Virtual events saw a rise in popularity since the start of COVID and it has proven their merits over the past years. The hybrid events act as a golden bridge between the two types of events including the in-person events and the remote ones via the web. The virtual tools can be used to incorporate both types of audiences in which the virtual participants attend through channels like video conferencing.
The innovative use of technology builds engagement across the hybrid event platform. The goal of such events is to provide a consistent experience to the attendees and allow them to take part in it. All the attendees of the events have similar engagement with the presenters and have exquisite access to the content presented. This hybrid conference platform has increased the attendance to more than 70 percent in various events. Among the numerous benefits of hybrid events, some of the major ones are mentioned below.
1. INCREASED OUTREACH
Before the COVID scenario, all the events featured an in-person audience and the speakers, but the hybrid events have opened doors for a combination of both. A rich environment is created while benefiting the live audience and providing them access to the same content as the virtual ones.
This increases the reach and helps in connecting with the people, thus increasing the relevance of the speakers. A hybrid event also has more coverage and exposure as it is conducted both in-person and virtually. The audiences can also be categorized depending on the live and virtual tools.
2. LESS HARMFUL
Increasing the carbon footprint has been a cause of concern for a long time and the in-person events lead to harming the environment as the attendees have to travel to and from. It does not only include traveling but printing banners, temperature control, and food arrangements which degrade the situation. The hybrid events lead to the mitigation of carbon footprint as the audience attending remotely does not add to it.
3. SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
The event’s sponsors have started to recognize the benefits of such events and thus, they offer sponsorship opportunities for the same. Since the reach is also increased, the popularity of the event leads to more and more sponsors investing in them. Even the sponsors who are unable to attend the event in person can participate remotely via the available digital platforms. For the events inviting speakers from abroad, these opportunities are beneficial as there might be travel restrictions.
4. FLEXIBILITY IN EVENT MANAGEMENT
The hybrid event platform also provides flexibility for managing the event as the in-person events are sometimes canceled due to several constraints. Many factors act as hurdles in setting up the event and the hybrid model offers a proper solution. Thus, the increased flexibility helps in better management and organization of the events. The possible hurdles such as cost, time, and logistics can be overcome using this restriction.
5. INCREASED AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT
Incorporating the available virtual tools in hybrid events increases audience engagement. Since the virtual audience is already plugged into the event digitally, they can simultaneously interact, share, or comment on the event.
The in-person audience also has a mobile phone with them which leads to interaction between both types of audience. The interaction can be done through different mediums like surveys, Q & A, and real-time polls. Thus, hybrid events make it easier as the use of technology is applied in the right place and right context.
6. EASE OF COMMUNITY BUILDING
Hybrid events offer more opportunities than in-person events as the virtual platform can be used to research and gather information during and after the event. This platform can be used to sample opinions from post attendees and can act as the information center to make announcements.
It increases the networking of the event and various collaborative opportunities are also provided. Even after the in-person event comes to an end, the virtual platform still opens up networking opportunities. The collaboration opportunities also see tremendous growth with domain experts from all around the world.
7. EXTENSION OF THE EVENT CONTENT
The content is usually recorded from the live events and it allows the audience to play it back and enjoy the event again. The speakers in the event can also use the opportunity to push the content in and out of the event. An information library can also be created for attendees to access the content. The event can last for another year by using these available options.
8. TRACKING AND CAPTURING
A live event also has a virtual component attached to it which helps in capturing the entire event and keeping a track of it. The attendee data can be saved in feasible ways that would have been impossible otherwise. The hybrid platform provides features like deep data analytics at different points of events. These help in keeping track of the clicks, shares, connections, views, etc.
The user activity can also be monitored and help in acquiring qualified leads. The sponsors and partners of the event get real-time value and returns on their investments as they can access the target audience directly. The behavior analysis of the attendees can also be studied to know about their expressed interests.
9. COST-EFFECTIVENESS
Since hybrid events are very flexible, they give greater control over the costs. The virtual attendee joining the event will not require any expenditure from venue rental, catering, to travel, thus saving money. If in any event there is a need to scale back on the high costs of the event, then hybrid events should be opted for.
10. PROVIDES SAFETY
Many event organizers have been concerned about the safety of the attendees during the pandemic. The hybrid events have proven to be a boon in such cases and it is an alternative for the events to take place without any hindrance.
CONCLUSION
The COVID pandemic brought with it many problems and it led to the concept of hybrid events. One should choose a reliable hybrid event platform, like Dreamcast, to avail maximum benefits of the hybrid events. Hopefully, the article above will cater to the organizers in understanding the varied merits, and why they should choose to conduct a hybrid event.
