Should Your Next Event Be Hybrid or Fully Virtual?

Which bicycle would you choose: A mountain bike, a street bike, or an all-terrain bike?

Your answer will depend on your needs – Are you a casual biker who wants to ride everywhere? Or do you need a bike for a specific purpose?

We frequently get asked: “Which event style is better: Virtual or hybrid? Which one is best for me?” Again, it depends on your needs. 

The quick answer: Virtual events are like the dedicated mountain bike or street bike. Virtual events are unmatched in budget, convenience, flexibility, and increased participation. 

Hybrid events are like the all-terrain bicycle. Choose hybrid events if you want the power of virtual AND in-person events but are ok with some limitations.

In this article, we’ll give the most straightforward explanation of what each event style has to offer you. Ready? Let’s dig in.

For a tailored professional opinion, reach out to one of our team members for a free evaluation of which event type is best for you.

There are three basic types of meetings, events, and conferences: in person, virtual, and hybrid.

• In-Person – 100% of participants are physically present at the event’s venue.
• Virtual – 100% of participants are participating virtually, that is, they’re connected digitally.
• Hybrid – A combination of the two. Some participants are attending face to face while others are attending virtually.

In-person events typically provide the best environment for in-person networking. 

However, they are the least flexible and usually the most expensive option.

Virtual events are the cheapest and most flexible option. They are also the most customizable, offer increased information sharing, and allow you to reach the largest audience. 

However, if done incorrectly, they open the door to technological problems, Zoom fatigue, and difficulty building and maintaining relationships.

Hybrid events bring both some of the strengths and weaknesses of in-person and virtual events to the table (again, think of the “good at everything but doesn’t excel at anything” all-terrain bicycle).

We’ll break down how virtual and hybrid events compare in these areas:

• Flexibility
• Budget
• Engagement

Virtual – Virtual is by far the most flexible event type. Consider the power that flexibility has on your events, meetings, and conferences:

• Virtual events allow you to reach as many people as possible including those from around the globe. As a result, branding increases and so does sponsorship.
• Bad weather and sickness have little effect on virtual events compared to in-person events. No matter what happens, almost everyone can still attend. And finding last-minute replacement speakers is much easier without the issue of travel.

Hybrid – Hybrid events offer similar flexibility benefits. Virtual attendees have all the benefits mentioned above. But the in-person part of the event (think venue, staff, equipment, etc.) means hybrid events are more rigid and less adaptable to changing circumstances.

Virtual – Virtual events are your cheapest option. Cheap doesn’t mean low quality though. It’s just a matter of overhead:

• Virtual events eliminate airfare, hotel, and other travel expenses.
• Without an in-person audience, renting a venue or equipment is unnecessary. 

Going virtual means that some money will likely be spent on a platform. But this is usually peanuts compared to in-person events.

Hybrid – As with flexibility, the virtual aspect of hybrid events usually makes going hybrid more budget-friendly than in-person events. But because there is still a live audience, you will need to shell out more cash on a venue, audio and video equipment, and travel expenses.

Virtual – Virtual events encourage engagement for several reasons:

• Some people find them easier to attend and stay focused because they don’t have to worry about traveling.
• People are strictly focused on your event content. They aren’t distracted by other things such as the venue or other people.
• Technological tools, such as gamification, can be used to boost engagement. Data and insights can break down participants’ engagement level in a way that can’t be done face-to-face.

Hybrid – Hybrid events hit the sweet spot here. They offer all the above benefits for those who prefer a virtual tie-in as well as unique engagement opportunities for in-person attendees:

• Face-to-face interactions usually provide a better environment for personal networking.
• Physically traveling to the event makes some in-person attendees more focused than attending virtually from home.
• Live events can build more anticipation and excitement in some people. 
• Hybrid events allow hosts and producers to deliver content from a customized studio, much like how TV shows are shown.

Every event type is the wrong event type when you have bad production quality. 

Choosing the right format for your meeting, event, or conference is only the beginning. You need high event quality as well as the right knowledge and tools to stay competitive in today’s market.

Both hybrid events and virtual events require time, effort, and resources to be pulled off. What are the key points to look out for?

Technical issues are the Achilles heel of both virtual and hybrid meetings. Power failures, internet dropouts, and audio and visual delays can quickly ruin any benefits of going virtual.

How We Can Help: We start planning well ahead of time by understanding exactly what your live event will encompass. We analyze the network for access and speed then we set up necessary devices, hardware, software, and other supplies to make sure everything is in place.

Hours before the event begins our team gets into place and does a final check. We stay busy behind the scenes during the event to mitigate the unexpected and keep things running smoothly.

It’s a mistake to leave attendee engagement to chance. One study found that “49% of marketers say that audience engagement is the biggest contributing factor to having a successful event.”

Remember you can keep your participants engaged if you take the right steps:

How We Can Help: We understand how crucial it is for participants to stay involved in your event. That’s why we use simple but effective tools that have been proven to improve attention span and retention rates.

• We build people’s anticipation and curiosity way before the event starts with tailored invitations, event previews (such as teaser videos), and countdowns.
• During the program we get people involved:
  • Gamification – Using gamified elements makes people pay attention and makes your event fun.
  • Live Polls and Q&As – These set the tone, create lively discussions, help speakers address topics the audience cares about, and enable you to gather valuable feedback.
  • Lively Speakers – We work with speakers and encourage them to keep their presentations lively by using visuals, storytelling, and other interactive elements.

Which event type is better, virtual or hybrid? The answer depends on your needs:

• If you want to get the most affordable and flexible option, choose virtual events. The convenience and accessibility of virtual events increase participation and make it an attractive option for many businesses, both large and small.

• If you want many of the benefits of virtual events but don’t mind some limitations choose hybrid events. The dual nature of hybrid brings the best of both worlds such as increased accessibility and the high engagement of face-to-face events. However, the in-person aspect of hybrid events makes them typically more expensive and less flexible than their 100% virtual counterpart.

The most important part of either event type is high production quality. If you don’t have the right tools in place to eliminate distractions and boost engagement, you won’t get the most out of either format. 

Are the details of your event clearly in line with your company’s goals? Will you be able to keep your audience engaged so that your message has the full impact? Do you have the right technological tools in place so that nothing will interrupt your event?

Reach out to us with a message outlining what you intend to accomplish. We will quickly respond with practical tips that will help make your event a success.