It can be difficult to remember life before the pandemic and the hosting and attending of events are no exception. As we’re all getting used to this post-lockdown landscape, hybrid events have become a great way of keeping in touch with the community. But what are hybrid events and what are the benefits of these as opposed to in-person events?
What is a hybrid event?
Before the coronavirus pandemic, people would attend in-person events. Things like shows and events were hosted in different locations and people would attend and connect with their community.
During lockdown, these same kinds of events were hosted exclusively online, but with restrictions easing, hybrid events are now the go-to.
A hybrid event is exactly as you’d imagine – both a physical and online event, where people can participate simultaneously online and in-person from different locations.
You might be wondering if there are any benefits to this type of event and if so, what they are. We’ve got you covered.
The benefits of hybrid events
- They have the potential to increase the size of your audience. Even without Covid restrictions and limits, every event centre has maximum capacity. With a hybrid event, the capacity for your audience is pretty much limitless. So long as your webinar platform, for example, can handle it, the online stream could be as big as you’d like.
- Higher engagement rates. The vast majority of hybrid events will have opportunities for audiences to interact with the event. When people are engaged, they’re more likely to enjoy an event and give better feedback.
- They are less expensive than traditional events. When you’re hosting an entirely in-person event, you have to think about the cost of hiring a venue, administering the event, as well as costs of refreshments and probably an assortment of other things. For hybrid events though, the costs are considerably reduced. In essence, it’s the physical costs that are lower such as a smaller venue rather than a huge event centre, catering costs etc.
- The opportunity to record the event. Being able to record the event maximises the impact because it allows the information to be shared wider and for longer, as well as giving it the chance to continue reaching new audiences even after the event itself is over.
- They are a lot more accessible. With the cost of living increasing, travelling is even more expensive, not to mention that attending an in-person event often means missing an entire day of work. Not to mention that if the event doesn’t meet your expectations, it can feel like a waste of time and money. Hybrid events are inclusive and a lot more accessible. Trying to accommodate those who have children or other responsibilities makes it very difficult to plan an event, so hybrid events make it easier for people to attend.
Final thoughts
The recent pandemic and lockdowns may have given hybrid events the primary boost, but there were hints even before this that this was the way to go. Hybrid events are here – and it looks like they’re here to stay for good!