COVID has impacted every facet of our lives over the past two years. From social events to corporate events, everything has now gone digital. At first it was a little hard to adjust to, but now that routines are back to normal, hybrid events seem easier than in-person social gatherings.
SummaryWhat are hybrid events?Why is the future of events hybrid?1. Appropriate event format after COVID2. The hybrid offers better range3. Reduced event costs with hybrid events4. No geographic constraints in hybrid 5. More people can attend hybrid events 6. Deeper audience engagement7. Hybrid provides a better way to pre-plan content8. More sponsorship on the hybrid platform 9. More marketing opportunities 10. An eco-friendly platformEnd resultIt's the one thing the pandemic has made us realize is that the future of events is hybrid. In many places, a virtual-only event is something that gets too casual, and there isn't a lot of professionalism. But at the same time, they have their merits. This is why people have now widely accepted that the future of events is hybrid.
Hybrid events have created hype all over the world. The main hype it has created is post-COVID. Many people may not know what hybrid events are. As you can tell from the name, it could be a combination of two things or somewhere in between.
Hybrid events are workshops, business meetings, corporate events, or seminars in which a live or in-person audience interacts with a virtual audience. It is cost-effective and convenient for many people. It's easier because you can round up the audience as they see fit, and it still serves its purpose.
The best thing about hybrid events is that it's the best of both worlds. This is the reason why it has been widely accepted, and now the future of events is surely hybrid. Here are some reasons why:
Post COVID, there are many protocols we need to follow in this regard. Imagine maintaining a bubble throughout the event, checking the temperature and vaccination checks. It's all so tiring. So, the best way to integrate everyone into your event is hybrid. You can bring together the most important people in person, and as with other participants from all over the world, the online meeting mode is the best.
Another reason for this is also that venues hosting events always have restrictions on the number of people in an event. Thus, the most important people can be in the vent, and the others, according to their convenience, can be in the event via an online platform.
The best thing about a hybrid event platform is that it provides better reach. Everyone across online and in-person platforms is now within reach of an event. Usually, people around the world are unable to attend events because if you think concretely, who would spend so much for a ticket to come to an event. So, when they have an online platform, it becomes easier for them to be there.
This greater audience reach can potentially provide you with many benefits. Some of them are:
Like in a hybrid platform, there are fewer people, and likewise, you won't have to spend so much on organizing the event and other things for the guests. You will focus entirely on content creation. As more and more people attend the event, the costs for management, guest accommodation and other things will increase. But when you have people on the digital platform, there will be plenty of content to share and better conversation.
This reduces many overheads and you can spend the revenue on other aspects of your event. One thing you need to ensure is a good internet connection. A glitch that will spoil all the preparation of this one.
In-person events are tied to location. You must have people from your region. When it comes to speakers or guests from overseas, it is usually difficult to get everyone together in one place at the same time. Everyone finds it difficult to free themselves from their busy schedule for an event abroad.
Thus, in hybrid events, there are no location limits or geographic constraints. You can call people online who cannot travel or live far away. They can also participate in the event without making it a problem.
As already mentioned, there will be no geographical constraints in the hybrid events. As many people as you want can participate. It gives you an edge as your events will get more coverage on a bigger platform. You can call your favorite speakers on the online platform.
Usually, on the online platform, many speakers are more comfortable speaking from the comfort of their own place. It is easier for the participants and also for you. So it's a win-win situation either way.
In an in-person event, you can't have that many people, and another thing is that there's not a lot of time to interact with the audience. Once on the hybrid platform, people from all over the world interested in the meeting can join.
When so many like-minded or shared-interest people come together, it automatically increases audience engagement. There is a better exchange of ideas and a very successful event will result after that.
Another advantage is that you have no time constraints on the hybrid platform. You can interact with the public before and after the event. Pre-event polls can be done through mobile apps, and after the event you can collect feedback from the public. This increases people's interest and engagement in the event.
When it comes to meetings or in-person events, there used to be these conventional ways of giving a talk and related things, but now it's evolved into this hybrid vibe. It definitely gives you better ways to schedule content and deliver it in a better way.
The best way to better plan ahead is to interact with people who attend on social media platforms. You can generate small polls as they expect, and then you can shape it accordingly. The way to pre-plan your content is always doable with the hybrid platform. And when it is according to the expectation of the audience, it will surely interact more.
Who doesn't love sponsors? It provides your business with a platform and brings better reach to your brand or event. In a hybrid platform, you will get more sponsors. Now you might be wondering how, well, that's possible because hybrid events get more media coverage on digital platforms. It reaches more sponsors, then sponsors from all over the world arrive.
We have even seen ourselves that the hybrid platform has better referrals than other platforms. This increases revenue and then eventually the ROI of your event.
Business events are always more successful with better marketing, but sometimes it's difficult when you're hosting an in-person event because marketing is limited in this area. On the digital or hybrid platform, you can get more marketing opportunities.
The balance and professionalism of an in-person event, combined with the novelty of the online platform, gives you the best combination. You can market your content to the most distant audiences and get even better in-person reviews from people who physically attend the event. As we mentioned it brings out the best in both forms, here is the best example.
When you reach the most distant audiences around the world, it forms a bridge between two different classes of people with different cultures and even different ideas. It's very eco-friendly because you can reach people all over the world and exchange ideas.
Also, it negates the risk of contracting COVID or catching an infection as you will be following all the SOPs. This eco-friendly platform is better in every way because it provides a professional platform for people around the world, and they can all interact and generate better ideas in this healthy environment.
We hope that the reasons given above were such as to justify the fact that the future of events is hybrid. It has just started and has been very popular with the public. As for small businesses, this is the best way to run successful events with the best audiences on a shoestring budget. Not only that, but it is also very eco-friendly as it takes care of all the stresses of social gatherings.
Innovations are made every day, and all of them pass so quickly every day. It's better for us to catch up because it's for our best.
Let us know what you think of a hybrid platform for events in the comments section below.
