In light of the developments related to the corona virus in the past year, many event organisers have decided to explore new ways to bring people together and create shared experiences. A lot of event organisers have opted for hybrid events or completely virtual event formats.

What is a hybrid event?
The definition of a hybrid event is a physical event in which also an online audience participates. Essentially, in a hybrid event both the physical and virtual attendees come together and take place in the same experience and content at the same time, but from different locations. Depending on the digital platform through which the hybrid event is streamed, interaction and networking options are also possible for the attendees. A major challenge in a hybrid events is the connection between the live and virtual attendees. Technological possibilities help here, which can be made applicable, for example, through an event management software with corresponding functions.

How an event software can support you with hybrid events
An event management software - such as the one from evenito - supports you in a hybrid event with the help of a user-friendly interface in the planning, organisation and implementation of events of any size before, during and after your event. And this is how you and your attendees can benefit from an event software for hybrid events:

Before the hybrid event

• Event website: Customise the event website of your hybrid event with your own corporate identity & design. Upload information to your software about speakers, venue, pictures and videos and keep your attendees up to date.

• Personal communication: Create customised & personalised email communications for your hybrid event with the help of our software that attract the attention of your guests and target the right attendees with the right message.

• Event registration: Personalise the process and create a registration process tailored to your hybrid event needs. Deliver a personalised event experience using an event platform and track attendance in real time.

During the hybrid event

• Virtual event experience: Connect visitors digitally as well as hybrid with the easy integration of video streams, break-out workshops and the hybrid networking solution.

• Networking & engagement: Help your attendees socialise physically as well as online with the various chat options and the hybrid networking option in our software.

• Guest management: Organise your hybrid events more efficiently and manage and maintain your guest data in one place. Maintain complete control throughout your event organisation.

• Check-in: Track the participation of your hybrid event attendees in real time. With the evenito event software dashboard, you are always informed about who is currently participating in your hybrid event, how long the person has been there and thus nothing stands in the way of complete traceability.

After the hybrid event

• Event statistics: Track event statistics at a glance and in real time. Understand the relevant data for your hybrid event: who attended, who didn't show up or who didn't register. Respond to insights and optimise your hybrid events accordingly.

• Follow-up communication: evenito supports you in effective communication, from initial event planning to post-event follow-up activities all with one platform.

Conclusion
Hybrid events are a balancing act between face-to-face and virtual visitors, whose experiences should be reconciled. It is important that it doesn't feel like two completely different events, but that it is about creating one event with two experiences. An event management software can help you collect more data, which is the basis for personalisation and automation, and provide more targeted networking through, for example, attendee lists and chat features. From automation to data collection to event insights, an event management solution gives you the ability to improve the attendee experience and ultimately optimise your hybrid event and ROI with data and time savings.

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