How to choose the right HYBRID EVENT model?

Over the past couple of months, not a day went by without clients asking what type of hybrid event they should organise. With so many different options available, there is also confusion and ambiguity, most often due to a lack of experience and sometimes a flood of different information online. Google is dominated by advice from video conferencing platform providers or technical support providers. Of course, you can’t do without them, but there is still a lot to consider in order for your hybrid event to succeed. The key challenge is integrating different features into a well-functioning and efficient hybrid event model.

So, which hybrid model do you choose? This, as always, depends on the answer to the question WHY? Why are we organising the event in the first place, what change do we want to achieve and how will we bring value to the participants. Participants are the heart of the event and their active involvement should be supported by the chosen hybrid model.

The first question you need to answer is whether you will treat the live and online audience equally. The question seems logical and simple, but in practice, this is not always the case. If you are organising a high-level political meeting, the online audience will not interest you too much and a simple video livestream will suffice. However, if you are preparing a product presentation, interaction with all participants is crucial for reaching the end result – selling a product.

In short, answering your WHY should be the first step you take. In practice, this is often done by preparing a detailed brief of the event. It’s best to prepare it together with the client, or if you are the client, together with the event agency. This way, you will avoid unnecessary mistakes and unexpected expenses.

Possibilities for organising hybrid events are plentiful. To make it easier to understand, we combined them into three packages according to their complexity. Individual elements in different packages can be combined to form a comprehensive hybrid experience.

SOLUTION:

A simple live video broadcast of the event, when there is no need for active participant engagement. The most basic technical equipment is used, which does not require a professional team. It is a hybrid event that you can carry out yourself without the support of a DCO agency (DCO – Digital Conference Organizer).

SOLUTION:

A semi-demanding hybrid event allows for greater interaction between online and live audiences. Much depends on the functionality of the video conferencing platform. It is extremely important to choose a package that will support all your requirements (the premium version of Zoom offers many additional features). We recommend that you organise this type of event in cooperation with a professional event organiser (DCO Agency). This will save you a lot of time and energy.

SOLUTION:

A professionally organised hybrid event successfully bridges the gap between online and live participation, enabling balanced cooperation. It also offers the possibility to integrate pre-agreed networking, live voting, or in-depth analysis of the event. There are also many new possibilities in the field of monetisation of such events. To carry out such an event, you definitely need the support of a DCO agency.

Above all, we mustn’t forget how important the role of the moderator is in hybrid events. An experienced, non-biased moderator is invaluable. The moderator keeps the conversation going, makes sure all participants are contributing equally, regardless of their formal power, directs the group to a certain goal, provides quality visualization of the process, and sums up conclusions. We recommend that you start working with your moderator in the early stages of event planning.

Hybrid cars are said to have taken the best from the old petrol and new electrified and sustainable world. We can come to the same conclusion when it comes to hybrid events, which are the most logical response to the current situation in the world of events. Their number is steadily growing, as they allow part of the audience to meet live in accordance with the epidemiological situation in that country and region, and part to attend online. Hybrid events are often confused with online streaming (live video streaming). Yes, it is certainly an important part of every hybrid event, but the goal is to connect two different audiences with two-way communication and interactivity.

The organisation of such events is demanding. More important than technology is the choice of appropriate content, as it involves connecting two target groups (live and online) with completely different needs.

Read the article on how we organized the Conventa Crossover hybrid conference.