14 Hybrid Event Ideas For A Seamless Experience
As we now transition into a post-pandemic world, hybrid events that blend in-person and virtual attendees are the new go-to for organizations.
The question is: How can you create and throw hybrid events that are engaging, entertaining, and successful or profitable for your organization?
You’re in the right place. Our team at VStage has put together the 14 best hybrid event ideas that will captivate your attendees and help you reach your KPIs all at once.
What is a Hybrid Event?
A hybrid event blends an in-person event with a virtual one. In-person and digital elements are tailored to engage both audiences and, ideally, connect them with each other.
Hybrid events can be tailored for any industry or event. Check out our guide to hybrid event types to learn how your organization can leverage them.
Why are Hybrid Events so Important Today?
Virtual meetings and events have always been around but now organizations are making the strategic decision to allow hybrid ways of working as they understand how important this is to the employees of today and with this more commonplace way of working hybrid events have come to the fore.
Hybrid events open the door for thousands more to take part in your event from home.
While you host a physical gathering in one location, you can include a much larger virtual audience from around the globe, facilitating a hybrid working strategy and including employees who may well have been left out of a physical event.
For the first time you can include everyone, whether they’re remote working or have other barriers to attendance.
Hybrid Event Ideas To Help You Create, Organize & Host a Successful Hybrid Event
Read on for 12 ideas to captivate your in-person and virtual audiences during your next hybrid event.
Incorporate Engagement Features for your Virtual Audience
It’s easy to think of the needs and wants of your in-person attendees first, and that of your virtual attendees second.
But in today’s world, your virtual audience will most likely be much larger than your in-person audience.
Sure—you won’t be able to serve your virtual audience a virtual cocktail.
But with Vstage you can include your virtual audience with games, giveaways, or even exclusive content.
Encourage Collaboration Between Audiences
The best hybrid events include creative and fun networking opportunities before, during, and after the event. Host your onsite and virtual attendees at the same time, and create shared experiences for them to interact.
Encourage connections between attendees by providing talking points, creating online committees, or sectioning attendees into virtual groups. Give your live attendees access to your virtual platform as well. Let both groups of attendees see each other, and communicate.
Virtual event platforms are a great way to keep audiences interacting and present throughout your event.
Structure Your Schedule to Promote Networking and Breaks
In addition to providing networking opportunities to your audiences, create a schedule that promotes these interactions even more.
Traditional in-person events frequently have coffee or meal-time breaks where attendees can chat with others and explore.
During a hybrid event, be intentional about giving these scheduled breaks to both your in-person and virtual audiences to nudge them toward interaction and engagement.
Bring the Big Speakers to Draw In-Person Attendees
Now that remote work and events are the norm, it can take a big name to lure people back out to your event space.
A famous keynote speaker can attract more attendees, especially if you organize a Q&A or workshop with them afterward.
Work with Venue Partners to Find the Right Space
Hybrid events require more communication and coordination with your venue partners.
Your space needs to host and hold your in-person audience as well as your digital features and the technology to carry it out. Make sure that the venue you choose for your hybrid event includes the AV infrastructure you need, as well as the space for safe gathering.
Take Risks with High-Tech Features
There are a few technological must-haves at your event—like charging stations where your in-person attendees can charge their devices. But there’s nothing wrong with taking your tech a little further.
New ideas and eye-catching perks can boost your attendance and engagement!
Consider another fun feature, like a photo booth for onsite and online audiences. A virtual photobooth can allow your attendees to snap a selfie and share it with other attendees or on social media.
Build a Community for the Most Memorable Experience
We enjoy and remember times in our lives that we are able to share with others. Creating a sense of community around your event is a powerful way to make a lasting impression on your attendees.
All your efforts to encourage interaction and networking between your audiences will help you build a strong community around your event.
Blend high-quality content that helps your attendees learn and grow with fun activities that bring them together.
Mix Up the Content to Boost Engagement
Online attendees may need shorter and more varied sessions to stay interested, focused, and engaged.
Switch things up throughout the event with longer and shorter live sessions.
Offer a wide array of activities and content to keep your audiences hooked.
Schedule workshops, Q&A sessions, panel discussions, and breaks.
Make Artificial Intelligence Play Matchmaker
Pair your attendees with the right exhibitors with Artificial Intelligence algorithms.
This data can predict who will most likely have business connections and interests in common.
They can help your attendees find the booths, products, and sessions that will interest them the most.
Be a good event host, and make sure to connect the people who will most likely click by leveraging this powerful tool.
Include Virtual Booths for All your Exhibitors
With Vstage, you can offer virtual booths for your event exhibitors.
They’ll have the option of manning a booth in-person, virtually, or both.
Offer your exhibitors custom packages so that they can increase their reach to your attendees.
Collect Critical Data to Share with Your Sponsors
Hybrid event platforms can offer a wide range of valuable data-collection features.
With these analytics, you can provide your sponsors with hard numbers—showing them the effect and reach your event had on your organization’s audiences.
At Vstage, we work with you to gather the measurables you need for your KPIs.
Promote Your Event Like a Pro
Hybrid events make less of a carbon footprint than traditional in-person-only events. Let people know how your event is eco-friendly.
Highlight your keynote speakers on your events page. Start posting (and engaging) on social media, and put your event front and center by advertising it with a well-designed banner.
Include information and invitations to your event through your email marketing. Send out teaser videos or use pop-up ads across your site.
Take Your Hybrid Events to the Next Level with Better Technology
Successful, up-to-date, and engaging hybrid events demand a top-grade hybrid event platform that can keep up. At VStage, we’ll help you engage your attendees and impress your stakeholders too.
By choosing Vstage to run your event, you can be sure that your hybrid events will be:
Customizable: Every organization and event is different, and your hybrid event platform should reflect that. Each feature of Vstage is completely customizable so you can build events as simple or complex as needed.
Secure: Our information security team is dedicated to helping you create safe and secure events. We can accommodate any requirements your organization may have.
Supported: At every stage of your event, from creation to completion, you’ll have support from real people on our team. If you or your attendees have any questions or need any assistance, we’ll be there to help.
Engaging: With tailored feature sets for different audience types, VStage will enable you to boost attendee engagement throughout the entire lifespan of your event. You’ll also be able to track your audiences with whatever metrics you value through our platform.
