As a result of the health emergency, real-life has moved online, and, in the impossibility of organizing live events, digitalization has offered companies innovative solutions to talk about themselves. Physical events, however, are irreplaceable and will continue to be realized, even if they will never be the same. Hybrid events, in which live merges with the digital experience, represent the future.
The events industry is one of the most affected by the health emergency, which has designed an unpredictable scenario even for those who are used to foreseeing the unexpected and know how to neutralize them.
The Coronavirus has brought about a huge change in the lives of all of us, and we have learned to live with new rules of behavior and communication dictated by the need for social distancing.
As a result of the impossibility of holding events, there has been a proliferation of digital meetings and video conferences. But this does not mean that digital events will replace live ones because physical contact and direct experience remain irreplaceable. There is no doubt that we will return to live events, but now it is necessary to demonstrate that we know how to react to change, rethinking how we communicate and make events.
New communication scenarios with digital events
The ability to react, innovation and flexibility that distinguishes our sector will help overcome this dramatic moment, but it will not be easy indeed; it will be very difficult and tiring. Maybe we will all be forced to reinvent ourselves, re-reading our lives and priorities.
The digital formula is adaptable to any event (meetings, conferences, webinars, conventions, fairs, product presentations, press conferences, etc.), and can be modulated on broadcast, live, or deferred streaming solutions with the right platform for events such as Expert share, available for more information at the following link: https://expertshare.live/hybrid-events-platform/
Of course, the spectacle and the emotions that an online event can offer in digital form are not the same, but the content is at the center of everything. For this reason, every meeting occasion produces a unique e-wind, which unites people even in the distance, guaranteeing a captivating experience that can involve and entertain the participants.
Yet, the future of events cannot and will not be digital-only.
Hybrid Events: The New Era of Events
Events are by their very nature an emotional and experiential tool, characterized by direct contact between the participants. They are an important marketing lever for companies because they can generate a positive orientation to strengthen the company’s image (towards customers, suppliers and stakeholders) and brand awareness.
The physical dimension and the sensory involvement of people are essential aspects, and it is unthinkable that we can completely renounce events in the presence of others.
The events in attendance will return and be characterized by a mix of real and digital (with a sprinkle of virtual) in the wake of an already underway change, and the Coronavirus has only accelerated.
What is a hybrid event?
A hybrid event is a fusion of an event where you attend in person and a digital event, where other people are connected remotely via a computer, cell phone or mobile device.
What characterizes hybrid events is the possibility of virtually participating in a “live” event, experiencing the same experience as the physically present participants. This means audience enlargement to an unlimited extent, spectacularity, resource efficiency.
The hybrid format connects the physical event with an audience of people connected remotely or the speakers themselves connected via the Internet. Or again, it is possible to have a main event connected with other live events, each with different speakers and a common theme, who in turn can alternate live activities with video conferences.
The level of involvement and the ability to a network of all participants is the measure of the success of a hybrid event. To be successful requires a professional presenter who communicates with those present and is the remote participant interface.
Why organize a hybrid event
The physical dimension and the sensory involvement of people are essential aspects of an event and will never be replaced by technology. Completely giving up live events is not an option.
The hybrid event allows you to reach people who otherwise would not have participated, giving them the maximum possible experience through the solutions offered by modern technologies.
The hybrid event is not an alternative to live participation but to non-participation. If well structured, hybrid events are a perfect example of a result greater than the simple sum of the parts. So it’s not true that with a hybrid event, you lose participants. Rather participating remotely makes you want to be there, and next time they will probably physically attend.
The potential number of participants in a hybrid event is larger than that of a traditional physical event at a low cost. And this is an aspect that must necessarily be considered by those who plan events in the future.
The planning and implementation of a hybrid event are more complex than those for a live event because the emotional involvement of those who are connected remotely is less than those who participate in person. Communication is mediated by technology and distance.
Therefore, all this must stimulate those who plan the event to be more creative and always find new solutions. And, above all, it is essential to give the right importance to the contents if you want to make a difference.
According to the recent research Business Motivations and Social Behaviors for In-Person and Online Events, carried out by the Professional Convention Management Association, the main motivation of the participants in the events, whether they are physically present or connected remotely, is precisely the content. The public looks for content before, during, and after, and the digital channel allows them to be offered and enhanced throughout the event cycle.
Seven reasons to focus on hybrid events
- They stimulate more active participation thanks to the use of technologies, which multiply the interaction tools available
- They greatly expand the audience numbers, but at low costs
- The hybrid format allows you to link multiple events at the same time
- They allow the saving of transfer and stay times and extend the duration of the event, thanks to sessions broadcast on a delayed basis, conversations on social networks and shared materials
- They stimulate creativity and reason outside traditional schemes
- The contents have a higher degree of shareability, thanks to the fact that they can use multiple distribution channels
- The hybrid format allows you to connect several events: the main one and other “satellite” events at the same time