How to Engage Both Live & Virtual Attendees at Hybrid Events

Hybrid events are the best of both worlds in many ways. They combine the intimacy of in-person events with the accessibility of virtual ones.

But combining a live and virtual audience can be a challenge for event speakers. Why? It's not easy to simultaneously connect with people in the room AND those watching online.

• At times, one or the other can easily feel left out.
• Additionally, trying to engage both audiences can distract the speaker and keep them from giving a quality presentation.

What can hybrid event speakers do to handle this unique challenge?

In this article, we take a look at 5 things you can do to engage your hybrid event audience. If you plan to include guest speakers at your event, share these tips with them to make sure they're ready to engage both audiences on event day.

5 Ways To Engage Your Hybrid Audience

1. Acknowledge Both Audiences

It's easy to unintentionally favor the live audience. After all, they're interacting with you face-to-face.

To keep anyone from feeling left out, plan ahead to acknowledge both the live and virtual audience during your presentation.

How To Do It:

• Verbally Address Both Audiences - Your introductory remarks should mention the people in front of you and those online. Rather than saying: "It's so great to see all of you here today" and moving on, mention those attending virtually.

• Make "Eye Contact" With Both Audiences - Whether sitting, standing, or walking around while presenting, make an effort to look at both audiences. Frequently look at the camera while presenting.

The key word with this one is balance. ALL ATTENDEES (including those online) are part of your audience. Make sure they feel like it.

2. Use Engagement Tools Wisely

There are several things you can do to encourage participation and engagement at your event. Keep both your live and virtual audiences in mind when planning your engagement strategy.

How To Do It:

Incorporate these into your presentation:

• Polls – People LOVE sharing their opinions. Polls are a sure way to keep their focus and get them actively participating.
• Gamification – Gamification encourages audience participation by offering rewards.
• Q&As – Always provide a way for your audience to ask questions and get clarification on points discussed.

Additionally, consider using an event app to include these engagement features. An event app unites both the live and virtual audiences.

3. Practice, Practice, Practice!

Engaging two audiences instead of one calls for a balance between stage presence and camera awareness. Finding that balance requires practice.

How To Do It:

Run through your presentation several times from beginning to end.

Record it and watch it back to see areas you need to improve. Ask yourself:

• How often did I address just one audience type in my presentation?
• How often did I look at the camera?
• Are my presentation or workshop sections tailored to one audience type?

4. Look the Part

Unlike fully live events, a hybrid event requires you to look good both in person AND on camera.

How To Do It:

• Optimize Your Setup - Use proper lighting, position the camera at eye level, use a clean and professional background, and wear a quality headset.
• Dress For the Occasion - Avoid overly bright colors, busy patterns, or shiny fabrics, as they can look distorted on camera.

5. Let Team Members Assist

Speaker, tech support, emcee, platform host, and sound guy are too many hats for one person to wear. Delegate various tasks to team members so that you can focus on your presentation.

How To Do It:

• Live Chat Monitor - Assign someone to moderate the virtual chat.
• Engagement Monitor - An engagement monitor can make sure all audience participation elements are ready and running smoothly.

We Can Be Your Support

Don't be intimidated by hybrid events. By planning ahead and making a few minor adjustments, you can deliver a presentation that both those in person and those joining online will love.

Here at Virtual Velocity, we understand the importance of having a good support team. We've been helping businesses put on quality events for many years and we know what it takes to pull off a hybrid event. And our technical team is completely confident juggling both an in-person and remote audience.

Are you ready to take your virtual event to the next level? Book an appointment with us today to see the many ways we could be of support at your next hybrid event.