Hosting a hybrid event is a great way to engage a wider audience by offering your content to live and virtual attendees. But combining virtual and live elements requires a whole new strategy to make sure your audience is getting the most out of what you are offering. And while there are many different forms a hybrid event can take, certain components that can help ensure your next one is a success.
Tailor your technology
A key component of any hybrid event is ensuring you have the proper technology to provide attendees — both virtually and in-person — with an overall frictionless experience.
Technical difficulties are something we are all too familiar with and can really throw a wrench into your event agenda. It’s essential to ensure that you have strong internet connectivity, updated sound and video equipment as well as technical support on standby to guarantee a smooth-running event. It’s also important to determine how you plan to live stream your event. Live streaming allows virtual attendees to follow along with the in-person participants and interact with them in real-time. Other useful tools include live polls, Q&As and virtual breakout rooms.
Cater your content to both audiences
The most essential aspect — or at least we here at Content Matterz think it is — is your content! With hybrid events, it’s easy to accidentally leave your virtual participants on the backburner. To prevent this, your content needs to be clear, concise and constructed for the audience.
While the info you present should be the same for both audiences, how you relay content may need to be altered. For those attending virtually, an in-person representative can help keep them actively participating. Virtual attendance also comes with the complication of time zones and availability, so making your content available on-demand can reassure attendees that they have access to your content whenever is convenient for them.
Creating an agenda for your event also helps keep audiences engaged and up-to-date. (And bonus, it can keep your speakers and moderators on track).
Hype up your hybrid event
You can’t hold a hybrid event without participants, so marketing your event is a must-have! Since events take a lot of preparation to set up, be sure to start promoting yours at least three months ahead of time to give your audience ample time to register and plan accordingly.
Advertising your event online beforehand opens it up to a wider audience, allowing for people to participate in person or from the comfort of their own homes. Don’t forget to promote your company and brand during the event itself. Handing out swag — like personalized t-shirts or coffee mugs — during the event and sending some out to online participants is great publicity for your organization to further engage with your consumers.
Nurture some networking opportunities
One of the main appeals of attending hybrid events is the opportunity to network with other business professionals. While this can be slightly easier for those who are attending the event in person, there are possibilities for virtual guests to interact with other attendees.
One way to encourage networking is to set aside a specific time within your agenda for guests to chat and collaborate with one another. For those attending online, this can look like break-out sessions within the live streaming platform. You can even connect your in-person participants with your online ones by setting up private stations where members can use a laptop, tablet or smartphone to have personal conversations with other attendees.
Finish it off with some follow-up
After running a successful hybrid event, it is valuable to follow up with your participants to learn what worked well and discover areas for improvement. Follow-up emails and surveys sent to your participants can provide you with beneficial feedback on what the event looked like from the guests’ perspective. You can also utilize the valuable data collected from your online attendees, such as engagement with the presentations, virtual chat metrics and overall user journey. This information can provide powerful insight into your event and help you continue to run more hybrid events in the future.
Need some content for your next hybrid event? Connect with us to learn more about the services we offer!