Why Hybrid Events are Here to Stay

2021 has been all about adapting to a new way of doing things in the events industry, and while face to face events are going strong, the business world has woken up to the benefits of Hybrid conferencing.

Some businesses may not be ready to fly in their team from interstate, or are perhaps running on a tighter budget than previous years, so virtual and hybrid events are an excellent option to maintain connection across borders, and engage team members and customers without any geographical limits.

If the pandemic had one upside for the events industry, it’s the incredible technological possibilities that we’ve discovered.

One event held a Zoom conference for 536,000 participants, in 514 cities across 34 provinces for a single meeting! That’s a lot of zoom screens, and a whole lot more behind the scenes effort to coordinate video conferencing at this scale.

While there is no denying that we are all itching to attend events in person and so fortunate that this can now occur, businesses have seen the amazing capabilities that virtual and hybrid events can offer, and now there’s no going back.

Virtual vs Hybrid – What is the difference?

Virtual events are conducted completely online, although a broadcast station with technological support may be required to ensure that the event’s audio visual runs smoothly. Frozen screens, or sound issues can disrupt the flow of an event, so it’s worthwhile having the technical aspects covered by a professional.

Hybrid events are a combination of virtual and face to face events, where some guests attend in person and others online. This relatively new style of event presents a lot of possibilities that are yet to be explored. Typically, hybrid events will involve a presentation stage of some kind, an area where a live audience can sit and watch, and a large screen backdrop, where the live video streams of virtual speakers or guests can be displayed.

The Benefits of Hybrid

Hybrid events are an incredible way to connect teams across the globe, or even just interstate. Virtual and hybrid conferences can cut the cost of logistics, minimizing expenses such as flights and accommodation. They also make it possible to attract speakers from anywhere and everywhere, without them having to worry about the hassle of getting to a physical event.

According to research by Markletic, 35% of event organizers struggled to find “the right venue” for hybrid events. That’s part of the reason we set up The Studio. It’s designed specifically for these smaller hybrid and virtual events, and so far, clients are loving the space.

Live events in New South Wales are going ahead at full pace, but for some companies, a virtual or hybrid event at The Studio is a better fit. They can entertain a small group in person, yet still reach a large and diverse audience online.

Click here to read more about The Studio, our virtual and hybrid events space.