Hybrid Events: The Experience
Hybrid Events: The ‘Experience’
The event organisers we have spoken with have shared their determination to deliver as equal an experience for those tuning in to their events virtually as those who attend in-person.
One of the Sydney based event organisers have been busy adapting their agenda to be fully inclusive of those attending in person and those who are virtually attending. Some of the factors to consider they shared include:
The Technology
Having a user friendly and aesthetically appealing technical platform is key to the virtual delegate experience. A number of innovative existing ‘off the shelf’ platforms are being used alongside many bespoke systems which are built to meet the needs of specific markets/audiences/formats.
Having a platform which works for your attendees is as important as choosing the venue for a live event. One expert on this subject, Vanessa Lovatt, Glisser suggested you might choose different tech platforms for different elements of your agenda/event. Onsite this would commonly occur, conference in the hotel conference suite and drinks in the bar area or exhibition at the Excel and after event party at a bar venue?
Delegates will expect the ‘experience’ to be enjoyable even if it is on screen.
The Experience
A fully immersive and intuitive event experience for those virtual attendees joining the event is essential.
A great example of this is from an organiser of retreat style events held in the Hunter Valley, Australia. Wine-tasting in the vineyards of the Hunter Valley are a staple component of the event programme and this worked well for attendees who were onsite but for the delegates who joined virtually this was a challenge. The organiser wanted to bring virtual attendees a little slice of the Hunter Valley wine tasting experience so they delivered a wine and cheese hamper to their homes and ran a virtual tasting experience.
There will be lots of other creative solutions to bringing a flavour of the live event to those engaging behind the screen from sending out traditional marketing freebies picked up at events to food and beverages to enjoy whilst watching?
For many event formats who chose to use a hybrid model balancing the ‘experience’ could be a real challenge, but event organisers are exceptionally resourceful and creative, I am excited to see what they come up with over the next few years!