What Keeps Us Engaged? The Science of Engagement in Webinars and Virtual Events

Engagement—it’s a buzzword we hear constantly, but how well do we truly understand it?

We’re often told we live in an “ADD/ADHD generation” where attention spans are shorter than ever. Conventional wisdom says no one has time for a video longer than five minutes or an article beyond 100 words. Yet, paradoxically, popular movies and series have gotten longer over time. Consider this: the 1984 hit Ghostbusters ran 1 hour and 45 minutes, while Deadpool in 2024 stretched to 2 hours and 7 minutes. Iconic 1980s TV episodes like Dallas capped at 48 minutes, whereas Game of Thrones or Shugon often exceeded an hour.

If attention spans are truly shrinking, how are people still captivated by longer, more layered content? The answer might surprise you: it’s not about time—it’s about how engaging the experience is.

The Science of Engagement

So, what makes content engaging? Insights from behavioral economics, neuroscience, and social psychology suggest a deeper truth: engagement thrives when specific psychological needs are met. Let’s break it down through three key theories:

1. Self-Determination Theory (SDT)

Researchers Richard Ryan and Edward Deci identified three psychological drivers of engagement:

• Autonomy: We’re more engaged when we have control over our choices.
• Competence: Feeling progress and skill growth sustains our focus.
• Relatedness: Connection with others keeps us invested.

2. Flow Theory

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s “flow state” happens when tasks strike the perfect balance between challenge and skill, creating immersion and satisfaction. Achievable yet stimulating tasks keep us in this state, fostering sustained attention.

3. Social and Collective Engagement

Lev Vygotsky’s work highlights how sharing and discussing ideas increases engagement. Conversations and collaboration turn passive learning into a dynamic, shared experience.

Applying the Science to Webinars and Virtual Events

Virtual events and webinars are indispensable for content marketing agencies, covering everything from training and onboarding to learning & development (L&D), sales enablement, and more. Yet they face a common challenge: keeping audiences engaged for longer periods. Zoom and Teams research suggests a significant decrease in engagement after 40 minutes. But what if it’s not the time but the structure that’s the issue? Here’s how we can use these insights to transform virtual events:

1. Empower Participants with Autonomy

• Allow participants to choose sessions, topics, and when to join or leave.
• Move beyond platforms like Zoom and Teams to tools that let attendees navigate freely and personalize their experience.

2. Foster Flow with Challenging, Interactive Experiences

• Replace passive webinars with dynamic tasks like virtual escape rooms or interactive problem-solving.
• Keep audiences in a state of “flow” by offering challenges that are stimulating but achievable.

3. Prioritize Social Connection

• Facilitate meaningful interactions, like post-session discussions or natural-feeling networking opportunities.
• Platforms should go beyond clunky breakout rooms to recreate intuitive, face-to-face-style dialogues.

The Bigger Picture

Shrinking attention spans? Maybe not. The real challenge lies in designing virtual events—whether training, onboarding, L&D, sales, or beyond—that align with how humans engage. By leveraging psychological principles and smarter platform designs, event organizers can create experiences that captivate, inspire, and convert.

In our next post, we’ll dive deeper into strategies from leading thinkers on attention and engagement in the digital age and we will learn how Dove engagement became critical.

Let’s rethink the way we engage. What’s your take? Share your thoughts below!

Oded Napchi is the CEO of Meetaverse and a researcher in the field of knowledge.