This is the last article in a series about hybrid events and what they mean for the future of event marketing. If you missed it, check out the first article about why hybrid events are a must-have for your event strategy and the second on hybrid events best practices. Ready to build your hybrid event now? Follow the how-to guide.
The unknown can be a scary thing. I don’t know about you, but there are few things that freak me out more than not knowing how to handle a new situation.
It feels like a decade ago, but think back to when the pandemic first canceled all in-person events. Having to learn everything we could about virtual events and implement them seemed like an impossible task some days.
But true to form, all the marketers I know not only got through — they straight up rocked the change. So we should all breathe a little more easily knowing that something else we’re not super familiar with is going to pop up quickly here.
I’m talking about hybrid events, of course. Before the pandemic, hybrid events were not that common, at least universally speaking. But for the foreseeable future, they won’t just be common. They’ll be necessary. (And if you’re still not sold on this, check out all the benefits of hybrid events.)
Since most of us are likely to host a hybrid event at some point, we need to talk about an important topic: hybrid event challenges. Although they have their own challenges (that you may have not dealt with yet), I think you’ll find that you can easily overcome all of them.
HOW TO PREPARE TODAY FOR HYBRID EVENTS
When we had to pivot to virtual events, most marketers continued using their existing platforms to build and host events online. In fact, a survey we recently conducted showed that 78% of event marketers are using traditional webinar tools for their virtual events. But these traditional webinar platforms are not built for our new needs.
One of the best things you can do now in preparation for hybrid events is evaluate your event technology. Can it support your in-person, virtual, and hybrid events? Believe it or not, you don’t need separate platforms for each. Actually, keeping all on one platform will help align your programs, no matter what format they’re in.
When our industry turned to virtual events, many marketers chose to offer virtual events at no cost. Webinars have historically been free events (with exceptions), so it makes sense. But in-person events didn’t always follow that same strategy, so this leaves us with a very important question: How do we price an event that is part-live and part-virtual?
This is a complicated question because hybrid events can take many forms. Even though you’re hosting one event, it’s always going to be two separate experiences. (This also means you’ll probably find it difficult to justify one price for the entire thing.)
Our best recommendation is to consider various pricing tiers. Or you could let your attendees build their own package. Just remember: The more pricing tiers and options, the more complicated it will be to manage.
Of course, you may decide it’s best for your company and goals to not charge for any event ever, which eliminates this challenge altogether.
As I mentioned earlier, hosting a hybrid event means you’re running one event with two separate experiences, so being able to accommodate both audiences can be tricky. And although the content may be the same for both audiences, the way you present it won’t be.
There are four things in particular you can do to support both audiences:
When we can safely get back to in-person events, many marketers are going to be tempted by hybrid events. And we can’t blame them. A hybrid event gets people together in the same room, while also reaching the people who don’t want to meet in person yet.
But not all of your events should take a hybrid approach. As with every other event or marketing program, the format you choose should come down to your goals. If having everyone in one room (either in person or virtually) is important — or if your content won’t translate well with two separate audiences — then it’s time to rethink hybrid.
In person, your attendees will naturally start networking. Virtually, there are plenty of ways you can connect attendees with each other. But what about integrating your in-person and virtual attendees together? Here are a few ways you can get everyone to join forces:
One of the number-one mistakes of a hybrid event: ignoring your virtual audience. Nothing’s worse for them than feeling like they’re an afterthought. An experience-first event marketing platform can be the glue that holds the entire event together.
Before the pandemic, you probably knocked out an event page that featured beautiful, branded design elements. When people landed on the registration form, it was equally branded and equally stunning. And when attendees showed up on-site, they were greeted with branded signage, materials, and swag.
What if I told you that you can still create this experience for your hybrid events? It’s true. You can (and should) create an incredible event page for both in-person and online attendees that drives them to a branded, thorough registration form. And with new embed functionality, you can place your Zoom event room directly into your event page so what your virtual attendees see is a fully branded experience.
When you're ready to make the pivot, check out our How to Host a Hybrid Event guide. It covers everything you need to know: creating smart registration forms, managing on-site and virtual check-in, balancing in-person and online content, and more.
With Splash, you won't sacrifice guest experience, data-driven decision-making, or the ability to scale programs — no matter the event environment.
