An Introduction to Hybrid Events for 2022 (with examples) |
At one time when we used to in-person events ... Then COVID-19 came along. This left many businesses and creators floundering to reconfigure their online events.
Although virtual events offer a lot of benefits but many participants think that they're missing a critical component of in-person interactions. We'll admit it: trying to replicate each and every element of a physical event on the internet isn't working very well.
What's the solution? HYBRID EVENTS!
Hybrid-style events integrate online and in-person experiences. offering attendees and the creators flexible solutions, and can easily be repurposed into different kinds of content. What's that?
Let's look at how to create an incredible hybrid event.
This article...
Advantages in hybrid-based events
Make sure the connection is active
11 tricks to create incredible hybrid events
2. Use virtual to promote in-person
3. Bring your live members virtual
4. Bring your virtual members live
5. Create lots of space/networking time
6. Make discussion topics for the members of the community.
7. Keep the spirit alive even after
8. Give more options of content
9. Find out what your needs are in terms of technology
10. Test testing Test, test, test
11. Select your preferred platform
What exactly is the definition of a hybrid event?
First things first. Hybrid events allow people to attend your event either online or in person or in a mix of both. It truly offers the best of both worlds.
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The benefits in hybrid-based events
Let's look at some of the benefits of hybrid events and the reasons why it may be the perfect choice for you and your guests!
Easy
Today more than ever you can easily host events that are hybrid due to the advancements in technological advances. Hybrid platforms allow event planners the ability to design and organize spectacular events that can be connected by software. Hybrid event platforms that are the best have features that are intuitive for designing an interactive event that combines in-person and virtual experiences seamlessly.
Flexibility
When you organize an event with a hybrid format, you have room for customization. It is possible to provide attendees with the opportunity to experience a completely new event personalized to your preference. A lot of hybrid platforms provide numerous ways to interact with attendees and give them more freedom of how they wish to engage, such as using online chat like audio chat, Q&As surveys, polls, and more.
Hybrid-style events can be beneficial for everyone because they give your guests a variety of options when they arrive. In the case of people who arrive in person, a hybrid event lets them leave the venue and continue to connect online.
If you frequently travel, have extremely busy schedules, or simply can't afford the event live, it gives them the opportunity to attend virtually.
Price
In terms of flexible, hybrid events allow you to make changes to your price. For example, you can cost $100 for attendees in person and $20 for online attendees. Of course, there's an upper limit on how many tickets you can sell to an event in person due to capacity limits at the venue, but it is still possible to offer unlimited tickets to the online component.
In essence, you could offer two different products at the same event! You could even offer packages and bundles (e.g. you can purchase four tickets for the cost of three tickets, or if attendees purchase the digital item along with the ticket to the event, they get access to your community for absolutely free), giving you unlimited options!
Keep the connection alive
The connections and energy don't necessarily end when the event has ended. It brought people together who were ecstatic about the amazing event you created.
Why not keep those connections alive with an online community? Communities can assist users maintain their connections as well as form new ones. Additionally, it can provide them with new opportunities (both professional and personal). Your members can interact with each other, your contents, as well as with the people you. Additionally they'll be first to hear about your next gathering and have a place to communicate their excitement!
It is possible to record HTML0
Even if registrants can't go to your event due to unwell, have to stay late at work, or they decided to rest in the midst of a busy work week You can give them a way to experience the celebration.
Thanks to powerful hybrid event platforms it is easy to capture your event and allow participants access. So, they are able to rewatch the event on their own time.
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11 tricks to create incredible hybrid events
Now that we've gone over why hybrid events are useful, let's explore the steps to make one!
1. Decide on your mix
The initial decision to make is how to blend both the online and in-person components. Each experience great separately but also mix it together, giving everybody the greatest experience. For example, you can successfully combine both in-person and virtual attendees during breakout sessions. At the start of your event it is possible to have all attendees (virtual as well as in-person) participate in a poll.
It's also important to consider how your virtual guests are able to connect, for example an actual keynote speaker once they've delivered an address.
Make connection and engagement easy for everyone. You don't want anyone feeling that they were handed the short end of the stick or being disappointed that your event isn't catering to their needs.
2. Use virtual to promote in-person
If you want to get the word out regarding your event, it is necessary to make it a point to announce it. What better way to use your online website to advertise not just aspects of your online event , but also the physical element? Utilize social media for your benefit. Create content about your event through pictures, words, or video for promotional goals. Use social media or even begin a blog or YouTube channel to share your story, build your following, and then promote your event to the maximum number of people you can.
