Going Hybrid

I’d like to talk (well, write) about hybrid events, you know, events combining live and in-person with an online, virtual digital component.

I’m not going into details of ways to host a hybrid event – hint - there’s plenty – but focus on some key points.

The (big) challenge is to give a great experience to both in-person and virtual attendees.

OK, so how do you do that?

Well, for starters, you’ll need to focus more of your attention on your virtual audience.

Why?

Staring at a screen all day, without that human interaction, can lead to a lack of focus - driven to distraction you might say. You need to create an engaging experience for your virtual audience, encouraging connections with the in-person event!

So what can be done about this?

Basically, think mobile first – your event app is the connection between your in-person and virtual audience.

For example, if you're live streaming your event make sure your sessions are interactive, so virtual and in-person attendees can connect, participate and communicate through the app or virtual platform.

Another idea? Make other interactive components, such as the app game, the same for both audiences.

Make sense? OK, here are some takeaways:

Additional reach - by removing in-person obstacles, attendees who may not be able to attend live are also able to participate.

Improved ROI - selling virtual access to your conferences not only increases your events reach but also it’s bottom line.

So… hybrid events can be incredibly valuable if done well!

That’s great, so how do I host one?

Well, clicking here would be a good start!