4 Misconceptions with Hybrid Events

The Cvent team has some ideas on how to tackle your next hybrid event...

Hybrid events can broaden your audience and brand exposure, offer an international perspective and provide a richer experience for everyone involved.

But there are a lot of misconceptions circulating about what a hybrid event format entails and the best ways to plan these events.

Misconception 1: The virtual element of a hybrid event is simply a live stream

By the simplest definition, hybrid events are a mix of in-person and virtual events. However, just recording your event and streaming it live isn’t enough to call it hybrid. The secret ingredient to a hybrid event is engagement.

Misconception 2: The virtual extension of your events will hurt your in-person attendance

Most audiences will not view a virtual offering as a replacement for attending in-person. Instead, offering a virtual experience for your event can expand the reach of your event and introduce it to new audiences from around the world. You can finally invite people who may be interested in your event but were limited by an only in-person offering previously.

Misconception 3: You don’t need different tactics to engage both virtual and in-person attendees

A good hybrid event is a balancing act in which the in-person and virtual audiences are treated equally. However, this does not mean you can get away with using the same engagement tactics for both audiences. Your end goal should be one event, two experiences.

To avoid doing that, make sure to welcome both your virtual and physical attendees at the start of the event to ensure that the people physically present in the room know that your virtual audience is also an important part of the event.

Avoid ‘webinar fatigue’ by including content with a cinematic appeal or one that encourages dialogue between the speaker and audience.

Schedule Q&A sessions and behind-the-scenes content during in-person coffee breaks so that your online participants are never looking at an empty conference room.

Misconception 4: You won’t be able to provide a personal touch to virtual attendees

Facilitating virtual attendee interaction may seem daunting, but there are several session formats that can help.

An example is to have virtual roundtable discussions that let attendees connect and network with one another.

You can also host live Q&A sessions that allow participation from both virtual and in-person attendees.

When you start to plan your next hybrid event, the key to success is not to get too caught up in misconceptions.

If you want even more in-depth tips on hybrid events take a peek into Cvent’s exclusive eBook Hybrid Event Strategy for Dummies.

This blog is sponsored by Cvent.