Research on participation in online communities around events
The Research on participation in online communities around events template explores how people use chats, groups and forums tied to events before, during and after they happen. It reveals whether audiences engage online, why they do, and what pushes them away. Organizers use it to build communities that keep interest alive between events.
What the “Research on participation in online communities around events” survey measures
The survey measures online engagement across the event lifecycle. It starts with how regularly people take part, then pinpoints the stages where communities matter most — before, during or after the event — and the purposes behind it, such as getting updates, talking to other participants, asking organizers questions, sharing feedback or networking. A scale rates how useful these communities feel and how much they shape the overall impression of an event. It also captures the most convenient interaction formats, from messenger chats to social groups and dedicated apps, and the barriers that hold people back, like message overload or weak moderation.
Who the “Research on participation in online communities around events” template is for
It fits community and social media managers, event marketers, conference and festival organizers, membership and association teams, and platforms that run event-related groups. It is also useful for anyone deciding whether to invest in a pre-event chat, a live discussion channel or a post-event follow-up space, and wanting proof of what the audience actually values.
How to adapt the template to your needs
Swap the interaction formats for the channels you actually run, naming specific messengers, social networks or your own app. Refine the purpose list to reflect your community goals, adding options like finding co-attendees or accessing exclusive content. You can branch off the first question so non-participants explain why they stay out, add follow-up open questions after the barriers item, or insert a variable with your community name to make the survey feel native to your audience.
Questions and answer options
Answer options:
— Yes, regularly
— Sometimes
— Rarely
— No, I do not participate
Answer options:
— Before the event
— During the event
— After the event
— I do not use online communities
Answer options:
— Receiving information and updates
— Communicating with other participants
— Asking questions to organizers
— Sharing impressions and feedback
— Networking
— Solving organizational issues
— Hard to determine
Answer options:
— Messenger chats
— Social media groups
— Dedicated platforms or applications
— Comments under content
— Forums or discussion platforms
— Hard to determine
Answer options:
— Too many messages
— Low usefulness of discussions
— Lack of moderation
— Lack of time
— Uninteresting communication format
— I prefer not to participate in online discussions
— Hard to determine
