In 2020, the events industry transformed overnight to virtual, but conversations about the future are already happening now. Event leaders are already considering the long-term impact of COVID-19 and how the future of events must adapt to how their attendees experience the world. Many events will remain successfully virtual.

Others will return to gathering in person at physical venues. But most events will be both. Most events will be hybrid. In fact, in a recent survey by Freeman Data Solutions, 78% of 20,491 brand marketers surveyed agree that Freeman Data Solutions moving forward, in-person events will pivot to hybrid models.

So what do hybrid events look like? Even more, what do world-class hybrid events look like? In this article, we would like not only to outline tips and best practices from hybrid event experts but also provides the strategies and tools for today’s event organizers to get started with everything they need to plan and execute a successful hybrid event.

Hybrid events reshape what it means to be at an event, as attendees can now have the same experience onsite or virtually. They make it so that an audience you normally couldn’t reach becomes easily reachable, and we’re seeing organizations around the world from New Zealand to Germany discover what it means to unlock an entirely new audience for their existing events.

The first generation of online events simply translated the physical stage into a streaming experience for online attendees. While this has served as a valuable stopgap in the move to more accessible digital media, it’s not a true event experience. Hybrid events use community-enabled technology to actually re-create the onsite event virtually, with all of the opportunities, experiences, and benefits of the in-person event.

Event organizers can customize how attendees engage with each other, facilitating open and targeted networking between virtual and onsite attendees. To do this, organizers can set the matchmaking to the different combinations between on-site and online.

While event organizers new to hybrid events might worry that creating a hybrid event will double their workload or dilute the value of a longstanding onsite tradition, in reality, that is not the case. A hybrid event simply takes the onsite event and enhances it with a comprehensive virtual experience that extends your event’s legacy.

For some event organizers, creating a hybrid event feels counter-intuitive – why create a virtual event that competes with your onsite event?

But rather than competing, a hybrid experience supplements an onsite event and widens the potential audience, providing opportunities for meaningful engagement that could not be done with a physical or virtual event alone. Event organizers that might otherwise be limited to 1,000 or 10,000 attendees because of geographic location and venue size find they can easily accommodate and capture the interest of 5-10x that audience size virtually – and event sponsors are able to amplify their visibility to a global digital audience.

What about ticket sales? If you’re concerned your virtual event might cannibalize revenue from your in-person event, here are some strategies that have worked for important organizers:

In the case of hybrid events, bringing a true live event experience into a virtual format removes the limits and inconveniences that have prevented attendees from fully participating in these events. Here are four of the most important long-term outcomes of a world where hybrid events are the new normal:

As more event organizers explore the potential of hybrid events, it will be increasingly important to understand how the pieces of the puzzle fit together to form a new, immersive event experience. Here’s a 360 look at the hybrid event experience:

BEFORE EVENT

DURING EVENT

NETWORKING

AFTER EVENT

BEFORE EVENT

DURING EVENT

NETWORKING

AFTER EVENT

 

9-POINT HYBRID EVENT CHECKLIST FOR EVENT PROFESSIONALS 

Here are the top ten most important considerations you’ll want to take into account as you transform your onsite event or virtual event into a hybrid event:

HYBRID IS HERE

If you remember one idea from this whitepaper, let it be this: New technology powers new forms of events. This means there is an enormous opportunity for the pioneers of hybrid events. As the current environment continues to have its effect on the events industry, there is a world of innovation ready and waiting. It’s already happening.

At 3e60events, we see it every day. New styles, strategies, and techniques across all types of events. The way people interact—in-person, virtually, and everything in between — is changing. At 3e60events, we’re building for the hybrid. We’re excited to introduce products and features specifically for hybrid events. We can’t give away specifics yet but get ready to see events that are more accessible, more engaging, and more sustainable for everyone — both online and offline.

With a hybrid approach, more people are able to attend and interact in the way that’s best for them. This flexibility is key. We’re focused on crafting a seamless experience where the value is equal for all attendees — virtual or in-person. “The future of events” gets mentioned a lot, but to truly understand the future of events you need to first understand the future of attendees.

This is where 3e60events is pouring engineering resources into. Hybrid creates a world without limits. It’s an event format that invites attendees, speakers, and sponsors to freely engage with concepts, communities and conferences on a global scale. As we move forward and innovate in this space together with our organizers, there is a lot to uncover and learn. But our mission remains the same.

Better connections for a better planet. Only as the world becomes safer will in-person events return. It will be slow. It will take time. Potentially years. Until then, events are getting scheduled and organizers are offering both online and offline versions for all attendees to feel comfortable.

This is the new reality of events. And it’s already happening now. Hybrid is here. Are you ready for it?