Hybrid events FAQs

I’ve been talking a lot recently about hybrid events – in both webinars and articles. Is hybrid the best option for your next event? Are hybrid events a bit of a compromise? One thing to have come out of our webinars , LinkedIn Live and articles is a whole raft of questions from all of you about planning and executing a successful hybrid event. So today I’ll try to answer some of your most-asked questions, but if you have a query that we haven’t included, please do get in touch on DM and we’ll do our very best to answer it.

As I keep saying, one of the great things to have come out of the last couple of years is the massive leap forward in technology. Innovation may have been forced upon us but it has opened up a world of possibilities when it comes to events – including new and exciting ways to deliver hybrid events that don’t leave half your audience feeling like a spare part. Today’s hybrid events can cater for both demographics, allowing each specific audience to participate in their own way, as well as connecting them together. The real beauty of a well-executed hybrid event is that it can cover all bases.

What do we mean by a hybrid event?

A hybrid event involves a team of presenters live in a room or studio together with part of your audience. This studio is then broadcasting live to a wider, remote audience, which could be absolutely anywhere in the world. Everyone can take part and feel part of the team.

What are the pros and cons of hybrid events?

Pros

• Reach and attendance: You can reach a far broader range of attendees. In fact, there is little or no reason why everyone cannot attend a hybrid event.
• Higher engagement: The online aspect allows you to start building interest well in advance as well as during and after the event.
• Longevity: Content on demand is available for as long as you want it to be, extending the longevity of your event.
• Sustainability: Everyone, including the events industry, is making a mammoth effort to reduce their environmental impact. Hybrid events create a far lower carbon footprint than their live counterparts.
• Flexibility: With all the uncertainty around covid, strikes and other external forces, running a hybrid event means that you already have a virtual solution in place should you need it. Plans can be changed at very short notice without any loss of impact.

Cons

• Planning: To be successful, a hybrid event has to be planned in minute detail. You cannot simply deliver a live event and broadcast it to your online audience. You have to create two very different but equal experiences. You need a library of elements to grab everyone’s attention and keep them wanting more. One big speech and a few PowerPoint presentations won’t cut it in a post-covid world.
• Investment: With planning comes investment – of both time and money. However, much of the content you create will be evergreen and can be re-purposed throughout the year.

Should hybrid be the default going forward?

My gut feel on this is yes, it probably should – and not only for all the reasons listed above. For one thing, it’s what at least half of people say they want. Expectations have changed and they are no longer willing to spend all that time travelling, staying over or being in close proximity to a lot of other people when they could do it all online. Work life balance has become the most important driver when it comes to recruitment and retention. Events, too, play a part in that.

How do you create an in-person feel without getting everyone together in the same room?

Simple answer? You can’t! You cannot create the same buzz, the creativity, the coffee queue moments or the incidental networking for your remote attendees. There are, however, new platforms coming online all the time. For instance, I saw one recently that gives both live and remote delegates an avatar so you can wander around, bumping into people and stopping for a chat. Innovation in the events industry is astounding right now so do feel free to get in touch on dm or email [email protected] to find out what solutions there are to any of your challenges.

How can you balance the experience for both live and virtual audiences?

It’s creating two different experiences but achieving the same objectives. You need to make sure that your virtual audience doesn’t feel left out.

• Take inspiration from TV: If you haven’t seen this already, check out how Ant & Dec hook in a remote audience and keep their attention.
• Exclusive backstage content: While your live participants break for coffee, do something special for those online. Maybe your CEO could come off stage and go into a green room for a chat or a challenge with remote delegates.
• Integrated networking: Set up live chat and video calls before the event. Enable live networking between both live and virtual members with stations, laptops and virtual breakout rooms for people to chat live online.
• Mixed live/virtual team activities: Create teams of mixed live/virtual participants to collaborate, innovate and problem solve.

Is it possible to create the same level of engagement in remote workers at a hybrid event?

They are different challenges. There is much to be said for bringing everyone back together in the office. However, we are never going to go back to that. Remote working is here to stay. We need to get rid of the old mentality that live events will solve everything. Instead, think about really engaging and entertaining your remote workers, as mentioned above. Extend the longevity of your events with activity before, during and after. Create on-demand content. Think what you are doing to embed your message and to make sure change happens. This, after all, is the point of any event. It may be worth considering an additional series of smaller, virtual events as part of a cascade.

Is it really worth it?

There are certainly challenges in delivering an outstanding experience that will change behaviours and be remembered for months and years to come, and that has always been the case. However, I do think that hybrid events are worth the time, effort and spend – but they do have to be spot on for both audiences.

Any other questions?

If you’re still wondering about your next event, send me your questions or give me a call to find out what’s right for you and your audience, and what impact a creative, engaging event experience can make to your colleagues or customers.