hybrid-event-platform

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Make Your Business Future Ready With Hybrid Events In 2022

According to the research published in Statista, the attendance in large conventions was only 5,000 people back in 2019. With the advent of hybrid events, which have been growing in popularity since the pandemic, tens and thousands of people attend the events from the comforts of their homes, and the message is still being transcended as intended. These are perhaps the reasons behind the remarkable success of hybrid events in 2020 and 2021.

Key trends in hybrid events for the year 2022:

The hybrid events will be the top format of how the events are conducted in 2022 and beyond. Even enterprises that were reluctant to adopt this format will start conducting hybrid events in the future, owing to the benefit of combining the online and offline audiences and the cost benefits it brings about.

1. Hybrid events will become the key to communication strategy:

Traditional in-person events focused on people who were part of the qualified segment in their sales funnel. On the other hand, the hybrid events are increasingly target-oriented and include people on the different stages of the sales funnel. We can expect that by focusing more on hybrid events, businesses will enhance their public relations and communicate the business message to a larger audience for a better reach.

2. Increase in micro-events:

As hybrid events grow in popularity, the focus will be on creating more meaningful and interactive micro-events rather than organizing macro events. The hybrid event platform will be used to conduct many micro-events customized to meet the needs of specific geography and be more specific to the occasion. Also, the micro-hybrid events cost less and pose fewer health and safety risks.

3. The hybrid events will unite the field and the in-office teams:

We can expect that the year 2022 will bring new venues for the hybrid, remote and in-person teams to collaborate and act together. This will help enterprises save time and cost and instantly unite the concerned groups for quick business solutions.

4. Evolution of hybrid events in Education:

We can expect the diverse online event ideas of the hybrid event platforms to address the constraints in the online Education of students. By incorporating the hybrid platform, the education sector will meet the needs of the virtual and in-person audience and is thus expected to conduct more hybrid academic conferences in the future. They will be streamed globally to benefit international students.

5. Inclusion of AR and VR experiences and simulations in events:

The future hybrid events will offer their attendees a complete experience of participating in actual events by incorporating AR and VR technology in the circumstances. It could personalize language translations to comprehend the needs of international attendees. 3D and hologram projects will also be used to enhance the attendees’ event experience. Hybrid event platforms like Virtex have already invested in these techniques to improve the potential for hybrid events through realistic projections to mimic the knowledge of the live events.

Bottom Line:

The event professionals are forced to embrace the real and virtual ecosystem and create experiences to keep the attendees engaged. These trends are good indicators that the hybrid event platform will thrive beyond 2022 and will be the new normal on how the events will be conducted in the future.

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Proven ways to engage your guests in hybrid events

With the introduction of vaccines and the incidence of the pandemic reducing considerably, the year 2022 is witnessing a tremendous increase in hybrid events. The hybrid events happen both physically and virtually and manage both audiences simultaneously. Though it offers the best of both worlds, there are chances of less audience engagement in hybrid events. With the right hybrid event platform and appropriate engagement tools, it is possible to engage the audience throughout the event.

Some tips for engaging the audience in the hybrid event:

There are many options to make a hybrid event work. There are many excellent ways to enhance engagement, from online quizzes to scavenger hunts. Let’s discuss some of these techniques here.

1. Schedule the hybrid event smartly:

Hybrid events are a blend of a physical and virtual audience. It might be easy for the physical audience to attend long sessions, as they take breaks in between. For the virtual audience, it is hard to sit with the gadget for long hours. Thus, hybrid events demand smart scheduling to retain audience interest and participation.

It is optimal to conduct shorter and more frequent sessions. Try to start and finish the virtual sessions earlier. Conduct quizzes and contests with rewards during the break sessions so that the virtual audience comes back even after leaving for breaks.

2. Create small groups for effective mingling:

Some attendees find it hard to speak in front of a large audience. Hence, dividing the audience into small groups encourage conversation. Use networking lounges and special digital lobbies to accomplish this task.

Choose a hybrid event platform that offers live chat and video call options to connect with the in-person guests and the speakers. It offers opportunities for virtual and in-person guests to chat with each other. This helps in better networking and, in turn, fosters engagement. This engagement strategy should be prepared early in the planning process to avoid last-minute work.

