4 Common Hybrid Event Mistakes to Avoid

Organising a national or global hybrid event provides a great opportunity to expand your audience reach, as well as engage and bring together people from across a range of locations and time zones, but it does come with some unique complexities.

The biggest and most important question we need to ask as professional event producers is – how do we provide an event experience that is consistent and of equal (or at least similar) quality for both the in-person and online attendees?

Event technology has advanced rapidly in recent years, initially due to the immediate need for online events created by the pandemic and then from the realisation that simply sending a Zoom link to remote attendees was not a suitable solution or alternative to a purpose-built online event platform.

We all know, you can’t just talk ‘at’ people and expect them to stay alert and interested. An event must always incorporate a two-way process of dialogue or communication – even at traditional in-person events.

This only becomes even more important for hybrid and online events. We must provide the ability for input and output – invite questions, conversations and other forms of interactions and connections. Otherwise, people will just switch off or open another tab, choose to watch the recording later or lose interest and be bored. They certainly will not remember the event in a positive way.

Here are some of the most common mistakes we see when it comes to hybrid events:

1. Not using tools to engage your virtual audience.

The tendency for online events is to provide a one-way broadcast experience (like watching TV or a movie) where the viewer sits outside of the event and just observes. There are many audience engagement tools which allow your audience to actively participate and create a richer experience for everyone.

Consider incorporating live chats, quick polls, Q&A sessions, networking tools, specialist chat rooms, and ways to provide live feedback on what’s being presented or discussed. Allow your attendees to connect and chat with one another and provide fun social activities like a virtual photo booth so people can share their photos with one another or directly to social media.

2. Lack of branding or theming of the online platform.

Your brand and theme are two essential ‘ingredients’ that help bring the whole event ‘recipe’ together. Without these, your event will lack a clear direction or purpose, making it difficult for attendees to relate and connect. Also, first impressions still matter!

The good news is that professional event apps and platforms will allow you to fully customise their appearance to match your business brand and event theme. This helps to bring the in-person and online experience closer together, it also looks professional and creates greater consistency across all event elements.

Another way to provide an immersive experience for online attendees is to send any registration packs, branded materials, and merchandise to their chosen location. This is a great way to make them feel like they’re not missing out and are being considered and included right from the start.

3. Neglecting to run-through the program and test technology.

Having tech support on hand is an absolute must for any hybrid or online event, but the issues that can often arise are not always tech-related. Many event producers choose to skip the online event run-through, choosing to focus on in-person components and just check essentials like internet/WIFI connection and whether the equipment is working.

An online rehearsal will allow you to identify both technical AND human-related issues and fine-tune each, so everything runs as smoothly and effortlessly as possible.

Some things to look out for include the transitions between speakers, cameras, hosts, and sessions – seeing these happen in real time will enable you to make any adjustments or changes if needed. Also, check the location, background, and yes, the WIFI connection of each individual online speaker and make recommendations for improvements or changes.

A run-through is also helpful if your moderators, speakers, or presenters will need to manage any technical tasks such as monitoring or responding to live questions. Give everyone the best chance possible to do the best job possible!

4. Skipping the risk assessment and not having a backup plan.

A risk assessment is a critical part of the event planning phase, but it’s often overlooked when it comes to online or hybrid events. Once again, the focus tends to come back to internet connection and equipment function alone.

Preparing a backup streaming service/WIFI connection, making sure there are spare microphones and charged batteries for any portable equipment, and having adequate (and even extra) technical support staff on standby is all essential, but there’s more to consider.

If something does go wrong, you will need all hands on deck to avoid long disruptions and get things back up and running as quickly as possible. What do you do in the meantime – can the event continue without online attendees or does the whole thing need to be paused? Outside of the event platform, how will you communicate with attendees to keep them updated about what’s happening? And how can you make it up to them once everything is back up and running – are sessions recorded or can transcripts be provided?

Of course, we can’t really predict the future. But the point of a risk assessment is to try – think about all the things that could go wrong and look at ways to prevent them entirely or prepare solutions that can be rolled out easily and quickly if needed.

There’s no better feeling than uniting people from all corners of the globe in a common purpose.

At JT Production Management, we have planned and delivered hundreds of major, multi-day digital and hybrid conferences and other events – most of them featuring and/or attracting attendees and speakers from across various locations and time zones.

With the right tools and planning, you too can confidently run a smooth, engaging, and technically flawless hybrid event that is as memorable and engaging for everyone.

Check out our Future Events Lab event technology, including a fully customisable and intuitive event app and interactive digital map, and contact us today to book an event design session and discuss how we can make your next hybrid event extraordinary!