Hybrid events are events that combine in-person and digital components. They are held physically but participants can join the event in-person or virtually through live stream platforms.
Hybrid events are gaining popularity due to their similarity to physical events but with the added ability of utilizing virtual aspects. Organizers understand the advantages this provides, such as reaching more audiences, boosting engagement, and having access to real-time event data.
With a hybrid event, potential attendance is global. Unlike traditional events which require physically travelling to a real-world venue, hybrid events allow attendance through a series of clicks, regardless of location. This removal of geographical restrictions brings greater opportunities for you to reach more audiences and have them participate in your event.
It is crucial for event organizers to maintain interaction with audience members at all times during their events. Hybrid events allow event organizers to increase attendee participation during the event itself and at the post-event stage. For example, event organizers can organize live polls and surveys to interact with participants. What’s more, both in-person and online attendees at hybrid events can take part in live chats with guest speakers.
Unlike traditional events, the digitally augmented manner of hybrid events let you have a finger on the pulse of your event activity with up to the moment updates. This allows planners to learn from every single moment of an event as it takes place. These insights mean they can adapt, adopt, and improve based on accurate performance data.
You may now have a better understanding of the benefits that hybrid events offer, but how do hybrid events work in practice? Let’s take a look at a couple of major hybrid events that have been organized by the world’s biggest brands!
Have you ever streamed an Apple product event, watching Tim Cook walk around a stage showcasing Apple’s latest products? Well that’s a really wonderful example of a hybrid event. They bring an extraordinary event experience to Apple’s fans and digital technology enthusiasts around the world. When you appreciate that participants attend the Apple event both physically and virtually, you’ll realised…that’s hybrid!
Twitch is a leading live social platform for gamers to build connections with their fans and interact with them in real time. As the goal of Twitch is to gather large numbers of people over this single interest, it hosts regular events that connect popular streamers and numerous audiences together every year. Twitch held its first hybrid event in 2019, linking people together physically and virtually around the globe. This type of innovation brings a new event experience to organizers, brands, and participants.
Hybrid events are probably the best choice for organizing your future events. If you want to learn more about the advantages of hybrid events, click here!