Cvent's Patrick Smith discusses why events will need to blend in-person and virtual experiences, both in the short and long term, thanks to Covid-19
The last 90-plus days have been
filled with virtual events of all kinds – Zoom conferences, Skype calls,
Facetime happy hours and WebEx meetings. Lockdowns around the world, in
response to COVID-19, necessitated a swift and total pivot to all things virtual.
Now, as shelter-in-place regulations ease, and in-person events are on the
horizon, organisations are wondering how their event programmes will have to
evolve in this new normal. In one word: Hybrid.
Hybrid events – or events that
incorporate elements of both the in-person and virtual experience into one
blended event – are the future for many larger events. And not just for the
short-term, but for the foreseeable future. Why? Because there is incredible
opportunity in hosting these types events to drive more attendance and
engagement. While this pandemic has shown that nothing can replace meeting
face-to-face, something those of us in the industry knew all along, it has also
shown how offering virtual event experiences can mean more registrations, greater
attendance, bigger impact, and broader reach. Now add those positive results
onto the incredible results typically seen from an in-person event, and you’re
looking at a whole new level of event success.
Hybrid events in the short term
While cities and countries slowly
open up, and people begin to interact more regularly, the comfort levels of
attending events again will be varied. Some will have no problem booking a
flight and attending a conference in person, while others may be hesitant to
jump right back in. If an organisation only offers an in-person experience, in
the short term, they’re going to attract only those who are comfortable
attending in person and miss out on those who are not. By offering a hybrid
experience, they’ll attract both. Event hosts will be happy to engage with a
bigger audience, while attendees will appreciate the flexibility to attend an
event on their own terms. It’s a win-win.
Hybrid events in the long term
Once we’ve moved beyond this
pandemic, and business is back to pre-COVID levels, hybrid events will remain
strategic. The unique opportunity to attract thousands, even tens of thousands,
of registrants to an event that traditionally only brought 4,000 together
in-person is something no organisation will pass up. Nor should they. While
in-person attendees will likely bring in more immediate, potentially higher
value opportunities, the greater number of virtual attendees can provide deep
insights into your customer base and deliver more revenue opportunities that
can help maximise sales and marketing efforts.
That said, planning and managing a
hybrid event does not simply mean ensuring the venue you select has the
technology capabilities and the infrastructure in place to support them. It
means creating a great on-site experience for in-person attendees while
ensuring the virtual experience is just as impactful. In the short term, it
means finding venues that can cater to the hybrid experience and offer social
distancing support. In the long term, it means revising travel budgets, room
blocks and event programme strategies. It may seem overwhelming, but with the
right tools and technology in place, hybrid events will become a critical part
of the overall event mix – and the business impact of these events will be
greater than ever.