Hands up if you’ve ever asked yourself this question 👇
“How do I engage my online audience?”
It’s one of the most common questions I hear.
Scratch that—it’s the most common. Hands. Down.
It’s a totally fair question.
Maybe you’ve faced awkward silences…
Blank screens in gallery view…
Or felt like you had to pull teeth to get people to speak up.
I know I have!
But it’s not the right question.
Why? Because “How do I engage my online audience” won’t give you the answer you are looking for. It’s way too broad.
Engagement isn’t one thing.
It’s a combination of things—like trust, connection, relevance, safety, opportunity… All lining up at just the right moment.
Be more specific.
So instead of asking “How do I engage my audience?”, I challenge myself to ask more specific questions.
When I do, the answer reveals itself.
Here are 7 more specific questions that I ask myself👇
1️⃣ What do people expect from your session?
Engagement goes up when your session connects to something people already care about.
💡 Try this:
- Find out what problem your audience is trying to solve by coming to your session.
- Ask participants before or during the session: “What would make this session valuable for you?”
- Run a first breakout with the question “What made you say yes to this session?“
2️⃣ How can you create the conditions where people want to contribute?
If you want people to engage in your session, you need to lower the barriers to participation.
💡 Try this:
- Send a pre-session email with tips for getting the most out of your session.
- Be encouraging, narrate responses, and get all voices heard.
- Give people options: verbally, in the chat, with cameras on or audio only, by raising hands, and answering polls.
3️⃣ How can you get everyone participating from the get-go?
The earlier people participate, the more likely they are to participate throughout your session.
💡 Try this:
- Start with a light, easy-to-answer chat question that everyone can answer.
- Survey your group with a poll or launch a word cloud.
- Ask people to rename to share something like a favorite hobby.
4️⃣ How can you build connection between participants?
When people feel a sense of belonging, they show up more fully.
💡 Try this:
- Use breakouts with paired or small-group activities.
- Encourage storytelling.
- Call out commonalities in what people share.
5️⃣ How can you balance content and interaction?
Too much talking = glazed-over faces.
Too many slides = crickets.
💡 Try this:
- Break your content into 3–5 minute chunks.
- Survey your audience before each chunk.
- Invite reflection or discussion after each segment.
6️⃣ How can you mix up your methods?
Monotony is the enemy of engagement. And online audiences are especially alert to change.
💡 Try this:
- Alternate between asking questions, breakouts, using the chat, silent writing time, and inviting participants to unmute and share.
- Use a few well-selected digital tools like polls, word clouds, and whiteboards to encourage interaction.
7️⃣ How can you adapt in real-time?
Your audience will tell you (directly or indirectly) what’s working. Pay attention.
💡 Try this:
- If energy drops, pause and check-in.
- If time’s tight, simplify your next activity.
- Stay flexible.
It’s when you ask more specific questions, the answer to the question “How do I engage my audience” will become clear.
So let me ask you:
👉 What’s one question YOU ask yourself when designing for engagement?
👉 What’s something you’ve tried that worked really well?
Hit reply—I’d love to hear your take!
This Week’s Facilitator Finds 💪
In this section, you’ll find curated events, resources, tips, and tools that I’ve found super valuable — and I think you will too!
1/ 🔎The Quest Past Editions. Speaking of online engagement, did you know you can search all past 195 editions of The Quest? Just go to the newsletter page of my website, scroll down, and search by keyword.
2/ 📕The Co-facilitation Playbook. A brilliant ✨free✨ resource brought to you by two seasoned facilitators, Romy Alexandra and Maria Neiderweiser packed with creative strategies for building a strong co-facilitation partnership.
3/ 📆 Fit for Facilitation. A ✨free ✨online event from April 23-30 for facilitators who want to sharpen their skills and grow their business brought to you by some of the facilitators I most admire including Nathy Ravez, Said Saddouk, Mehdi En-Naizi, and Alexandre Eisenchteter.
💌 Thanks for reading The Quest
I always love hearing your feedback and suggestions. Just hit reply to share your thoughts and ideas.
If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe to The Quest 👉here.
If you enjoy The Quest, I’d appreciate it if you shared it with anyone you think might like it.
Creatively yours,
Whenever you are ready there are 2 more ways I can help you:
👉Custom coaching & team training. Book a free 15-minute zero-commitment call with me to see how I can support you and your team.
👉 Live Session Design Video Course. Live Session Magic gives you a proven system for designing consistently high-quality online sessions. Join the interest list here and be the first to get access.
👉5-week Live Online Course. The Breakthrough Facilitation course gives you tools, personalized feedback, and a proven framework for designing and leading high-engagement live sessions. Join the interest list and be the first to get the next cohort dates and discounts.
