It’s hard to believe that just two years ago, people were asking, what are virtual events? Now virtual experiences are the norm, and despite some events returning to in-person, virtual events are here to stay.
Before 2020, virtual events were an anomaly. People attended the occasional webinar or virtual business meeting, but that was about it. However, once businesses started using virtual events for meetings, trade shows, and conferences, audiences not only joined; they thoroughly enjoyed them. As restrictions began to lift, hybrid events, or the combination of in-person and virtual elements into one large-scale production, have also become a favored event option. Now, these events, no matter how big or small, are imperative to continue effectively connecting with employees, customers, potential leads, and other industry professionals around the world.
So, just how important is it to master planning these types of events, and why should you continue offering these options to your attendees? Let’s explore the benefits of virtual events and hybrid events for conventions and industry trade shows below.
Prevalence Of Hybrid And Virtual Events
Hybrid and virtual events are extremely popular. As businesses continue to adapt to ever-changing restrictions and environmental conditions outside their control, embracing a virtual or hybrid event model allows them to support their employees and stakeholders while creating an external climate-proof trade show or conference.
A recent Statista survey of marketers found that 40% of their events will be virtual in 2022 and 35% will be hybrid, with the remainder scheduled to be in-person. This represented a 5% increase in the number of anticipated virtual events in 2022. The bottom line? Virtual events are here to stay, and you don’t want to get left behind!
How Hybrid And Virtual Events Benefit Attendees
With scheduling conflicts, budget and travel restrictions, and venue capacity, not everyone could attend in-person events in the past. Having the option of hybrid or even strictly virtual events helps all of your stakeholders, from the attendees to the organizers, exhibitors, sponsors, and speakers, participate in your trade shows and conferences. Here are a few benefits of hybrid and virtual events:
1.) Expanded Networking Opportunities: One of the most powerful parts of virtual communication is that people can connect with others from all over the world. In-person and remote attendees can grow their networks by connecting with each other via video, instant messaging, and social media. Here are other ways to network through a virtual events platform:
- Create or join intimate sessions or breakout rooms on a specific topic to connect based on mutual interests
- Search attendees and exhibitors to learn who is at the event and how to connect with them
- Chat with and ask questions to other attendees, speakers, and sponsors during the program without geographic limitations
- Feel less intimidated reaching out to new people or engaging with reputable speakers throughout the event
As the event host, ensuring your attendees and participants have various ways to connect and network with each other is paramount.
2.) Higher Audience Engagement: Thanks to technology, virtual attendees can engage with other guests and presenters just as they would in person (if not more). Through a strategic virtual events platform, your attendees cannot only watch the trade show or conference sessions, but they can submit questions, participate in group sessions, and comment on current topics. Here are a few other ideas to keep an online audience engaged:
- Allow them to vote through live polls during the event
- Invite them to participate in live Q&As with speakers
- Have them join breakout sessions to share learnings in smaller groups
- Don’t just live stream the in-person event (if hybrid format), build a dedicated virtual experience
Your virtual events planner can walk you through all of these ideas and more to ensure your virtual attendees are engaged from start to finish.
3.) Promote Health, Safety, and Comfortability: The pandemic is not over, and event organizers are still trying to take safety precautions to protect their attendees. Some people may have health issues that prevent them from being vaccinated, while others may not feel safe while traveling or being in close proximity to others while indoors. Plus, with restrictions ever-changing, adding a virtual component on a robust virtual events platform is a fail-safe way to know your trade show or conference will take place and have attendance.
In this new world of hybrid and virtual event planning, you must consider all types of attendees. With quality planning and implementation, you’ll be able to host an event that is beneficial to all of your stakeholders.
How Hybrid And Virtual Events Benefit Organizers
Even as in-person events are starting back up again, one thing is clear. Hybrid and virtual events for tradeshows work. Over 85% of 67% of businesses prefer the hybrid model because of all the possibilities it offers. Attendees aren’t the only ones to benefit from this new event modality. Here are a few ways organizers win by hosting hybrid and virtual events:
- Increased Reach: When your event is open to literally anyone in the world who wants to buy a ticket and has an internet connection, there’s almost no limit to how many virtual attendees you can have.
- Better Sponsorship Opportunities: Hosting a convention or industry trade show virtually allows you to cast a wider net and reach sponsors you might not have been able to reach based on travel restrictions and scheduling conflicts.
- Wide Variety of Speakers and Exhibitors: Flexibility is the name of the game when it comes to hybrid and virtual events. Just as participants can attend from anywhere in the world, so can speakers and exhibitors. Presenting online saves them time and travel costs. Having a virtual exhibit hall allows companies to participate from just about anywhere.
- More Cost Effective: Hybrid and virtual events have much lower upfront costs, while expanding revenues through the reach and viability of ticket sales to a new audience around the world.
- Less Environmental Impact: By reducing your in-person headcount, you cut out unnecessary travel, food waste, disposables, and printed materials.
Choosing to include virtual options for your event can help you reach your goals while also providing the best possible experience for your attendees and stakeholders.
How to Overcome Hybrid and Virtual Event Challenges
With all the benefits of hybrid and virtual events, inevitably come some challenges. Some of the biggest challenges include:
- Virtual technology platform challenges
- Programming challenges to make the in-person and virtual audiences equally feel as engaged and valued
- Connectivity issues
- Creative execution of virtual components
- Preparation time required to program both portions of the events
These challenges can be overwhelming, but hiring a virtual events company that specializes in creating meaningful and engaging large-scale events will make your next convention or trade show unrivaled and unforgettable.
Execute Your Hybrid And Virtual Events Successfully in 2022 and Beyond
Hybrid and virtual events are the new normal and coming up with strategic virtual event ideas that make for a better and more meaningful experience is a business all on its own. When it comes to hybrid and virtual events, hosting and programming can be overwhelming if you’re doing it independently. This is where the team at Reimagined Experiences comes in.
With our expertise in content creation and high-quality broadcasting, we will be your guiding light to creating engaging, meaningful, and unique experiences for your virtual, hybrid, and in-person audiences. company and production experts throughout the entire process. Virtual event planning involves:
- Creating programming tailored to the desires of your audience
- Building experiences that engage, entertain, and educate
- Executing event elements flawlessly
- Real-time event monitoring and post-event evaluation
And more!
We handle all of these elements (and more!) from the moment of inception until your event attendees grab the early bird discount for next year’s event.
At Reimagined Experiences, our customized services will make your next hybrid or virtual event one to be remembered. Contact us to get started planning today!
