Hybrid Events: What are they and what tools do you need to organise one?

As an event planner, you may have heard of the term “hybrid events” being brought up recently. But just what is a hybrid event, and why have they started rising to prominence in recent years?

What is a hybrid event?

A hybrid event is an event that takes place in a physical venue, while also being attended by a live and interactive audience online. In fact, you may have attended a few hybrid events yourself, as these event have become increasingly common over the past few years.

Why are hybrid events gaining popularity?

Hybrid events hold several key advantages over traditional events, with the biggest difference being the impressive reach that hybrid events provide. With hybrid events, event planners (and audiences) are no longer bound by physical or geographical limitations – anyone in the world could potentially participate in your event.

This highlights another advantage of hybrid events – cost-effectiveness. In terms of optimising your return on investment (ROI), hybrid events bring exponentially more eyeballs, attention and prospective customers to your events. Think about it this way, instead of organising multiple (similar) events in different cities across the nation, a single hybrid event can be held for your entire audience – across the country or globe (as long as the content you’re sharing at the event relates to everyone in the audience).

But take note… these are NOT hybrid events

Before you plan your own hybrid event, it’s also important to know what hybrid events are not. The biggest misconception of hybrid events is that they are simply events that are streamed live to an online audience – such as audiences on Facebook Live.

A true hybrid event utilises technology to bring online audiences into an event experience – so online audiences and live participants experience the same event, as similarly as possible. At hybrid events, online viewers get to participate in the event in the same way that live attendee do. This means participating in Q&A sessions, interacting with speakers, and engaging with fellow attendees.

What you need to organise a hybrid event

A key reason for the rise of hybrid events in recent years is the widespread availability and adoption of high speed internet access. Whether on a phone, at home or in the office, the average person now has the technology they need to participate in your hybrid event.

At your end, your technical list will run a little longer. In addition to cameras, microphones, trained staff and good Wi-Fi to record and stream your event, you’ll also need a reliable platform to stream your hybrid event such as the event conferencing solution from Angage, a flexible solution that can expand the reach of any event – enabling even intimate event spaces to play host to global conferences, attended by participants around the world.