What Audience Engagement Really Means

This lesson defines audience engagement as more than getting people to pay attention. It is the combination of attention, participation, relevance, and response that tells you whether an audience is mentally and emotionally present.

Professor Mark Davis explains why passive presence is not enough, how engagement differs from entertainment or persuasion, and what signs show that an audience is truly involved. The lesson also introduces a practical way to think about engagement across physical, digital, and hybrid settings so later lessons can focus on specific tactics and tools.