The Case for Hybrid
Benefits and considerations
A live event has the powerful advantage of allowing your team to connect, learn and celebrate together in person but hybrid solutions, combining both live and virtual meeting elements, have many other benefits such as cost efficiency, increased reach and improved accessibility.
Your SKO needs to meet the priorities of a modern workforce, which may well include remote workers and dispersed teams.
A hybrid event is designed from the start to have two audiences, with each audience journey being separate and distinct.
Both audiences access the same content, although some additional content may be exclusive to one or the other and some may be presented in different formats.
Each audience is treated equally, with no audience feeling as though they are less important than the other.
Both audiences have a separate and distinct user journeys which designed for differently.
Planners need to create an experience that is equally positive and energising for all audiences so that your teams feel engaged and connected wherever they are.
There are many questions to ask yourself when it comes to determining whether hybrid is right for you. Here are eight:
What are my attendees’ priorities?
What are my company’s priorities?
Where are my speakers and attendees located?
Have I considered the different models of hybrid events?
Have I considered different user journeys?
Do I have the right expertise to deliver two events in one?
Do I have a very fast turnaround?
Do I have the right budget?
Done well, a hybrid event can broaden your audience and exposure, offer a global perspective, and provide a richer experience for everyone involved.
But a hybrid solution is not a silver bullet, one size definitely doesn’t fit all, and it’s important that event planners make the right decisions based on the priorities of both their business and their audience.
The definition of Hybrid lies with the audience experience, not the technology. A hybrid event is an event which is designed from the start to have two separate audiences; one live and one online.It is effectively two events in one.
Since its early days as an alternative solution to live events, hybrid has solidified its position in the event mix but primarily for internal events where accessibility (49%) and audience reach (51%) are priorities.
The forecast for hybrid looks similar – reach (73%), accessibility (48%), and improved sustainability (41%) are all considered to be major opportunities for the format in 2024.
Source: Aspect Insights Report 2024
What do you consider to be the biggest opportunities for hybrid events in 2024? (click to view)
1. Cost savings: A fully in-person event can be costly due to travel, accommodation, venue hire and other logistics. Bringing a speaker to a live audience “digitally” can also work well - it’s a lot more cost-effective for a keynote speaker to join the event remotely.
2. Reduced environmental impact: A hybrid meeting can be more environmentally friendly by reducing the number of people traveling and the overall logistical footprint of the event. This works particularly well for sales teams that are organised by geography – meeting in smaller regional groups combined with a core digital element can be very effective.
3. On-demand content: Hybrid events record sessions for later viewing, allowing attendees to revisit important content, catch up on sessions they missed, or share with team members who couldn’t attend.
4. Enhanced engagement: Hybrid formats can leverage technology to foster interactivity. Virtual participants can engage through chat, Q&A sessions, polls, and virtual break-out rooms, creating an more dynamic experience overall.
5. Accessibility: The virtual component of a hybrid SKO can improve accessibility for those with mobility issues, disabilities, or other factors that make travel challenging.
6. Continuous collaboration: Hybrid SKOs can integrate digital collaboration tools to facilitate ongoing communication and teamwork even after the event, leading to sustained engagement and better knowledge sharing.
7. Customisation: A hybrid format allows the tailoring of experiences to different audiences. But it’s important that virtual delegates can experience and enjoy the live elements too, for example by creating a broadcast atmosphere with a host and interactive elements such as voting and networking opportunities throughout the meeting.
We’ve been creating virtual and hybrid events since before the internet was a thing (really!)
As a result, we are trusted by some of the biggest names in the world.
If you’d like to discuss your options in more detail, do get in touch.
