Advantages of Hybrid Events You Can't Afford to Overlook

As the world becomes increasingly digital and connected, the advantages of hybrid events are becoming harder to ignore. According to recent studies, hybrid events are now the fastest-growing type of event, with a projected annual growth rate of more than 15%.

Hybrid events combine aspects of both online and offline activities, such as webinars, virtual trade shows, and social media campaigns. This allows attendees to participate in a variety of ways, depending on their preferences and needs. As a result, hybrid events offer many advantages over traditional events. Using event technology can increase attendance by 20%, increase productivity by 27%, and decrease operational costs by 30%.

Read on to discover the many advantages of hybrid events, and how they can be your solution to greater event engagement, profitability, and long-term success for your venue.

Increased Audience Size

Perhaps one of the most apparent advantages of hybrid events is the opportunity to open the event doors to a global audience. Rather than splitting your attendance, or convincing attendees to attend online who may otherwise attend in-person, going hybrid provides a wealth of opportunities to attract more attendees.  Matthew Ley, President and Co-Founder of The Streaming Network talks about a recent study of hybrid event attendees, in which it was found that 98% were not planning to attend live. Furthermore, a larger audience also offers up greater marketing opportunities for you to create more targeted messaging for different audiences. 

Hybrid events aren’t just limited to audiences who may otherwise be limited by time, cost, or location. They are also a great opportunity to invite guest speakers or entertainers to join virtually, adding to the quality and credibility of your event program. 

Greater Sponsorship Opportunities

More online attendees give sponsors more eyes on their business. This provides greater demand for sponsorship. The virtual component of your hybrid event offers a range of advertising avenues - think digital banners, website logos, app placement, and email features. Event sponsors have the added ability to engage with online attendees via virtual event booths and distributing digital marketing collateral. 

Some hybrid events, such as university webinars, provide sponsors with the opportunity to have a video or banner advertisement displayed on the event's website. This is an especially effective way to reach out to potential customers who may not be located near your business. Other hybrid events, such as live chats, give sponsors the opportunity to participate in the discussion by providing promotional materials or answering questions from attendees. This type of sponsorship allows businesses to directly interact with potential customers and create connections that could lead to future sales.

More Environmentally Friendly

As the world becomes more and more environmentally conscious, hybrid events are becoming increasingly important. By definition, hybrid events are those which combine both online and in-person elements. This allows people to attend events without having to travel, saving energy and reducing emissions.

According to a study conducted by the Event Industry Council, hosting events online instead of in person can save up to 91% of the energy used. In addition, hybrid events produce nearly 92% fewer emissions than traditional in-person events. This is largely due to the fact that there is no need for travel, and all communication can be done electronically. In addition to being more eco-friendly, event managers have greater control over selecting a venue that adheres to environmentally friendly practices, with hybrid events generally attracting more online than in-person attendees. 

Of course going hybrid isn’t the only way to be more eco-friendly. Find out more information on making a venue more sustainable here.

New Engagement Activities with Tech Innovation

Hybrid events are a great way to mix things up, but they can also be tricky to manage. Here are four ways to keep hybrid event attendees engaged:

1. Get everybody involved. In-person attendees may find connecting with each other easier in a face-to-face environment - a common downfall for online attendees is that networking can feel forced or awkward. Help bridge this gap by offering dedicated hybrid chat forums, where all attendees can join discussions, or nominate a dedicated online facilitator who is responsible for asking questions and getting online attendees involved and networking with one another.
   
   
2. Mix things up. If all the sessions are lectures, add in some interactive activities or group work sessions. If all the break-out rooms are focused on one topic, switch it up and have a few that are more general. Variety is key when it comes to keeping people interested.
   
   
3. Make use of technology. Use social media platforms like Twitter or Instagram to give people a sneak peek of what’s going on behind the scenes, or post videos of keynote speeches so people who couldn’t attend in person can still feel involved.
   
   
4. Get personal. As an event manager, talk with attendees one-on-one, learn their names, and find out what they’re interested in – let them know that you care about them as individuals and that you want them to have a good time. Feedback is crucial.

Detailed Insights with More Data

The ability to collect data from attendees is one of the most important advantages of hybrid events. By gathering data about who attended, what they did while they were there, and how they felt about the event, businesses can make informed decisions about their products and services. This data can be used to improve future events, target customers more effectively, and make better marketing decisions.

When researching hybrid event platforms, consider what digital data you want to be collecting. Many systems have the capacity to provide detailed information for online attendees, including time spent in sessions, what resources attendees downloaded, if they participated in polls or surveys, and how many connections they made throughout the event period.

Make Your Next Event Hybrid

Now you know more about the advantages of hybrid events, would you consider taking the steps to combine in-person and online elements into your next event? 

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