The pandemic has proven to be one of the biggest hurdles the events industry had to overcome. If you’re an event organizer, you know exactly what we’re talking about. What if we told you, it’s still possible to host an engaging conference just like an in-person event, but better?
With Hybrid Events, you have the flexibility to create not only a virtual experience for your audience, but you’d be giving them the best of both worlds. There’s no doubt that with these changing times, more and more businesses have realized the true potential of hybrid events. So, it’s been a real game-changer for the events industry.
To help you understand the difference between the two, we’ve created a brief comparison:
A virtual event is usually one that is completely hosted online with either a live stream or pre-recorded content with only virtual attendees and speakers, whereas a hybrid event is a mix of the physical and virtual event elements. In simple terms, it could be described as a physical event that simultaneously has a virtual audience that has access to the same content being broadcasted physically.
Traditionally, most conferences rely on physical events to meet & interact with people in similar fields, understand the latest research and trends in sectors, showcase innovative new ideas and products, and so on but with the current rules on social distancing and gatherings, companies are unable to host them in a large-scale format
This is where a Hybrid event platform comes in handy as they offer significant advantages in terms of cost, time, engagement, data analysis, and an overall better allocation of assets and resources. So, here’s why if you are considering to host a conference, a hybrid event platform might just be the right medium for you to use.
Table of Contents:
- Reduced Costs
- Better Time Management
- Connect to a Larger Audience
- Higher Engagement
- Greater Flexibility
- Data and Analytics
- ROI for Sponsors
- Virtual Networking
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1. Reduced Costs
A hybrid event will help organizers significantly cut down their expenditure on large venue spaces, hotels, flights, Utilities, food & beverage costs, and other logistical operations. Virtual attendees of a hybrid event usually have free entry to the event and the only thing they would have to do is register for an account with the platform. Therefore, the cost-saving created by using a Hybrid event platform lets organizers make efficient use of their spending and allocate their resources to different areas.
2. Better Time Management
Time is saved not only for the organizers but for exhibitors, speakers, and attendees. Organizers do not have to spend countless months pre-planning for the event and only need to focus their efforts on the conference’s other KPIs.
Attendees and speakers do not have to take time off and commute to these conferences either, all they need is the internet and a device to stream the event! In addition to that, the virtual event platform also allows organizers to have a run-through/rehearsal before the event, to make sure all the features and software works to give attendees the perfect virtual experience.
3. Connect to a Larger Audience
Physical venues always have a limit to how many attendees can attend; with a hybrid event, this is not an issue! There is no limit to how many people can join virtually, in fact, it is often noted that there is higher participation and registration on an online platform as it is one of the most convenient ways for most people to access the event.
Furthermore, it allows people from all over the world to attend which allows the organizers to reach a larger geographical target audience.
4. Higher Engagement
Virtual event platforms tend to have a higher engagement rate as online attendees can interact with other global participants, ask queries and share insights. It can also have features like polls, a rating system, and feedback tags to effectively communicate their insights and opinions about the conference to the organizers.
More importantly, attendees can re-watch sessions, bookmark & download videos and documents, and share their experiences on social media. Therefore having a hybrid event will allow the organiser to utilize the higher engagement benefits that virtual event platforms provide.
5. Greater Flexibility
Hybrid conference events give the organizers flexibility in planning and operating the event. With a hybrid events platform, they do not have to worry about creating a virtual venue for their online audience and can rest assured that in case of any emergency regarding the physical venue for example another virus outbreak or quarantine restrictions, the conference can still carry on virtually and still meet the objectives and goals set by the organizers.
6. Data Analytics
In today’s world, data is the new currency and asset that is pushing organizations forward. A hybrid event platform is perfect for a conference to collect and analyze data from a large pool of user statistics. It provides more valuable and actionable data than a physical conference ever could; in a physical setting, they rely on time-consuming activities like head counting & onsite registration and are unable to effectively measure participant engagement.
A hybrid event platform enables organizers to quantify the number of people who attended, segment them according to the target demographics, calculate engagement within the platform, get feedback, find out which sessions were popular, and so on. Using this data, organizers will get a better understanding of what works and what doesn’t and can further tailor future conferences according to the metrics they receive from the platform.
7. ROI for Sponsors
A hybrid event platform allows sponsors to reach a larger global audience and increase their overall brand awareness. They can use the platform's digital dashboards, carousel screens, and display screens to showcase marketing materials like videos, logos, documents, and other collaterals. Sponsors can also connect to a wide network of individuals and get their insights into generating leads for their businesses.
8. Virtual Networking
As stated before, a Hybrid conferencing platform (Just like us!) connects a wide variety of individuals from across the world, who work in different sectors and fields. The platform acts as a perfect virtual destination for networking, meeting new people, and building connections that lead to successful business endeavors. Hybrid platforms can also integrate AI systems to conduct smart matchmaking so that sponsors, exhibitors and attendees meet the right people with the same interests and goals.
All in all, we can say that the world is moving towards a digital future and the Virtual-Hybrid events are here to stay! and Companies that are integrating with the latest hybrid events platforms are well ahead of their competitors and are leading the trends of innovation in the events management industry.
Events10X is a leading Hybrid Conferencing Platform – It has everything you need to plan, create, promote, monetize and analyze your next conference. Reach out to us at info@events10x.com or request a demo with one of our team members to learn how we can help you host a stunning hybrid conference!
