networking through chat is at the start of the conference. Even if it’s just 10-15 minutes at the beginning to warm up your audience, get some conversations flowing, and build anticipation for the main event. Encouraging chat conversations at the beginning of your conference also helps you gather more information about your participants’ expectations and what they’re looking forward to most.

Host Tip: Encouraging emojis or GIFs will make the chat more lively and interactive, so choose a virtual networking platform that supports both.

6. Human Bingo!

Blast from the past! Remember bingo? Well. Here's our version of the beloved game. Attendees will be given a unique bingo card with random facts about one another. For example, “Find someone that loves Harry Potter”, "Find someone who enjoys cooking”. The goal, just like in regular bingo, is to find attendees who match those facts and make a BINGO.

This familiar game is easy to implement in a virtual setting and provides a lighthearted way for participants to mingle and connect with diverse people. Since this whole virtual conference networking idea is about encouraging participants to engage in conversations, participants are bound to find someone with whom they share interests with. 

The only preparation you’ll need for this idea is to collect the statements for each bingo card. You can do this pretty easily with any virtual conference platform that allows you to customize registration questions. That way, when attendees are registering for your conference, you can collect a fun statement about them and build excitement for your event all at the same time.

7. Incorporate Food/Drinks 

Looking for a laid-back networking idea for your virtual conference? How about adding food. With this idea, everyone can order their favorite food (or you can provide meal deliveries) and eat it while on call. 

Now, you may be raising an eyebrow or two, but think of it like a dinner, lunch, or coffee break at your conference. Typically at in-person conferences, people gather together for these meals, so why not virtually.  We even host our own “Grub Lunches” at Remo, where everyone orders in and we unwind, chat, and enjoy our meal. Creating a relaxed, informal atmosphere like this can really help people open up and connect.

It’s a great way to get people talking and learning more about each other, even if it starts with discussing their favorite drink or what they’re eating. You could even embed the idea of food throughout your conference by kicking things off with a fun mixology session to help everyone relax and feel comfortable. When people are at ease, they’re more likely to make genuine connections and network better.

8. Gamification or Just Games

Want to add some fun to your next virtual conference? Incorporate games to elevate your networking experiences! Whether you opt for simple activities like “Would you rather?” or team-based games like Charades, games can bring excitement and engagement to your online gathering.

Games actively encourage attendees to participate and interact, making the event more dynamic and enjoyable. They help shift attendees out of a formal mindset and into a more relaxed one, fostering genuine connections. However, it's essential to consider the context—games may not always be appropriate depending on your virtual conference’s nature or audience.

Even if you don’t want to play games, you can still join the fun by adding gamification elements like a points system or a live leaderboard. You can award points for activities or correct answers to encourage interaction, or offer digital badges for completing activities or reaching milestones. 

Whether it’s a game or gamification, this idea makes networking more interactive and memorable for your attendees.

Ready to Host Your Virtual Conference?

Networking in the virtual world might be challenging but it introduces new, exciting opportunities to connect. By trying out these eight virtual conference networking ideas, you can ensure that your online conferences foster real connections in a less forced and awkward manner. 

From interactive sessions with industry experts to digital happy hours, these engaging virtual conference networking ideas ensure your event stands out. Instead of passive lectures and never-ending webinars, utilize interactive tools to encourage participation and connection. 

Whether it’s a small team gathering or a large conference, these strategies will help you create meaningful interactions and lasting connections. Want to know more about how Remo can improve your networking experience? Book a demo today! Our Product specialists will walk you through Remo's features and explain why it's the perfect virtual platform for your next conference.