A couple of months ago, we asked our Splash community if they felt ready to get back to in-person user events, and we hoped 100% would say “yes, absolutely.” But the response was straight down the middle with 50% willing to come in person and the other 50% preferring virtual.
Not only is that understandable, that is the expected response for the majority of our industry. Some people are ready to get back in person, others are not quite there yet, and we don’t know if they will ever be.
This brought us to an important question: How can we make community events work for both an in-person and online audience?
For us, hybrid events have been tricky to navigate throughout the pandemic. We found ourselves asking: How can we make the experience the same for those in person and online and how can we continue to engage our virtual audience when community events are focused on in-person networking? No matter how many resources you have, how much you prepare, or how much you think you have all your t’s crossed and i’s dotted — events rarely go according to plan.
We love to take our events and turn them into learning opportunities. We’ve compiled a list of the top eight best practices from hosting our first hybrid event in hopes of helping you rock yours.
Our event was small but mighty. Keeping the in-person number down allows our community to foster meaningful connections.
During your registration process, ask your attendees if they feel more likely to join in person or virtually. When you have this information before your event starts, you’ll have a good idea of what to expect and how to prepare for both events.
Even though you’re treating this as one big event, the experience for in-person attendees will inherently be different from your online event. For example, the panel discussion at our event did not start until 4:30 pm. So, even though our event began at 4 pm, our virtual audience did not have to join online until 4:30 pm. Having a separate email communicating the timeline for them vs. those who registered to attend in person is beneficial for your team and attendees.
Delegate, delegate, delegate. Tackling a hybrid event by yourself can be really hard. The more hands on deck, the better. Having a person in-charge of each aspect of your event keeps things running smoothly. It provides you and your team an opportunity to maintain control in both event settings.
Pro Tip
If you are the planner of the event and using your video streaming account to hold the online event, designate someone else to be the host online while you run your event, so you can be present.
Saying goodbye on video takes a second to leave the room. I’m often waiting with a strange smile on my face, frozen until we officially sign off. Transitioning from one part of your hybrid program to another can feel this way. Entertaining both parts of the event can be hard since you are controlling in-person interactions while maintaining your virtual space. Try not to stress about the awkwardness of it, we are all dealing with it in some way.
When you are starting to plan your hybrid event, you are essentially planning two events in one. So not only do you have your in-person event checklist, making sure that you have the room set and ready, speakers mic’d up, etc., you also have to make sure that all the virtual event components are in check. Making sure the Zoom is working, your integrations look good, etc. making sure you have a to-do list ironed out for both events will help keep you in check and provide a seamless attendee experience. Check out our hybrid events guide and onsite safety checklist to get started.
The question of the year: How do you keep events engaging? We found that panels are a great way to engage virtual and in-person audiences. It is just as easy to submit questions online as it is to ask a question by raising your hand in person. When you have a panel, the constant changing of speakers also adds an element of interactivity, constantly going through different state changes.
Pro Tip
If your panelist is tuning in virtually, make sure your virtual POC is the host of your streaming platform as well, so they can spotlight the individual speaking at each specific time.
Sounds simple, but can be easy to forget. To make sure your audience has the best experience, have someone in attendance online and in-person who can hold you accountable for what attendees are able to see when presenting slides.
There's no better way to get your virtual and in-person attendees' attention than with a great playlist. Adding music to your hybrid events helps bridge the gap between IRL and a screen. Attendees can actively engage through what they hear and connect through their senses.
