Marketing

Hybrid Event Production: An Overview

Covid changed the world in countless ways. Event creators were walloped during this time, as people could not gather in person. They had to find ways to host events virtually.

Today, people can gather in person, but many prefer virtual events. Event creators are finding ways to merge the two and host hybrid events so everyone can benefit. These events offer a positive return on investment while allowing hosts to reach broader audiences.

What should a person know about hybrid events? How can they create virtual and hybrid video content that appeals to all? How can they ensure the event’s success? The following guide answers these questions and more.

What is a Hybrid Event?

In-person events require people to gather in a specified location. Virtual events, in contrast, occur entirely online. Hybrid events combine the two so that every participant can choose which option best meets their needs. While many people love virtual events, younger generations still like gathering in person. Both groups can converge using the hybrid format. However, the event must be engaging and allow the different audiences to connect meaningfully.

The Benefits of Hybrid Events

Hybrid events increase a brand’s reach by removing all geographical limitations. Event hosts can choose guest speakers worldwide to wow the audience while reducing the event’s carbon footprint. Smaller venues can be used without cutting the audience size, and people won’t need to travel internationally to participate. The planet wins when hybrid events are offered.

The brand can deliver meaningful content on multiple platforms to reach the target audience. Each participant chooses the platform they feel most comfortable with. Hosting a hybrid event also allows for more data collection so hosts can alter future events to meet participants’ needs better.

Planning a Hybrid Event

Planning a hybrid event involves many steps similar to planning other events. Set goals for the event and determine which metrics will determine its success or failure. Figure out the target audience and the best event format for this audience. Many people decide on simultaneous events where live and virtual audiences attend the event at the same time.

Select a venue that can accommodate the anticipated number of in-person participants and a platform for hosting the event. Thanks to its numerous features, Epiphan Unify for Hybrid Events is the preferred platform for many. Create an agenda based on the format and target audience. Simultaneous events often come with flow charts where participants can choose from multiple sessions happening at the same time.

Promoting the Event

Once the event details have been confirmed, the audience must learn about it. Promoting the event becomes more manageable when a company has the right tools. The host should use multiple platforms when promoting this event. Unify makes it easy to livestream to multiple platforms simultaneously, so the host can choose those favored by the target audience and ensure they reach everyone on their preferred platforms.

Testing the System

A host should never hold a hybrid event without testing the technology beforehand. Many things can go wrong during the event, and the tests help to catch potential glitches before they occur. Every employee who will work on the event must be fully trained so nothing goes wrong, and there should be several dry runs to ensure every employee knows what they are supposed to do and when. Practice makes perfect when it comes to hosting a seamless event.

Engaging With the Audience

One of the biggest challenges a hybrid event host faces is audience engagement. People find it easier to engage with others when they are in the same physical location. It’s harder to keep people engaged when they are taking part in the event virtually. They have distractions the host cannot see but must still overcome. How can an event host ensure virtual participants remain engaged and interact with the event?

Create an event-specific app for all participants. This custom app will allow participants to access the venue virtually. They can participate in chat rooms, check out on-demand content, and review question-and-answer material. While this app comes with a fee, event hosts find the return on investment is outstanding.

Audience polls and surveys are excellent ways to pull viewers in and have them participate in the event. Asking for their opinions shows that the event host values their participation. The responses can be used to guide the event presentation. Viewers will interact when asked if they see the feedback being used positively.

Many people love to participate in games. Allow them to do so by creating a competition or point-scoring system where they can earn points for engaging with one another and the event content. There may be an award for the person who logs into the most sessions or stays to finish each session. Chat room contributors can also compete for a prize.

Time Zone Considerations

One thing to consider when hosting a hybrid event is the time zones of the various participants. Nobody wants to remain awake for a 2 am presentation. Once tickets begin selling, determine where the sales are coming from and schedule talks and sessions around the audience.

Why Choose Unify for Hybrid Events?

Unify allows event hosts to combine live video for several locations quickly and easily without sacrificing quality. Features of this program include 4K recording and streaming. Users love the option of contributing remotely and appreciate the remote switching. The custom layout builder makes it easy to differentiate the brand from competitors, which is essential in today’s increasingly crowded marketplace.

This platform can host events of any size. It scales to ensure processing resources are available when needed, and thanks to the controlled environment, local hardware limitations are a thing of the past. Existing hybrid workflows rely on video conferencing platforms and traditional live production workflows. Although these solutions work, they are cumbersome and cannot be scaled. Unify was developed to remove these barriers. Unify productions are professional and of the highest quality. Viewers will not be able to distinguish them from conventional broadcasts.

Epiphan offers these features and more today. However, the company continues to improve its platform. Expect to see additional features in the coming months and years. The company is working on adding titling and graphics, media playback, and automatic live transcription services, among others. With the help of this platform, hybrid events look easy.

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