“I am speaking for all of us. I am the spokesperson for a generation.” – Bob Dylan

Gender, race, religion, culture, and sexual orientation all influence workplace diversity. However, age cohort diversity is one of the most crucial forms of diversity in today’s business. Generation Z (born between 1997 and now), Generation X (born between 1981 and 1996), Generation Xers (born between the early 1960s and 1980), and Baby Boomers (born between 1945 and the early 1960s) are all working and cooperating more than ever before.

Although it is challenging to generalize, there are certain key life experiences, communication styles, and work preferences that people of the same generation tend to share. Our birth era shapes our assumptions about the world and our goals in life. Just as managers are learning to build effective multi-generational teams in the workforce, virtual event planners are starting to understand the “intergenerational implications” of using virtual events.

Here are a few key tips to keep in mind to make your next virtual event accessible and engaging for audiences of all generations:

Offer adequate advice and direction while allowing individuals to “opt out:”

People from different generations tend to have different comfort levels with learning modern technology. It is essential to provide plenty of assistance to ensure that your audience knows how to operate within the virtual event environment, whether it is through a virtual event training guide or a detailed tutorial, or an interactive and intelligent AI Assistant to answer questions that guests have during the event or all the above. But always remember that not everyone wants or requires the same amount of support. Millennials and Gen Z are “virtual natives” who have grown up using computers or tablets and tend to navigate modern technologies quickly. They will not want to sit through a highly detailed tutorial that is keeping them away from the actual event. Create engaging content that resonates with all generations: When creating content for your virtual event, make sure to use language and topics that appeal to all age groups. Avoid language that is too trendy or dated, as it may alienate some members of your audience. Similarly, avoid references that only certain age groups may understand. Maintain new, relevant, and compelling information for all audiences.

Selecting the Best Social Meetings Services

Organizing a virtual event might be challenging, but it does not have to be with the appropriate platform. Fortunately, you do not have to go alone when planning a virtual event. If you work with a virtual events platform provider like Social27, they will know how to design an ideal virtual event that addresses every segment of your audience, from every generation. A reliable virtual events platform provider will give you a variety of features and offer a certain level of expertise in creating a unique, interactive experience that maximizes the virtual event environment as a medium of communication. These features could include interactive sessions, polling, chat, video conferencing, and more. The goal is to provide an experience as near to a live event as feasible.

Provide a variety of methods of interaction and forms

There are a few key communication preferences that tend to apply to various generations. Baby Boomers, for example, prefer in-person meetings and face-to-face engagement, whereas Generation X favors internet communication. Millennials and Gen Z, the youngest and in many ways most tech-savvy generations, are often most comfortable communicating via short emails, text messages, and social media. If your audience is varied in terms of age, provide a variety of communication alternatives so that everyone feels comfortable contributing to the dialogue. Use virtual event game dynamics to drive interaction and get people talking. Everyone loves winning prizes and working as a team toward a common goal. Design a hybrid virtual event to create in-person networking opportunities in addition to the online activity. Many Baby Boomers might appreciate the chance to speak in person rather than strictly interacting online.

Connect alongside social networks:

Social media is the native language of both the Millennial and Gen Z generations. To develop one’s life, that online event must be interwoven with greater conversation and community on Twitter, Facebook, and other social networks. A solid virtual event social media strategy can help you acquire attendees before your virtual event, generate stronger engagement during the virtual event, and consolidate lasting relationships after the virtual event is over.

Disparities between Ages

Due to generational differences in preferred work styles, communication styles, and varying comfort levels with technology, there are often differences in how Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials, and Gen Zs engage with virtual events. However, this does not need to deter your organization from using virtual events. With the advanced virtual events platforms and easy-to-use tools available today, it is easier than ever before to create virtual events that are accessible and intuitive for audiences from every generation.

Join the Conversation:

Agree with me? Good. Disagree? Even Better! Tell me why… What have been the biggest “generational challenges” (or opportunities) that your organization has encountered when planning virtual events for

multigenerational audiences? What specific features or design elements would you like to see included in a virtual events platform to accommodate the preferences of various age groups/generations?

Host Your Own Virtual Event

Interested in hosting your virtual event? Social27 has been enabling organizations across all industries and sizes to host their engaging virtual events since 2010. The Social27 Virtual Events platform brings the best of content streaming, networking with rich profiles, virtual sponsor pavilions, lead generation, gamification with points and badges, AI chatbot support, and deep analytics powered by machine learning.