Hybrid events provide a great opportunity for businesses to connect with customers in a new and innovative way. By combining the power of virtual communication with the intimacy of face-to-face interactions, businesses can create powerful bonds with their customers.
5 Benefits of Hybrid Events
Contrary to popular belief, hybrid events don’t need a lot of advanced technology, such as VR/AR (Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality), holographic, or anything similar. Even with the readily available technology, you may create a high-quality hybrid event without needing a lot of training and knowledge.
Hybrid Events vs Virtual Events
Hybrid Events
Hybrid events are the ultimate pick among many people wanting to host an event, as they are held both digitally and physically. You bring your live event, along with an audience, material, and more, and add a digital component to it so that your audience may join and connect with your event regardless of their location.
Here are some of the example ideal hybrid events you can organise:
- Conference
- Trade Show
- Seminar
- Product Launch
- Team Meeting
Virtual Events
Virtual Events exclusively take place online. You might need to combine live streaming with pre-recorded materials to captivate your online audience. You may provide your online participants with the option to connect with each other, do online Q&A, and provide honest feedback and input, depending on the virtual event platform you choose to host your event.
Here are some examples of virtual events you can organise:
- Online Conferences
- Google Meet Webinars
- Zoom Meetings
Hybrid events offer a great opportunity for your organisation to grow and learn new things while still keeping your events affordable and manageable. They are also great for increasing brand awareness since they allow you to combine different types of events into one.
The various aspects of hybrid events are always there to assist you in selecting the one that is ideal for your company.
Benefits of hybrid events
You may organise events, be it in person or virtually, and both forms offer advantages and disadvantages.
A lot of individuals are eager to attend more live events and spend less time in front of screens. However, many others are more inclined to participate remotely for a variety of reasons.
Hybrid events reflect the reality of event marketing since they cater to both groups. Here are some of the advantages of hybrid events. Our top 5 benefits of hybrid events include the following:
Increase attendance and reach
Hybrid events present an interesting challenge for event organisers. There is a perception that viewers may only participate in hybrid events digitally or in person, but not both. However, this is not the case. In fact, there are many benefits to hosting a hybrid event.
Hybrid events allow for more engagement with participants. By hosting a digital and/or in-person component, organisers can increase the level of interaction between participants and the event itself. This can be done by having live chat features available during the event or through social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
They create a more interactive experience for attendees. By blending traditional and digital elements, hybrid events create an immersive experience that encourages attendees to participate more fully in the proceedings. This can be done by providing opportunities to ask questions during sessions or online chats, and awarding prizes that require participation in both physical and online components of the contest or competition.
They are cost-effective to organise. By combining different modes of engagement (e.g. online voting, social media participation), organisers can reduce costs associated with running traditional contests or competitions such as printing ballots.
According to research, roughly 98% of participants at a hybrid event had no intention of attending live or in person, which means your event may attract a new audience that is either averse to attending live events or uncertain of the advantages.
Enhanced event engagement
The overall audience engagement prospects are enhanced by including a virtual aspect in your event, both at the event as well as in the weeks or months that follow.
Participants who are present virtually can take part actively using their smartphones, iPad, or PC.
This implies that they could still engage in conversation with all other attendees and leave comments or ask questions.
Participating in these network events is open to both in-person participants and remote participants.
They may quickly connect with virtual participants and take part in the very same online interactions as those outlined above while physically present at the event.
Great sponsorship opportunity
Hybrid events’ benefits for participation also present tremendous sponsorship opportunities.
They are becoming more apparent to event sponsors, who are thus more willing to support them. For instance, a trade show will only likely draw sponsorships if a sizable crowd is anticipated.
Hybrid events have a far broader audience, which is incredibly important for sponsors. Furthermore, sponsors may be able to engage remotely by building up online exhibits and delivering presentations through video calls.
This is indeed crucial for events that wish to have sponsorships and presenters from all over the world.
Increase event ROI
Hybrid events offer many benefits that increase event ROI. First, they are less expensive to arrange than strictly in-person ones. This is because you can contact more people online than you can in a real meeting venue. Second, hybrid events are often more interactive than traditional events. This means that participants have a greater opportunity to learn about and engage with the event content. Third, hybrid events often result in a higher level of engagement from participants since they have the opportunity to participate in multiple activities simultaneously.
Finally, hybrid events are typically more successful when they focus on a specific topic or issue. These factors make hybrid events an ideal choice for organisations looking to increase their event attendance and engagement.
We can significantly increase attendance—and do it at a far lower marginal cost—by adding a digital dimension to our physical events.
In other words, we won’t need to hire a larger event venue. ROI potential for every event results from the combination of higher attendance and reduced expense.
More sustainable
According to Cornell University, conferences and exhibitions with a 50/50 mix of in-person and virtual attendees could reduce their total carbon footprint and energy consumption by two-thirds.
The study also estimates that over 10% of the world’s CO2 emissions are attributable to the events sector.
Experts believe lowering CO2 emissions from events as a whole, beyond merely keeping some participants at home, requires a multi-pronged strategy as in-person and hybrid events move towards pre-pandemic levels.
Adhering to ISO 20121 standards, which provide direction and best practices on managing events social, economic, and sustainability is a useful place to start.
In conclusion
The five points mentioned above are only a few of the many that make hybrid events valuable due to their features of sustainability, profitability, and accessibility.
Regardless of how attendees may choose to participate in your event, using the best technological options promotes long-term community outreach.
Hybrid events allow you to engage with a wider range of potential customers than you would be able to at a traditional event while also allowing your employees to network with their peers.
In addition to increasing customer reach and generating new leads, hybrid events can also help you learn more about your target market and improve your understanding of their needs. This knowledge can help you create better products or services in the future.
Are you looking to plan your next event?
The Pink Caviar Events team is here to help you deliver great events through both digital and traditional channels. Book your event consultation with Stephanie and chat about your upcoming event project.
Stephanie Cassimatis is the founder and head stylist of Pink Caviar Events, a corporate event management and styling company based in Sydney, Australia. With over a decade of experience in the industry, Stephanie is known for her impeccable taste and attention to detail, as well as her ability to bring her client’s visions to life. In addition, she is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), a credential that reflects her commitment to delivering high-quality events on time and within budget. Stephanie is also a respected speaker and educator, sharing her expertise and insights with aspiring event planners and designers through workshops and conferences.
