Índice de contenidos
Hybrid events combine an in-person experience with a virtual one, giving attendees different ways to participate in the same event. This format can be especially useful when part of the audience is in different locations, when you want to extend the reach of the event or when some sessions make sense both onsite and online.
The key is not simply to stream what happens in the room, but to think about how both audiences will access the content, interact and connect throughout the event. In this article, we’ll look at what a hybrid event is, its main advantages and some key points to consider when organizing one.
What is a hybrid event?
A hybrid event combines attendees who participate physically at a venue with others who join online. This format can be used for trade shows, conferences, internal meetings, corporate presentations or training sessions, among others.
It can be especially useful when part of the audience cannot travel, when you want to increase reach beyond the physical venue or when some speakers or sessions participate remotely.
🧠 TO REMEMBER: hybrid does not mean offering exactly the same experience to everyone. It means designing two ways to participate within the same event.
Advantages of hybrid events
1️⃣ Real-time feedback and interaction
Hybrid events can combine digital interaction with the in-person experience, giving organizers more signals about how attendees are participating.
2️⃣ Greater flexibility
Attendees can choose how to participate depending on location, availability or the format of each session.
3️⃣ Broader reach
The virtual component makes it possible to include people beyond the capacity or geographical limits of the physical venue.
4️⃣ More participation data
Digital sessions and interaction tools can provide additional data about attendance and engagement.
Keys to organize a successful hybrid event
- 1 event, 2 experiences
A hybrid event brings together one event and two different ways of experiencing it. Someone sitting in the room and someone following remotely do not receive the same stimuli, so the content and interaction should work for both audiences rather than treating the virtual experience as a secondary version.
- Adapt the content to both audiences
Some sessions can work perfectly for everyone, while others may need changes in duration, interaction or format. The important thing is to think about how someone in the room participates and how someone online does the same.
- Invite the best speakers
You can invite professionals specialized in the topic to be discussed. International speakers enrich the experience and add value to the event, at a lower cost and without having to organize travel and accommodation for them.
In addition, the event becomes more flexible, and allows to increase the participation of the attendees, who feel more motivated and integrated in the event.
- Use the best platforms for hybrid events
To organize a hybrid event, you can count on platforms like Meetmaps that will help you manage all the details you need to hold the virtual and face-to-face event.
Meetmaps has a platform for the virtual event and a mobile app that can be used so that the on-site and virtual event is aligned at all times. The event website, email marketing and online event registration are options offered by the platform that will help the organization of the event.
- Incorporate interaction features
A virtual event doesn’t have to be a simplified version of an in-person event. On the contrary, the Meetmaps platform offers multiple options to keep attendees’ attention and engagement before, during and after the event, with interactive features in both the virtual and in-person events.
- Generate networking with some features
In any type of event, whether virtual or face-to-face, networking is essential to foster the connection between users and constantly exchange knowledge and business values.
On the Meetmaps platform, it will be easy to hold virtual and face-to-face meetings through private chats and scheduling appointments with other event attendees with the “Meetings 1to1” option. In addition, this option allows you to filter attendees by the category of your choice.
- Organize a sustainable event
Society is increasingly aware of the importance of caring for and respecting the environment, and values brands that are committed to corporate social responsibility, transparent ethics and environmental policies very positively. In fact, it is predicted that by 2020 sustainability will be a key factor in the choice of one corporation or another, and hybrid events are very much in line with this idea, and Meetmaps is committed to continue with this idea.
“It is impossible for the event industry to be 100% virtual from now on,” predicts Julius Solaris, editor of EventManagerBlog.com. “The event of the future will be hybrid by definition. Face-to-face events will have a virtual component.”
So, a hybrid event works best when the virtual experience is not treated as an add-on to the physical one. The goal is to connect content, interaction and networking so both audiences can participate in a way that makes sense for them.
Because joining from a different place should not mean feeling outside the event. If you are considering organizing a hybrid event, don’t hesitate to contact the Meetmaps team.