Chati recently presented a guide to planning hybrid events in 2024. Here, we will discuss how hybrid events encompass the best of both in-person and virtual aspects of an event or conference to enable the best opportunity for inclusivity and connectivity on a global scale.   

Over the past few years, virtual events have become mainstream in networking and building connections. However, in-person events still hold benefits, primarily due to the real-life engagement aspect. Unfortunately, not everyone can attend in-person events for many possible reasons, including financial or logistical, and this is where hybrid events shine.  

In this age of virtual networking, embracing a dual approach towards networking will enable you to reach levels of engagement and connectivity like never before, and this can be accomplished through hybrid events where you can meet people in real life or connect with them virtually. Embracing the dual approach makes hybrid events crucial in both the short- and long-term.  

Hybrid events enable event organizers to amplify audience reach and engagement during and after the event. This is due to the ability to connect individuals from around the world, as 47 percent of event hosts believe that hybrid events are the answer to bringing people together from around the world. Other characteristics include offering the choice of attending in-person or virtually while increasing attendee engagement rates since some of your attendees might still be hesitant to attend in person because of COVID-19.  

Hybrid events help bridge the gap between physical and digital audiences so individuals worldwide maximize their engagement and connectivity. Along with being hesitant to attend in-person events due to COVID-19, attendees might also be unable to attend due to a physical disability or financial instability, and hybrid events enable these individuals to seamlessly attend your event and engage with in-person individuals so they can share the experience.   

The primary goal of hybrid events is crafting content to engage both audiences, which will increase engagement and enable your attendees to improve their networking skills while building connections and fostering relationships for both the short- and long-term. For example, guest speakers should be able to engage with both audiences seamlessly. At the same time, breakout rooms and gamification features allow both audiences to engage with each other seamlessly.   

Through this, your hybrid event will maximize interaction and participation across all channels, leading to greater levels of inclusivity, diversity, and engagement for individuals worldwide.   

Addressing technical and logistical considerations is vital for all endeavors, but hybrid events are especially important since organizers are balancing two different audiences. For example, guest speakers require the ability to convey their message while engaging with both audiences, which brings more challenges for your virtual audience, as ensuring all internet connections are functioning properly will allow your virtual audience to engage simultaneously with your in-person audience. Other technical and logistical challenges are to consider providing resources for the seeing- and hearing-impaired, which need to be addressed for both audiences.   

For these reasons and many more, balancing engagement and interaction across in-person and virtual formats is essential to achieve the most successful hybrid event. Through this, event organizers can maximize engagement, connectivity, inclusivity, and diversity on a global scale.   

Chati has emphasized in numerous blogs the importance of tracking engagement metrics for webinars and virtual events, making this practice even more important for hybrid events as event organizers are responsible for in-person and virtual attendees. However, the same tracking methods used for webinars and virtual events can easily be used for the virtual aspects of hybrid events, including those collected via artificial intelligence. You can even periodically engage with your attendees to ensure they’re getting the most out of your hybrid event.   

In addition to tracking engagement metrics, Chati has frequently discussed the importance of extracting valuable insights from attendee feedback, and this aspect is even more important for hybrid events as organizers are balancing two audiences instead of one, with attendees engaging from all over the world. This feedback can be accomplished through post-event surveys, which are encouraged to be sent out immediately as soon as possible once the hybrid event concludes so the event is still fresh in your attendees’ minds. Additionally, follow-up emails a few weeks to a few months after the event allow your attendees to provide additional feedback if they missed something in the post-event surveys.  

At Chati, we encourage all event organizers to unleash the power of hybrid events, which encompass the best of both in-person and virtual events, into a fun and engaging experience for individuals worldwide. From creating memorable experiences to overcoming technical and logistical challenges to monitoring engagement metrics and post-event feedback, we are confident you will walk away from this better prepared to host a successful hybrid event for years to come.   

Sources: Chati, Interprefy, WorkCast, Frameable, Cvent, Socio Labs, Chati (1)