Hybrid events offer the best of both worlds for both attendees and hosts. Attendees can choose to travel, if they’d like, or they can enjoy the event from the comfort of their home or workplace. Hosts have the flexibility to decide what they’d like to offer in an online format and what they’d like to offer in-person. If you’re planning a hybrid event, here are a few things you should keep in mind.
1. Content
Some content is better presented in-person rather than online. You may need to make extra arrangements to ensure online content is clearly communicated and understood by the audience. A few important questions to ask include:
- What are the attendees’ expectations?
- How much content will they watch and for how long?
- Will the content be available post-event for those who couldn’t attend live?
- How will you make the content interactive?
Let the content act as a guide for the entire planning process. If attendees are not attracted to the content, it won’t matter how many bells and whistles you add to the event — they simply won’t be engaged.
2. Layout
The layout of the physical event space will determine how many booths and workshops you can set up, what the flow of traffic will be like, and direct the overall event setup. If you’d like the event to be primarily focused on small workshops, then you need a venue with multiple rooms equipped with the right audio and lighting equipment. If you’re hosting a conference, then you need one large room for all attendees and additional space for lunch and networking breaks. Keep in mind the capacity limit of the space as this will limit how many people you can accommodate.
3. Technology
A hybrid event space should have technology that supports live video and audio streaming to a remote audience, in addition to meeting the needs of an in-person audience. You’ll need to figure out in advance whether you need the venue to provide technical support, or if you will hire outside individuals to oversee the technical aspects of the hybrid event. A few questions to ask include:
- Does the venue have a strong Internet connection?
- Does it have its own studio?
- What kind of cameras, backdrops, and lighting equipment does it have?
4. Size
Venues come in a variety of sizes, with some offering hosts the flexibility to rent a portion of the space instead of the entire building. Think about how many rooms and how much space you’ll need, and find out if the venue requires use of the entire space, or if they rent out rooms and conference halls separately.
5. Location
If you’re hosting a hybrid event, then you should choose an event space closest to the majority of your attendees. The location will also help you determine what the reach of your event should be: local, regional, national, or international. Before selecting a hybrid event space, consider how many attendees will be likely to attend the event in person, and how many attendees will tune in over the Internet.
If you’d like additional information or recommendations for choosing a hybrid event space, contact CTC Conferences for a free consultation!