Hybrid events are becoming increasingly popular, and it’s no wonder why! They can bring you new leads, convert your prospects into paying customers and add value to your brand’s reputation. According to a survey by Statista, 40% of marketers worldwide predicted that their events will be virtual this year, while 35% were predicted to be hybrid.
Hybrid events can provide flexibility in the planning process and scalability while increasing your organization’s value. Let’s take a look at some ways you can boost the value of your hybrid events for a stronger ROI and memorable attendee experience.
Personalize the Experience
Participant engagement is a key component in ensuring your event leaves a lasting impression on attendees and influences them to take action. One way is to connect with participants ahead of time. Giving attendees an opportunity to learn more about your organization before they arrive will make them feel more invested in what you’re doing and give them a sense of ownership when they participate in your event. It’s also possible that you might even get some volunteers or other contributors from this initial contact! Offer different ways for participants to interact during the event.
Repurpose your Content
Even a relatively small hybrid event can produce a ton of data and content. It can generate many hours worth of videos, reams of transcripts, multiple pages of chat logs, and other engagement content. With so much content to choose from, you can extend the value of your events by repurposing your content. There are many simple ways to do this.
One way is to take the recordings of your webinars and offer them as gated pieces of content to encourage those who weren’t able to attend to continue to engage with your content. Another way is to convert the audio of a recorded session into a podcast for attendees to listen on their own time. You can use reviews and testimonials from event guests to highlight this event, and promote future ones. You can also write blogs, eBooks, and white papers from specific findings from your event or sessions that were featured.
Keep it Relevant
Participant engagement is a key factor in extending the value of your hybrid events. With an engaging event, attendees will be more likely to attend future events and share their experience with their networks. They may also use what they learned at your event in their day-to-day work. Here are some tips for extending participant engagement. Involve participants with the planning process so they feel like they have ownership over their experience and take responsibility for making it successful. Create an actionable plan for how attendees can apply what they learned from your event in their day-to-day lives, whether that means taking a new course or changing how you do something at work.
Make it Scalable
As event professionals, we know that when you put on a hybrid event, it’s important to provide attendees with an experience they can’t get elsewhere. Providing this experience often requires more time and resources than a traditional conference or trade show. Offering workshops at your event will add another dimension to your attendees’ experience. Instead of just attending sessions all day, they’ll have opportunities for hands-on learning and collaboration in different formats. It will also give them time away from their screens so they’re able to fully take in what’s happening in front of them.
Utilize Event Technology
Event management software, social media, and other tools can extend the value of your event in a significant way. Using event technology can increase attendance and improve engagement at events. You’ll need an event management platform that can support your business in your event management and execution. Certain’s event management products help you create and manage registration, event websites, marketing campaigns and more. You’ll gain strategic insights, and utilize integrated onsite hardware all from one provider and bring lasting value to every event. Contact us for a free consultation with one of our event experts.