No matter if you're marketing the training course , an eBook, a webinar or an event, if they like the way you present yourself and your viewpoint, they're more likely to buy whatever you're selling to them.
But remember, you do not have to devote all your time and energy using social media, or even have millions (or even thousands) of followers to market your hybrid event. You don't have to be a celebrity like Oprah to get noticed. You just need to build an image and then keep your fans excited!
Another option to advertise on the internet is to create a group. The power of being a part of a community as people are wired to it -- we're social creatures that crave connection.
The joy in the purpose, energy, and purpose feeling member of something larger than yourself, working towards an end goal that is common to all, developing abilities and becoming better and a safe place where members can be vulnerable to challenges and find solutions together. Communities are an excellent place for promoting the hybrid event you are planning because people trust you (plus they're your primary supporters who will be thrilled about the services you've got to offer them). ).
3. Bring your live members virtual
Remember how we talked about connecting the offline aspect to online interaction? It's time to look at ways to get those who are in your living rooms to be engaged.
Perhaps in between the speakers You ask your present attendees to answer questions using live-streamed polling platforms (e.g. Slido). Questions can be used as an icebreaker (getting participants warmed up prior to the occasion) You can also present them using an array of fun questions during the event, or collect feedback after the occasion. Your goal is to generate an atmosphere of conversation and engagement between your guests and you.
While the event is taking place, you can also invite attendees in person to join an online chat. In this way, they are able to discuss their ideas, communicate with each other and the online attendees and also ask any questions they might be able to ask during the chat.
Keep in mind that you could also make your event held on the internet. It is possible that some guest speakers couldn't make it to the event in person, and instead are able to present online. In this case, you can do an talk, interview, or presentation as well as more, all via the internet!
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4. Live-stream your virtual members
Just as you want to get your in-person attendees on the internet, you'll want to accomplish the reverse to make your virtual members live. This doesn't mean that you should get them to meet in person (because this would negate your goal), but get them to engage live with the content making them feel that they're involved in the event!
How? Utilize live streaming to your advantage regardless of whether you're using it to be used for major stage events such as keynotes, presentations or even lectures delivered by someone recognizable. Livestreaming can also be used in smaller events like online workshops, discussions breaks, breakout sessions and webinars.
As with your in-person attendees, your virtual members can respond to questions and engage in real-time with open questions and answers that give you opportunities to increase discussion and exchange ideas. When you're an event planner It's important to make sure that your virtual guests' questions are given equal weight and importance during the session as questions from attendees in person.
You might consider having an emcee, or host of your virtual audience that can recap key moments and alert virtual attendees to the next event. It's also possible to capture and stream the excitement of what's happening in real-time so that your online attendees feel like that they're there.
5. Make sure you have plenty of time for networking and space
Allow virtual attendees the opportunity to connect with the keynote speaker by ensuring that there's sufficient time for your speakers' agendas to interact with attendees.
Consider blocking off time throughout the day (and you can even include some time later) reserved to network. In order to do this, it is possible to have dedicated rooms (both on the ground and via online) that are specifically designed for networking. It is possible to ask participants to enter their name, job title, social media handles, and an interesting fact about them in chat rooms online to help make connections.
6. Ask questions for discussion in the community
In terms of having spaces that members who are online and live are able to interact, an ideal location to have this interaction is inside your online group! This is great for every member, regardless of whether they're on the go or in the real world.
Below are some engaging questions you can ask your members:
- What's the challenge that you're currently facing?
- What is an amazing outcome for you?
- What's the one word theme for 2022?
- What is it that inspires you the most?
- If you had the power to wave the magic wand of your choice and make an additional hour of your workday What would you do?
- What's the most stunning spot you've visited?
- What accomplishment are you most happy about?
Based on interests of the members it is possible to create different subgroups in your online community. It is also possible to use various types of content in order to draw participants in these groups such as:
- Surveys (e.g. "What percentage of your time are you spending on getting organized and reviewing your objectives ?")
- Fill-in-the-blank questions (e.g. "The main reason I participate in networking is because of _____," or "I never go out without _ ")
- Ask questions with word limits (e.g. "What's the first thing you wish people to remember when they see your brand ?")
- You can ask questions that have time limitations (e.g. "Based on what you learned in the past at this meeting, what's something you're planning to do this week?")
