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The Best Interactive Event Tools to Boost Engagement in 2025

In 2025, remote and hybrid work are more than just trends — they’re the new norm. As teams continue to collaborate across time zones and screens, the need for engaging, efficient, and interactive event tools has never been greater. Traditional video calls no longer cut it; teams now expect features like live polling, AI assistance, Q&A functions, gamification, and seamless screen sharing to keep everyone engaged and productive.

Why Engagement Matters

We’ve all experienced the dreaded silent video call — faces staring blankly, microphones muted, multitasking rampant. Disengagement is a silent killer of productivity in the remote workplace. According to a 2021 study by BusinessWire, 85% of respondents stated that they sometime multitask during virtual meetings, with 44% reporting that they very frequently or always multitask during virtual meetings.

 

Interactive online event tools are designed to prevent this disengagement by enabling active participation. When participants are asked to vote in polls, join breakout sessions, or share feedback through chat and Q&A features, they’re more likely to stay focused, contribute meaningfully, and retain information.

Types of Interactive Features and Their Uses

Not all interactive features are created equal. Here are some of the most popular tools and how they enhance collaboration:

 

Live Polling

Polling is a quick and effective way to gather opinions, check comprehension, or make team decisions. It’s ideal for webinars, internal planning sessions, and virtual town halls where a large number of participants are likely to be in attendance.

 

Breakout Rooms

Breakout rooms promote deeper discussion in smaller groups, making them perfect for brainstorming sessions, training, and workshops. In 2025, platforms are increasingly adding smart features to assign participants automatically based on AI-matched criteria like department or interest.

 

Live Q&A

Rather than having participants unmute themselves and interrupt the flow of a meeting, live Q&A lets attendees submit questions during a presentation. Moderators can then review and publish these questions to ensure only relevant or appropriate ones are addressed.

 

Gamification

Gamified elements like leaderboards, badges, or quizzes turn routine meetings into something more engaging, integrating seamlessly into the flow of online events without compromising compliance for regulated industries.

Chat Features: What’s the Difference?

Not all chat is created equal. Understanding the difference between audience chat, event producer messaging, and presenter chat is crucial — especially for industries with strict compliance protocols like banking and finance.

 

Audience Chat

This is visible to all participants and is often used for open discussion, questions, and peer-to-peer engagement. However, it poses compliance risks in highly regulated industries due to the potential for unauthorized disclosures or inappropriate commentary.

 

Presenter Chat

This private channel is only visible to speakers and moderators. It’s useful for flagging time updates, off-script questions, or tech issues without interrupting the flow. Financial institutions may disable this to prevent unmonitored side conversations.

 

Event Producer Messaging

Reserved for behind-the-scenes communications, this channel allows technical producers or moderators to coordinate silently during an event. It’s especially valuable in high-stakes meetings like earnings calls or investor updates.

 

Many InfoSec teams — especially within banks — insist on disabling audience and presenter chat entirely for compliance. This has led platforms like GlobalMeet to create highly customizable configurations where meeting hosts can granularly control who sees what and when.

InfoSec and Compliance: Navigating the Challenges

In banking, insurance, and government sectors, information security (InfoSec) teams play a key role in approving virtual meeting tools. These teams often demand the ability to:

  • Disable chat features entirely
  • Limit who can screen share or record
  • Require two-factor authentication for login
  • Enforce data retention and access logs

Meeting platforms that don’t offer granular compliance controls are unlikely to pass security audits in these environments. That’s why tools like GlobalMeet are gaining traction — they offer enterprise-grade encryption, granular permissions, and robust audit trails, leaving organizers free to focus on their content, knowing that compliance is taken care of.

Choose GlobalMeet for Secure, Interactive Experiences

GlobalMeet stands out in 2025 for its balance of interactivity and enterprise security. Its suite of features is built with InfoSec-conscious clients in mind:

  • Custom Chat Settings: Easily enable or disable audience, presenter, or producer messaging.
  • Interactive Tools: From live polling and Q&A to on-screen annotations and gamification, GlobalMeet makes virtual meetings engaging without sacrificing control.
  • Enterprise-Ready Security: With SOC 2 compliance, end-to-end encryption, and customizable data policies, GlobalMeet is a favorite among banks, law firms, and government agencies.

Conclusion

As the remote work landscape evolves in 2025, choosing the right interactive event tools can make the difference between a productive meeting and a wasted hour. Whether you’re drawn to AI-powered insights, robust compliance features, or creative ways to boost participation, there’s a system that fits your needs, and with tools like GlobalMeet, your virtual events can become more engaging, secure, and efficient than ever before.

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