Live events are important in so many ways. The one-to-one interaction, chance encounters and hands-on learning. The momentum of a real-life group vibe. Attending events brings us knowledge, contacts, spontaneity and the confidence to try new things and move forward, personally and professionally.
If you are short on time and don’t want to read the full article, we have summarised it into some handy tips at the end of the article.
From a technical perspective, hybrid lets you give audiences more choice.
You could opt to stream only the keynote and plenary sessions – or just give access to the introductory and closing presentations which bookend the event. Or go all-out and run the virtual strand like a live TV broadcast with a presenter, providing full access to all content.
If you’re responsible for an event in 2021, options may seem difficult to weigh up.
Many teams and customers are ready to be together, others may be a little reticent, so that’s why we’re looking ahead to hybrid, with the flexibility and opportunities it brings. A hybrid format brings a more dynamic buzz to an event, so let’s look at how you can make yours a success.
Budget
When it comes to costing hybrid events, the devil really is in the detail. If you’re thinking a virtual event is bound to be cheaper to run than a live one… this isn’t always the case.
What could make a hybrid event more expensive?
Essentially, you’re running two different events: one like a live TV show with a studio audience and another online for remote attendees. And it’s worth noting that, with a hybrid event, it makes more sense to run a live strand if there’s a genuine business need. For example, if there’s going to be a substantial live audience or if you need to satisfy a legal regulation. Let’s say you decide to run an event which has previously been live. Now you’re using a hybrid format for the same number of attendees, but 50% want to attend virtually. Chances are, your platform and production costs might negate any savings on hotels, travel, and catering. As ever, it’s a numbers game!
Why could costs be higher?
With the switch to hybrid, you can communicate with a larger audience. You could aim for the same live audience you’re used to and attract virtual attendees who didn’t attend before giving you a wider reach. Great! But when it comes to allocating budget, think carefully about what you want each audience to gain from the experience – especially if you’re welcoming a lot more people.
Live events are important in so many ways. The one-to-one interaction, chance encounters and hands-on learning.
With the switch to hybrid, you can communicate with a larger audience.
Think carefully about what you want each audience to gain from the experience.
Programming
Clearly, live-only events allow you more freedom to tweak the agenda in the run-up to the event itself. With hybrid, there’s more to decide early on.
Right at the start of the planning process, it’s crucial to consider not just your programme content but how exactly to schedule it. After all, you want to keep both the live and remote contingents happy and engaged.
Things to think about:
• Is it practical to offer the same content to the virtual attendee – perhaps less will work better?
• Do you want (or need) any of the content to be available on-demand?
• Does the virtual audience really need to be online at the same time as the live audience?
Where are your virtual attendees? Does their local time allow them to access any/all of the event content live?
Other elements to consider include:
• Session lengths
Research shows virtual attendees are unlikely to sit longer than 1 hour per session!
• Time zones
Where are your virtual attendees? Does their local time allow them to access any/all of the event content live? If not, consider the optimal times at which both audiences should be live.
Platform
When you decide how you want to schedule the programme, this plays an important part in selecting a suitable platform to deliver the overall event. You’ll find many different options on the market. Making the right choice comes down to your budget and the kind of experience you want to give your virtual attendees.
> We help lots of clients make these decisions – read our article on how to select the right virtual platform for your event.
Where are your virtual attendees? Does their local time allow them to access any/all of the event content live?
When you set up a hybrid event, there’s plenty to get right (and wrong) when deciding which “space”, virtual and live, to hold your event.
Venue
When you set up a hybrid event, there’s plenty to get right (and wrong). Here’s what to keep in mind when deciding which “space”, virtual and live, to hold your event.
• Location
Think about where your audiences live and whether they can/will travel a distance to attend. Attendees might only be allowed to travel locally or feel unsure about going abroad. Some countries will emerge from COVID restrictions earlier than others, and thus be able to offer a more secure location. You could consider regionalised live audiences to minimise travel, taking a broadcast approach, budget permitting.
• Numbers
Take a look at your invite list. Do you have a clear idea how many are likely to come in person? Or do you plan to wait and see who wants to attend live, then set your numbers on a first-come basis?
• Capacity
In the initial transitional stages ahead of us, many venues will operate following 1m or 2m social distancing measures, which will dictate how many in-person guests you can accommodate. In turn, this could mean you need extra space in the venue, which might drive up hire costs. Also, due to social distancing restrictions, set-up and breakdown could take longer because fewer people are allowed on site.
• Tech
Check if the venue is equipped to support a hybrid event. Do they offer the facilities you need, including Wi-Fi, studio space, AV kit, cameras in meeting rooms? Does the in-house tech team have the relevant experience for a good result? Alternatively, its possible to take a mobile facility to the venue – we can help with that.
• T&Cs
Do the paperwork to ensure you’re covered for any new eventualities you might face. For example, does the venue offer a force majeure that covers pandemic? Will they allow you to scale your space (up and down) and what are the associated costs? Consider also taking out insurance for digital interruption to services, as policies are now available. As you can see, there’s plenty to think about, but hybrid done well is a brilliant way to widen your reach and make an impact!
Seven tips for planning impactful hybrid events
1. Programme first! Consider that a virtual audience’s needs might differ to those live, or the benefits of programme differentiation to incentivize each audience type.
2. Audience validation: weigh up or research the likely attendance to ensure you’ve got a reasonable audience.
3. Budget early: hybrid costs may be higher as you’ll use a venue and a platform – but a bigger audience opportunity may offset that.
4. Platform choice: home-in early on the functionality your virtual audience will need to feel part of what’s going on. And, read our “how to select the right platform” tips!
5. Technical know-how: check that both venue and your chosen technical team have the skillset you need.
6. Get your live venue booked soon! Places are filling up for late 21 onwards! Choose a location you know will work for those who want to be there.
7. Put scale-up or scale-down options into place – talk to your venue and suppliers to be sure they will work with you and give you as much flexibility in their terms and conditions.
If you missed it, browse our first article forecasting the role of hybrid in the 2021 events world and look out for the next in the series where we explore the online experience vs. the live experience of a hybrid event. And if you need a hand to demystify the hybrid process, we’re right here.
> Know someone else who’d find this article interesting?
Some countries will emerge from COVID restrictions earlier than others, and thus be able to offer a more secure location.