The main thing is to ask questions that can make your audience think and stay engaged.
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7. Keep the spirit alive even after
After the event ends, you can still be a part of the fun! The excitement, the knowledge sharing, the enthusiasm and the fun can keep going. There's plenty you can accomplish to keep a thriving community.
Here are some examples to keep up the momentum:
- Host a member spotlight event It could happen as the live appearance of some of the participants (panel discussions). For example, if they're coaches in a group they could be asked, "What's the most effective method to get new customers? ?"
- Have members write about their experiences . Invite every week a new member to blog about their experiences as well as their achievements. Your members will surely love hearing from you, but they'll also love hearing stories from their fellow members.
- Hosting an event that is live This could include a talk, demo, workshop, webinar or thought direction.
- Offer Weekly challenges.
- Book or podcast day of discussion in line with the community's needs.
The benefit of keeping the excitement is that you get to create excitement for your next virtual and hybrid occasions!
8. Provide more content options
Another method to keep your clients active is to offer different types of content. Because your members are already acquainted of your business and your brand, it is much easier to offer them additional services and products down the road.
Here are some suggestions of the things you could charge for:
- Members (great way to create community as well as an online platform that allows members to communicate with each other)
- Video recordings
- Livestreams
- Boards of discussion, articles as well as surveys, polls and discussions
- Digital downloads (PDFs, ebooks, audio files, customizable templates)
It is also possible to extend your hybrid experience to online courses, mastermind groups as well as other events. You can use recordings of events (e.g. speakers) as well as recordings of the tales and experiences of attendees in turn into powerful content that you can charge separately for.
There are a variety of options in showcasing your content as well as charging for it. There's even the option of offering members who have attended your event a discounted rate on an online class or ebook. Keep in mind that it's an entire marathon and not a sprint. When you know more about your participants, you'll be able to modify the content to their needs.
9. Determine your technology needs
The event you are planning is to run without an issue. It is essential to make sure that the technical aspects in place (like video and audio streaming ).
Here's a list of items to think about:
- Audio recording: be sure that the audio recorded is crystal clean. You also would like your video and audio recordings to be synced.
- Microphones Your guests don't want to be straining to hear what your guests are saying, so make sure your microphones are in good working order and are wired (whether they're stand-alone or connected).
- Video quality: use equipment with high-resolution. It's not a good idea to have bad quality video which is hard to see when you're stream recording and streaming for your guests.
- Apps for engagement (e.g. Slido) Make sure you integrate easy-to-use applications (this is important for those who are less tech-savvy) which have high-quality interaction and engagement features.
- Community app (e.g. ) make sure that you've created an area for community interaction where participants can meet up with each other, share their storiesand build relationships (before the event, throughout, and following the event).
- Ticketing: to track sign-ups you can use a registration software or ticketing program. It ensures that all information is in one spot.
10. Test tests, test, test, test
After you've decided on the technical equipment and apps you need for your special event then it's time to check these out! What you don't want to happen at your event is something (on the technical side) that goes wrong, which could have easily been prevented.
We recommend that you run an experiment with the hybrid event several days prior to the event to ensure that everything runs smoothly, and give you peace of mind. Make sure you have two attendees test one online and someone in real life. This way, you can be certain that the video quality is to standards, the PowerPoint presentation you made functions, and attendees can connect to any application, and the audio quality is clear You do not want your speakers to become blocked or, worse yet, unreadable.
Whatever equipment you're using, just make sure you and your guests are familiar with the equipment. In the event something does go wrong during the occasion, it's easy to troubleshoot. As you'll be pulled into so many different directions during the event's hybrid nature it's a good idea to think about enlisting assistance -- whether from friends or professionals (e.g. videographer) to ensure everything runs without a hitch and allow you to focus on the most important thing ... your guests.
11. Pick your favorite platform
Next, you must select the right platform for you. Let's look at 4 options quick.
This is a comprehensive platform for creators that offers an extensive set of native features and tools to design appealing content. It provides excellent online course choices that seamlessly integrate with communities, paid memberships as well as hybrid and virtual events.
There are other benefits of choosing a hybrid event
- Create easy-to-use RSVP announcements.
- Create interactive discussion boards, polls, as well as Q&As.
- Post articles and live stream live from Your Mighty Network, and post video recordings.
- Send direct messages to the attendees. Set up reminders to ensure that no one is missing the deadline for anything.