3. Enhance networking opportunities between in-person and online attendees:

In the hybrid event, both the online and in-person attendees should get the opportunity to network with each other. They should also get the opportunity to interact with the panellists. Accomplish this by,

Using polls, breakout rooms, live chats, and games to create the highest level of interaction.

Share the contact details of key speakers so that the attendees seek a chance to communicate and interact with them.

Appoint a virtual host or a moderator to engage the virtual audience. They also serve as a bridge of communication between both audience.

4. Incorporate interactive activities in the hybrid event:

Interacting with the audience is one of the most effective ways to engage them. Some online event ideas to break the ice and encourage the online audience to speak are

Speaking to them directly and addressing them by their name.

Inviting them to respond to questions

Invite them on the stage to express their thoughts.

Give a chance for the virtual audience to voice their opinions and present them on the screen.

Allowing the on-site attendees to speak with the online participants and vice versa.

Use the interactive services offered in the event app and the event platform. Use them to display the poll results in real-time and announce rewards for the winners in real-time. Rewards are the best ways to foster engagement and improve retention rates.

The hybrid event platform plays a crucial role in driving engagement in the hybrid event. Almond Virtex offers an exceptional hybrid event platform with a seamless networking experience for the attendees. It’s high-end streaming capabilities and digital networking suite keep the event running smoothly for virtual and in-person events. The platform keeps the event planners organized starting from registration until the end card is displayed.

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What To Look For In A Hybrid Event Platform

In the last couple of years, the virtual event platform market has grown exponentially. With that, virtual event marketers have had a tough time navigating this crowded space. As more businesses embrace the virtual way of conducting business, these virtual platforms have become essential to not just host events, but also to maintain employee relations and manage communication and collaboration among various departments within an organization.

So, how do you choose the best hybrid event platform from among these several options? We think this checklist might help.

1. Customizability

We would rate customizability the highest because every business today has joined the virtual events bandwagon and as we all know, no two businesses are the same. So, being able to tailorize the platform to suit your business objectives is a must.

2. Simplicity

Don’t mistake simplicity for a limited capability. By simplicity we mean the ease with which you can use a certain software or platform. For many events online, things like a live demo, streaming, recording, etc, are required to be managed by a moderator who may or may not be an IT expert. A simple and easy to use platform is preferable on any day.

3. Deployment

First things first, the event platform should be easy to deploy and secondly it must operate well within other systems. In other words, compatibility with other software like marketing and customer relationship management is a crucial element to consider while shortlisting the best hybrid event platform.

4. Integration

One of the biggest technical challenges facing today’s businesses is that they are often using lots of different apps and platforms, many of which do not work well together. Interoperability is essential for getting maximum value out of your hybrid event technology, so be sure to look for platforms that integrate with your other solutions, such as marketing automation, customer relationship management, and payment systems.

5. Security

This one goes without saying. The platform needs to be hosted on a secure server, and be capable of safeguarding your data.

6. Audience Engagement and Networking

Several hybrid event organizers are under immense pressure to engage both in-person and remote attendees in the same manner. In such circumstances, a platform like Virtex that has more than enough tools to engage and create networking opportunities among the audience is necessary.

Another element we would like to add here is the ability to gamify content. It draws from people’s interest in games and their addictive quality. At the same time, it piques audience interest and keeps them engaged for longer periods of time.

7. Good Sponsorship Deals

Good sponsorship revenue can make your event more profitable while helping your sponsors identify leads. A valuable hybrid event platform should have the ability to design customized sponsorship packages that vary according to scope and size. It should also help sponsors track audience engagement and provide real-time analytics to calculate their RoI.

8. Reporting and Analytics

Event technology today makes it much easier to track audience data and derive insights from it. What your hybrid event platform should be able to do is not just track data but help generate useful, actionable reports for you. This vital information can be shared in the form of post-event marketing content or even as hybrid event FAQs.

9. Mobile Friendliness

Compatibility with mobile phones simply cannot be overlooked today. Several participants and attendees get a lot of work done through their mobile devices and in such a case, making your hybrid event mobile-friendly is an absolute must. For this, you need a platform that can be easily accessed through both laptop and mobile devices.

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