Hosting hybrid events requires careful planning and a ton of organization. It is important that both your physical and digital attendees are experiencing the same level of interaction, both should be entertained equally and should be involved one hundred percent (100%). For this to happen, you need to make sure that your technology and your content are flawless. Hybrid Events content should be delivered in the most engaging way possible to ensure a smooth running of the event. These are the most important tips for hosting hybrid events:
- Decide the Type of Event
Decide what type of event you would like to put on. Establish the aim for your event and the best way to achieve them. Know who your target audiences are, what event will require participation, and which won’t. This will help you to put better plans in place so that your event can run smoothly.
- Select a Venue
Once you’ve decided on the type of hybrid event you wish to hold, it will then be time to select a venue. Selecting a venue for your event is very important, to select a venue you will need to know the number of persons you plan on hosting for. If you plan on hosting a large-scale conference with a keynote stage and smaller seminars to run concurrently you will need a venue that has a main space with additional smaller rooms.
- Selecting your speakers
The content that you offer will play a vital part in your hybrid event’s success. With that being said. Ensure that the speaker you are selecting for your event is vibrant and engaging, they should also be 100% comfortable with concurrently engaging with both physical and digital audiences.
- Ensure you have access to fast Internet
A very strong wifi signal needs to be accessible in the physical venue for attendees and exhibitors to run video calls and browse the platform. If possible, have more than one carrier available at the location.
- Always Check Production(mics, camera, etc)
Production is a broad term that refers to the process of combining technical elements (audio, video, lighting, staging, etc.) Depending on the type of event you will be hosting, your production elements can vary. Once you have decided if your speakers will be joining from home or filmed on stage, this will give you an idea of the level of equipment that will be required and feasible.
There should be at least three or four cameras shooting from different angles. This will allow the remote participants to feel as close to the experience as one possibly can be. The dynamic switching between shots will help keep viewers engaged. Always remember that timing is everything!
- Always give online audience content and keep them engaged!
Your content is the most important thing during a hybrid event than during an onsite event. It is much more difficult to keep virtual attendees engaged in front of a computer screen. To keep content engaging, make sure that it will translate well over video. Incorporate live polls or Q&A to keep virtual attendees involved. And make sure that the sessions are a reasonable length.
- Keep audience interaction to a schedule
Decide on the length of each session and stick with it! Will your sessions be an hour? A half-hour? 15 minutes? Your aim should be to strike a balance in your session lengths. Each session should be long enough that all the information prepared can be shared, but they should also be concise enough that virtual attendees remain focused and engaged.
- Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse!!
After planning and setting up. Practice! As the old saying goes practice makes perfect. Take the extra time to make sure your speakers are comfortable with being live-streamed. Speakers should spend the extra time to privately practice presenting the first few slides to the room. Each participant should ensure they are clear about where the cameras are located and ideal positioning on the stage, including camera black spots to avoid.
The success of Hybrid Events is highly reliant on technical execution. For this reason, we recommend always using professional services. The iTeneri Support Team is constantly praised for our support throughout the planning and execution process. We help to convert our clients’ ideas into an executable format and work with everyone involved to ensure they are comfortable with their roles on the day of the event.
