Hybrid is the future of events as it provides the best of both worlds by combining the virtual and physical components. With so many great options available in the market, finding the most suitable hybrid event solution can be tricky. This article discusses the top 10 attributes to look for in a hybrid event platform.
Feedback Forms
Feedback is an integral component of both virtual and hybrid events. Moreover, Feedback forms not only allow the users to share their event experiences. But also help the organizers to take measures to improve their future events. Feedback forms and signature walls are the main tools used by the hybrid event platforms to take feedback from the attendees. Taking feedback also helps the attendees feel acknowledged and valued. Their feedback and suggestion can help the organization make positive changes to its events.
Networking and Engagement Features
You cannot expect your hybrid event to be successful without providing advanced and innovative features for networking and engagement at your hybrid event. Listed below are a few engagements and networking features to consider –
Live Chat:
The live chat feature allows the in-person attendees and the virtual attendees to interact. It also allows the online attendees to communicate with the organizers and other attendees. Live chat is an integral feature to promote engagement and networking at your hybrid events.
Live Polls:
Live polls feature increases the audience interaction levels. Including interactive features like live polls in your hybrid event can make the entire event experience more immersive. It also allows the attendees to vote and share their ideas, knowledge, and understanding. Moreover, it helps the host organization to analyze various aspects of their responses and understand the audience’s point of view.
Question and Answer Sessions:
Hybrid events are a combination of physical and virtual components. In this type of model, the speakers and hosts are present on a physical platform and this might result in numerous doubts in the minds of your attendees. A question and answer session is the most appropriate way to clear these doubts as it allows them to ask their questions. They can also interact and engage with the event experts and seek answers to their questions.
Networking Tables:
Networking tables help integrate the physical and the virtual attendees. The attendees having similar interests can get together at a networking table to discuss different subjects.
Business Card Exchange:
Similar to a physical event, a hybrid event must also allow the attendees to exchange business cards. This feature allows the online attendees to exchange business cards thus, boosting interaction.
Customized Environment
A hybrid event platform must allow you to add custom elements to your hybrid event. You can customize the virtual rooms at your event and customize the look and feel of the event as per your requirements. Therefore, you must look for a customizable event platform. You can also opt for a DIY hybrid event platform that allows you to create your event by yourself. Customization is an important feature that can help you highlight and present your brand more prominently. Moreover, it can also help you take into account the needs of your target audience and add elements that you think they might like.
Backstage
Backstage is a unique and innovative feature that allows you to anonymously access the backstage and rehearse or plan your event in real-time. In other words, when you go backstage, the attendees will not be able to see or hear you. This will provide you with more flexibility and better control over your event. You can call other speakers and presenters backstage and also push the speakers onto the front stage simultaneously.
Smooth Analytics
Analytics has a very significant impact on the success of a hybrid event. Analytics helps the organizer gather actionable insights in the form of data about the engagement at the event and the networking. It also helps the organizer identify the most and least liked activities at the event. Identifying these metrics helps them take corrective measures and improve the experience of your audience.
AI-based Matchmaking
AI matchmaking is a brilliant feature that helps save the precious time of both the organizers and the attendees. Going through the long list of attendees manually and finding out the best matches is a time-consuming and exhausting task. AI matchmaking tool can save you from all the hassle and complete the task in a matter of seconds. It matches the interests and goals of individual attendees and provides them with recommendations of the best matches. Therefore, AI matchmaking is an advanced feature that can help make your job much easier.
Social Wall
Social walls are a great way to boost the engagement levels of your hybrid event. It is an interactive wall that integrates the organization’s social media profiles with the event. This wall displays every tweet or social media post along with every possible hashtag related to the event during the event. A feature like a social wall is a great way to provide the attendees with a holistic view of the event and improve the overall experience.
Easy Navigation
Hybrid events have the presence of both virtual and physical components. Therefore, a virtual lobby or venue is designed for online attendees. It is also important to ensure that the attendees find it easy to navigate the event venue and comprehend all the features and services offered.
Scalability
Another important feature of a good hybrid event platform is its scalability. The organizer should be able to scale up the event at any time. Therefore, you must look for a hybrid event platform that does not have any limitation on the number of attendees it can accommodate. This will help you host large-scale events or even scale it up at the last moment.
Branding Options
Branding is an integral part of any hybrid event. Having a lot of branding options is a great way to attract more sponsors to your event. Therefore, you must look for sponsorship and branding options. Features like branded walkthroughs, dynamic lobby, dynamic banners, and customizable booths provide a good opportunity for branding within your hybrid event.
Final Words
The features mentioned in the article above must be a part of the hybrid event platform you select. These features will help contribute to the success of your hybrid event.
