Event Organizers Shifting To Hybrid Events, Here’s Why

The primary enforcer behind hybrid events is Covid-19. But is it the only factor?

When the event industry faced unprecedented challenges, like all other industries, event organizers pivoted the way events happened. While 2020 was the year of virtual events, 2021 will be the year of hybrid events. 

Hybrid events are here to stay!

With many countries easing restrictions on gatherings, in-person events have started to happen. However, the trend of hybrid events is here to stay forever. Event organizers have gained immense output from hybrid events. 

When it comes to hybrid events, we are seeing new trends emerging. Event organizers are limiting the number of in-person attendance while allowing a greater audience to attend via virtual event technology. AladdinB2B is helping such event organizers to connect their virtual attendees with the in-person event. 

Why event organizers are shifting to hybrid events

There’s more to the rising popularity of the hybrid event than just Covid-19. Let’s talk about all those reasons that justify this shift.

People are reluctant to attend events in-person.

People are still reluctant to travel, let alone going to an event in-person. You can arrange an event depending on the part of the world you live in and the situation of the Covid-19 pandemic in your country. However, it doesn’t guarantee that potential prospects will attend your event in-person. 

This reluctance towards participation in in-person events has created opportunities for hybrid events. Event organizers have reinvented the event and trade show industry through hybrid events because it allows them to let people attend the event both in-person and virtually. 

Hybrid events offer flexibility 

Remember back in the first quarter of 2020 when everyone thought things would be back to normal before the summer? Event organizers also felt the same and considered the pandemic an “unfortunate” escape from the hectic life. 

The stark reality is that it didn’t go according to our expectations, and nobody really knows if the event industry will return to normalcy or not. But guess what? Event organizers have embraced the new normal! And, they are enjoying it well. 

Events are happening, but people are unsure whether to attend in-person events or not. Those who attend in-person events determine the additional safety precautions before making the final call. For these reasons, event organizers plan for a hybrid event to provide a virtual entry to such attendees with the option of in-person attendance.  

Event organizers add the virtual component to their events, allowing attendees to plan and pivot between in-person attendance and online attendance—without having both attendees and the event organizers rethink the entire event. 

With Hybrid events, the attendee experience comes first

Earlier, attendees have to travel to attend events. Attending an event happening outside your city, state, or country is never cheap. When potential prospects don’t attend events, it’s an opportunity missed for every stakeholder and attendee. 

It’s still early days for hybrid events, but event organizers have been able to draw in potential prospects from around the globe. Even those who previously were not able to travel are now capable of attending virtually. It puts the attendee experience first. 

Hybrid events give opportunities to potential prospects to participate, engage, and eventually close deals with the stakeholders. By providing a great experience to prospects unable to travel, event organizers ensure their attendance in future events as well. 

Giving flexibility to users drives an excellent customer experience. Event organizers are smart enough to notice that crucial component, and now they’re shifting towards hybrid events. By offering both in-person and virtual access to live content, event organizers provide great flexibility to attendees. 

When you allow people to choose how they want to be part of your journey, it demonstrates that you have more interest in their needs rather than your needs. That ultimately strengthens the relationship between the company and prospects. 

Everyone is doing it 

Today, every event organizer and company has either virtual components part of their event or the events are virtual-only. That means everyone is doing it, so you need to keep up with the trend. 

The event landscape will soon be more crowded and competitive. Many companies cancelled their in-person events that were supposed to happen in 2020. Now the event industry shall be under an immense workload where companies are highly considering adding virtual components to their in-person events, making them hybrid. 

As an event organizer, sponsor, or attendee, you should be prepared for hybrid events. The marketing will be more competitive than ever, so brace yourself accordingly.

It’s a great chance to get ahead of your competitors by using comprehensive virtual event technology to add all of the virtual components to your in-person event. AladdinB2B is a complete virtual event platform that supports hybrid events by supplying every feature you need for a successful hybrid event. 

Hybrid events bring the return to in-person events closer

Last year, the event industry was nowhere to be seen. Since last year, event organizers, sponsors, and attendees are anxiously awaiting the return of regular events. When event organizers have virtual components in their event, it lets them distribute the overall audience in two parts. This way, they can’t only ensure the attendance of a remote audience but give them a way to host a limited number of people at the physical venue of the event. 

There are a lot of other sectors involved in the event industry that rely solely on in-person events. So, it’s important to provide opportunities to those sectors, and hybrid events are the ideal solution at the moment. 

Final thoughts 

Hybrid events pave the way to the return of in-person events. In addition, hybrid events offer more flexibility, broader reach, and benefits that no one in the event industry ever realized. 

The hybrid event trend is here to stay for a long period. 

Do you plan to host a hybrid event in the near future? The success of your virtual components relies significantly on the virtual event technology you use. If you want to try and utilize a proven virtual event platform for your next event, speak to experts us AladdinB2B now!