Hybrid events are part of the new normality since the change occurred in the world of events due to the pandemic. And by all accounts, they are going to be booming for a long time. It has been a challenge, at the level of organization and management, the fact of adapting a part to the virtual environment. Errors or problems have arisen that can ruin an event and milder ones that, although their impact is less, should also be avoided. In this article we are going to talk about the most common problems of hybrid events you must avoid.
The virtual world has provided several advantages, such as resources saving (time and displacements), higher reach, fast data collection, etc. But the rapid adaptation of presential events to virtual has supposed big headaches for most of the organizers. It is logic, in front of a contingency of that magnitude, it has not been an easy task adapting the physical format to the virtual one. As well as also the fact of combining both formats and offer hybrid events.
What are the most common problems of hybrid events?
Giving little importance to planning
Planning is basic and essential in any type of event. It is a serious mistake planning only the presential part and obviating the details or actions to implement in the virtual part. Each audience is different, as is the team in charge of each format. We must adapt contents, actions, and all managements in general for the result to be optimal in both cases. An to achieve it, the first step is a great planning.
Low attendance
A low assistance index when the date of the event is approaching can be worrying. The potential success of your event fades at times. You have marked some objectives, prepared content, hired staff, devised the communication and promotion strategy, etc., and it turns out that you barely have any registrations. What can be happening? Sometimes it is complicated to find an answer. Although, you should not give up and think what actions you can take to turn the situation around. You can launch an original or special last-minute promotion for your potential audience, announce a giveaway of an experience of value that will take place during the event, contact with successful prescribers (related to our market) who recommend the event in their digital channels, etc. The point is to fight to the end to try to achieve the success you had planned.
The election of the speakers
In a hybrid event it is essential to choose the speakers or lecturers well. Generally, there is usually a speaker or main guest and other complementary. The fact is that we must choose them who have experience directing events in which the two types of audience are combined. If so, they will easily interact with the audience and promote their interest and participation. Otherwise, the event can be severely affected and convey a boring and negative experience to attendees. And remember that the experience and opinion of the audience is decisive for the inscriptions of upcoming events.
The streaming tool to broadcast the virtual part
One of the most common problems of hybrid events, concretely of the virtual part, is to choose wrong the streaming tool. We must ensure that it offers a service of quality, and at the level of our needs and audience. A platform like Watchity is a good solution since allows to offer to the audience a professional-looking and customized content, does not require technical knowledge and facilitates the management of the whole event (inscriptions, surveys, data of the event, statistics, etc.).
Internet connection
The visual part of hybrid events not necessarily have to have the same duration as the face-to-face one. In many cases the event is planned to share it with both audiences simultaneously, but also there is the possibility to introduce variations in the online program. This decision has been made because it is more difficult to maintain their attention for the same time as face-to-face attendees. The behavior and feedback of the audience leads us to more and more hybrid events adapt their content and reduce the time of the sessions. If they do not, they will probably lose interest and disconnect easily.
Low interaction with the audience
In hybrid events, as in all the events, we must interact with the audience. If in the presential format it is important, in the virtual one even more. The grade of interaction and networking will be decisive to determinate the quality of the experience of attendees. Launching Q&As during several spaces of time, surveys, giveaways, moments of networking, etc. will enhance the interaction and, consequently, interest and motivation of attendees.
Neglect the post-event part
As it is important the interaction with attendees before and during the event, we must not forget it once the event is finished. We have probably launched a survey towards the end of the event, but on many occasions, it is usually sent out after completion, along with a thank you email for attendance. We can also take advantage to send additional content that can result of their interest and dispose of a virtual space with VIP access for participants to promote post-event networking.
And so far, our recommendations on the most common hybrid event problems to avoid. We hope you found it interesting!
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