Hybrid events are all the buzz right now and will likely continue to be the way that many events will transpire in the foreseeable future. Now, you must choose the perfect recipe to have a successful hybrid event in which all attendees feel a part of the same, impactful experience. Here, we provide a few hybrid conference tips.
Whether someone is attending your event in person or virtually, every attendee should have access to the community built into your app. Take advantage of the app platform to create a “mini-universe” for your attendees; upload speaker bios, presentation handouts, and create threads where people can converse with one another. Think of your app as your home base. Everything should circle back to your app; activities, discussions, resources, agendas, supplementary materials, etc.
Make your attendees aware that the event can be experienced from anywhere at any time. Regardless of being on-site or not, the event can be viewed from any desktop or mobile device. You can be commuting on the train, at home, in a park—the event can be streamed in real time from any location, which is why your attendees never have to worry about missing out on anything.
With the ability to stream from any location, attendees can also view multiple cameras at once. The app allows attendees to simultaneously view each other and the presentation in real time giving the effect of being together in the same space. You can even bring in other platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom for breakout sessions where the attendees can interact amongst themselves.
Get your audience excited with push notifications throughout the event. In a hybrid event, it’s important to keep everyone on the same page, which is why push notifications are a useful tool in keeping everyone up-to-date and engaged.
Fostering active conversation amongst attendees is key in maintaining engagement. Make your event as interactive as possible; send push notifications with polls, facilitate Q&A’s—get people talking. The app is the perfect space for gamification, icebreakers, word clouds, and networking activities. Utilize rhetorical interactivity within the app to spark dialogue amongst attendees. When you make your event about your attendees, they will be more willing to participate in and remember a presentation. Remote or on-site, the app is their platform to express their ideas.
The more content and conversation that take place within the app, the more inclusive your event will feel for everyone attending. The app should be the main hub for all types of communication and participation, making your hybrid event a success for all involved.