A hybrid event is simply an event that is held both in person and online. During the past year, many companies have been forced to hold all meetings and conferences online and for many this will be the new normal. Here are our pros and cons of hybrid events.
Here are the pros and cons of hosting a hybrid event:
Pros
Increased audience reach:
Due to a hybrid event allowing you live stream and share the event worldwide, hosting your own hybrid event allows you to reach a wider audience. This can allow your event to reach two (or more) times the number of attendees than if you were only delivering it physically. Another benefit is that the streamed event can be shared on social media channels allowing it to, once again, reach more and more people.
More choice for everyone:
Whether your attendees would prefer to attend the event physically or would prefer to watch it through a live stream or if they just want to catch up at another time, hybrid events allow them to do just that. It gives attendees lots of flexibility and if they don’t have time to watch it back in one sitting, they can pause and come back to it again at a convenient time. This is a real benefit for hosting a hybrid event and will attract more people as they won’t have to worry if they cannot make the original time.
Saves travel time and cost:
Hosting a hybrid event will allow your attendees to save time and money as they do not have to travel to the event destination if they do not want to. Hybrid events allow you to stream your event anywhere in the world, so if someone cannot make the day as they do not have time to travel, they can easily join online in a few seconds. Not only this, but it helps your company to help the planet and become more sustainable!
Cons
Complex:
One of the difficulties of hosting a hybrid event is that it can be difficult and complicated to come up with content that can be delivered both physically and virtually. You need to get the balance right between how to engage the physical members as well as the virtual ones.
It can be difficult to set up:
One negative about hybrid events is that they can be difficult to set up, especially because they are new for many companies. As well as the planning, time and energy it takes to run an event in general, mixing and coordinating the hybridisation adds a whole new dimension. Not only do you need to think about the customer experience for physical and online attendees, but also the technical demands and ensuring the event runs smoothly on both sides.
You need a good connection for you and your attendees:
Having a strong internet connection on your end can make or break the success of your hybrid event. If the connection is unstable, it will affect the experience your virtual attendees have. Make sure you check all your equipment thoroughly before you begin streaming as you want your message to come across to the online attendees just as strongly as it does to those there in person.
Tell me more!
If you want to host your own hybrid event, the team here at Dreamtek can help make your hybrid event happen. We are on hand to ensure you set everything up correctly, have a stable connection and help to make the entire event run smoothly on both ends! For more information and to speak to one of the #dreamteam visit our website.