Learn how to host a hybrid event using technology that improves engagement and heightens the attendee experience with this blog. We give you a short recap of why you should host hybrid events and dive into how to choose the right partner that suits your specific needs.
Technology is crucial when it comes to hybrid events. Without it, you cannot broadcast your content to your virtual audience. But the role of tech in your event runs much deeper than that: the quality of your hybrid event platform will determine whether you achieve a cohesive message, a consistent look and feel and an outstanding experience for your attendees. It will be the reason why your event meets – or even exceeds – your targets.
Why you should use hybrid event technology
There is a multitude of reasons why the hybrid approach is gaining traction. It helps you broaden your reach, gives access to the best speakers, improves value for sponsors and exhibitors, generates important customer analytics and makes it easier to organise your next event.
Hosting a hybrid event will…
- … broaden your reach.
- … give you the opportunity to attract the best speakers.
- … Add value for sponsors and exhibitors.
- … Increase returns.
- … Lower your carbon footprint.
And we know this last one seals the deal! Check out a more detailed explanation of each point in this blog:
Broaden your reach
People love getting together and there will always be a demand for physical gatherings. But adding a virtual element gives you the best of both worlds. It allows you to break free of these boundaries, opening up your event to thousands of attendees, across different geographies and on different devices. All they need is an internet connection.
Attract the best speakers
This flexibility doesn’t only benefit the delegates. In the same way, having a virtual element allows you to sign-up speakers who live far away or don’t have the time to travel to your location. Perhaps you’ve got a dream keynote speaker, a global icon – it would break the budget to fly them in for the day, but you can stretch to one hour of their time to speak online.
Add value for sponsors and exhibitors
Similarly, hybrid technology grants access to a wider range of exhibitors that could not attend due to location restraints. In turn, they get more brand exposure. At a physical event, they can only target people walking by their stand, while at a virtual event they have a global platform from which to interact. Exhibitors could choose to have a dedicated physical and virtual stand at your event, giving them an even wider audience. With both physical and virtual spaces to rent, this gives you the scope to offer different – potentially more lucrative – packages.
Increase returns
All these factors add up to more value-add for the attendees. They feel they’re getting their money’s worth, with access to all the added extras, from on-demand content and app features, to worthwhile conversations with vendors and valuable networking opportunities. This gives you the potential to increase costs or tailor packages.
Lower your carbon footprint
This is an obvious – but important – one. By allowing attendees, speakers, and sponsors from further away to join virtually rather than traveling (whether by car, bus, train or plane) you are lowering your carbon footprint. It also means you minimise the impact of the physical event (heating, transportation, food waste and so on). At Let’s Get Digital, we even provide a calculator tool so that the organiser – and their attendees – can calculate the environmental savings!
