Your company must offer hybrid event options if you want to stay relevant in today’s business world.
The Problem: Most businesses lack the knowledge or equipment needed for hybrid events. And some hesitate to invest time and money in this new way of meeting because they either don’t feel the need or because they don’t know how.
However, if your company doesn’t adapt to the new world of remote workers and hybrid meetings, it is not a matter of “if” you’ll get left behind, but rather “when”.
In this article, we’ll explain the solution – what you need to do to get “your foot in the door” in the hybrid world. We’ll focus on:
Why It’s Important: Hybrid meetings bring together and actively engage both virtual and in-person attendees during a single event. As remote work becomes increasingly popular, experts agree that hybrid events are a permanent and necessary part of our future:
- 97% of event professionals expect hybrid events to become more prevalent.
- Over 78% of teams will have remote workers by 2028, according to a survey conducted by Upwork.
- Over 59% of event markets believe that hybrid events are crucial for their future strategies.
Looking at the benefits of hybrid meetings, it’s easy to see why experts expect such growth:
- Wider Audience Reach – The virtual side of hybrid events means attendees can connect from anywhere.
- Save Time and Money on Travel – Hybrid events allow people to join who can’t afford, or don’t have the time, to travel to an in-person event.
- Increased Data Analyses – The virtual component means data analyses can be performed during a hybrid event, giving you way more insights.
- In-Person Benefits – Hybrid events allow all the in-person benefits to come through, such as increased networking and more successful product launches.
What You Need to Know: Hybrid events are far more developed and advanced than their laid-back cousins: virtual or in-person events. They require more planning to get them right.
Done right, hybrid events elevate both the in-person and virtual experience. However, if done too casually, hybrid events have the potential to make the in-person and virtual experience worse.
As some experts at Harvard Business Review wrote: “Hybrid meetings…are easy to do poorly and hard to do well.”
What You Need to Do: Hybrid events require high-end equipment, technology, and expertise to bring an outstanding experience to both in-person and virtual parties.
YOU MUST take the time to invest in what it takes to run a proper hybrid event.
-
- Know what equipment is required
- Understand what it takes to operate this equipment
- Recognize the importance of unifying your virtual and in-person audience
Imagine you sit down to watch the news: The information is spot on – it’s informative, helpful, and easy to follow. BUT you notice a few issues:
- The sound barely comes through
- The video quality is grainy and you can hardly make out the newscast
- The backdrop is very amateur
- The lighting is horrible, looking as if it were shot in a basement
- It’s chaos every time they try to switch to different newscasters
- The feed keeps cutting in and out due to server dropouts
How long would you continue to watch? Even if you were forced to watch, would you actually pay attention to anything that was being said?
The experience is similar when hybrid meetings are done without the right equipment. For a high-quality hybrid event, having the right equipment in place and knowing how to use it is as crucial as the information you present.
Every hybrid event organizer needs to review this checklist before planning their next event.*
The Essentials
Internet Connection: Internet connection is the lifeblood of your hybrid event. You need a strong internet connection for audio and video streaming and content sharing. Having a wired internet connection will give you a much more stable feed. Consider having a backup internet in case of unexpected failures.
Computer: A computer is the command center from which you will run your meeting software and control other equipment. Only use a laptop or desktop that’s powerful enough to handle the massive load hybrid meetings require.
Cables and connectors: From chargers to cords, to adaptors, make sure you have all cables and connections needed ready to go. Keep in mind the distances from each piece of equipment as well as to power sources. Always test your cables and connections before going live.
Monitor: Multiple monitors are usually used during hybrid events. Are you running multiple video feeds? Do you need to toggle between presentation content and live speakers? Will you need teleprompters or need to project virtual attendees? Knowing the answers to questions like these will help you know how many and what size monitors you’ll need.
Stage: A beautiful captivating stage is what really makes your event stand out. Staging includes custom backdrops, green screens, and dynamic screen displays for presentations and videos.
Audio Equipment
Microphones: You’ll need high-quality microphones so that everyone can hear the speaker loud and clear. Depending on your event size and style, you might need clip lapel microphones, headsets, and handheld, or stage mics. Make your audio truly professional with a few pop filters to reduce any unwanted popping sounds from the speakers.
Audio Speakers: It’s important that you invest in good audio speakers for your event. The size and acoustics of your venue will play a large part in determining the amount of speakers needed.
Mixer: Make sure you have a quality audio mixer setup to control all the different audio feeds that are connected.
Video Equipment
Cameras: Good cameras are essential so that you can broadcast and make virtual attendees feel like they’re part of the event. Setting up several cameras to shoot from several angles will give virtual attendees the best experience.
Tripods: You don’t want this to feel like a shaky home video. Use a tripod to support each of your cameras to maintain a stable shot and give the best angles.
Video Switcher: Larger events will require a video switcher if there are multiple streams and need to manage multiple video inputs.
Lighting: Even the best cameras can’t make your setup look good if the lighting is off. Analyze which kind of lighting your speakers will need. In-person attendees will look best under soft-overhead lights or bounce lights while remote attendees can use a ring light or position themselves to face a window.
You can’t wing a hybrid event and expect it to land. Putting on a successful hybrid event requires:
- Careful planning
- Specialized equipment
- A thorough knowledge of complex technologies
That’s why many choose to get professional help from a virtual event production company to support their hybrid event. Working with a team of experts not only saves companies time, money, and stress but ensures that every event will come out looking and feeling great.
A virtual event production company is with you every step of the way to give you outstanding hybrid event support:
- Audiovisual Support: Ensure that both in-person and virtual attendees will get the best experience by supplying and handling all lighting, audio, video, and other equipment
- Event Production: Oversee the entire event lifecycle, from venue selection and platform integration to on-site support and post-event analysis
- Virtual Platform Selection: Provide guidance on choosing the most suitable virtual platform to engage attendees and achieve your event goals
At Virtual Velocity, we’re committed to making every hybrid event spectacular. Our team of experts boasts decades of experience handling every kind of video and audio challenge you can imagine. From equipment setup to technical troubleshooting, we meticulously manage every aspect of your event.
We’re obsessed with exceptional results. Our commitment to flawless execution and unparalleled reliability has earned the trust of industry leaders like Coca-Cola, Bayer, and Visa.
What uncertainties or questions do you have about your next hybrid event? Do you need an expert opinion, help with technology and equipment set-up, or something else? Let us show you what we can do. Reach out to us for a free and quick conversation and we guarantee you’ll be happy with our advice.