- It is possible to access the internet through a robust mobile app (available for both Android as well as iOS). It is ideal for people using the app to complement their live experience, or for their primary method to interact in a total virtual environment, there will not be any compromises in high-quality.
A Mighty Network offers the best of both worlds , combining information and connectivity for your hybrid event , and also giving you the option to expand your event into a thriving community site, membership website, series of online courses as well as much more!
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Accelevents
Accelevents is an event platform with robust features where you can host your hybrid events. It's an affordable-ish solution (their starter pack for one-time events is $500/event or you can purchase unlimited events at $125/month, which is billed annually) designed for mid- to large-sized enterprises.
Accelevents enables businesses to integrate live streaming, add interactive live polls and Q&As. They can also build interactive booths at expos- perfect to auction.
Even though this technology advertises its capacity to create connections between attendees using sophisticated features like AI-based matching, unfortunately there's actually an inability for event attendees to maintain connections once the event has ended.
Hopin
While this platform for hybrid events was developed recently It's an excellent option for the new and/or price-conscious planner who would like to offer an upscale convention experience. Through Hopin organizers are able to create different types of tickets, make use of the platform's centralized registration that is available for both online and in-person participants, and make use of their marketing tools via email. Hopin also provides lots of ways for guests to interact during the event (connection discovery tool, virtual roundtables, group breakout sessions, and much more). ).
Hopin does focus on replicating the experiences of an actual event, so it's missing out on many of the elements which make the online experience distinctive. Also, while this platform is affordable, they do still take a portion of the ticket's commissions (even for their "starter" pack they take an additional 7% of commissions on top of charging $99/month that is billed annually ).
If you want to try hosting a hybrid event, they offer a free trial (although it should be noted that the event length can be as short as two hours and you will get 100 registrants, and they take 15% of the ticket sales).
vFairs
vFairs is a fairly powerful hybrid event platform catered for large businesses and universities for hosting workshops, conferences as well as trade fairs and much more. This platform allows you to live stream video of your the event to your web-based viewers, provides immersive virtual venues that allow you to link in-person and online participants via text messaging as well as audio/video conferences. vFairs offers a mobile app where attendees can sign-in for the event, interact with fellow attendees and engage with exhibitor booths.
What vFairs is lacking is in their user experience. Users report that this platform offers limited customization, and the integration isn't seamless.
In general This hybrid platform for events is good for supersized companies.
Hybrid event examples
We've now covered the basics of hosting a hybrid gathering Let's look at a few examples! Both of these examples originally focused on events in person prior to the outbreak, shifted to online the course of and are currently giving attendees a mix of experiences.
The Outwild Hub
The Outwild Hub is a social network which has a monthly membership that is paid and event series for individuals who want to make the outdoor a more integral aspect of their lives. There is an online community, as well as virtual and in-person activities.
- What they provide: Outwild Hub members get access to an online community, monthly speakers, a workshop series, and early access to live events. They also host online events (community gatherings or workshops, keynote talks). They effortlessly connect events in person online by offering recording of the event.
- Who should join: anyone who is interested in spending more time outside, but just not sure what to do. This is for people who wish to make big shifts in their lifestyle. It also helps those who relocated during the epidemic to make new friends and enjoy the great outdoor space together.
in the Cut
In the Cut In the Cut is a community for BIPOC creators looking to make it into the TV and film industries (just like the show's host Rae Benjamin, had gone from full-time graphic design to becoming a script coordinator for "The Witcher").
-What they offer: a Free online community for screenwriters in the process of becoming screenwriters are able to network and learn about opportunities, mentorships, and get filmmaking tips and tricks. This is a community where writers come together to make virtual writers' spaces. The site also allows members to gain unlimited access to replays of webinars (for an additional fee) and online training courses or even writing retreats in person.
Who should be a part of: BIPOC creatives who want to be a screenwriter in Hollywood. Those who have found entry-level work but are not sure how to make the transition into a more lucrative career. These events are honest and unfiltered to help demystify the world of entertainment.
Conclusion
Hope you're motivated and are ready to host a hybrid event that WORKS knowing the advantages of events that are hybrid, how to actually run one, and the things you'll need in order to be successful.
What do you really need ... even though we covered several platform for events, it offers the ideal balance of cost, customization as well as features that are suitable for both online and in-person attendees. You can try it at no cost!
Create your event community now!