Making a Success of Hybrid
Aspect’s 5-point checklist.
We pride ourselves on staying ahead of the game, so recently we visited CogX, a must-attend event in our industry that celebrates innovation, discusses global topics and shares the latest trends.
Attending this ambitious event as ‘informed observers’ provided valuable insights into the benefits and pitfalls of organising a complex hybrid programme.
It was the first time CogX had taken place in a hybrid format, and it was billed as the largest hybrid festival of its kind to date.
Having opted for a hybrid ticket, we could swap between the in-person and virtual experience whenever we liked.
There were eight different stages – some in-person, some virtual – all running content simultaneously. Some speakers were there in person, while others held their discussions virtually. All the sessions were handled by either virtual or in-person moderators, and networking took place both virtually and in real life. There were sponsors on the virtual platform and VIP hosted sponsor dinners. In every single way, it was a truly hybrid event!
We have distilled our findings down into a 5-point checklist:
- The more sophisticated the format, the more important it is that the experience is equally good for both audiences.
- Communication and information sharing with the different audiences pre-, during and post the event needs to be adapted to each one.
- Having one platform to drive the whole event is essential – engagement can be tracked so much more efficiently that way.
- Networking needs to involve both audiences to be effective and successful.
- The filmed elements need to be of superior quality – think TV broadcast rather than webinar.
As a specialist agency with years of hybrid experience and knowledge, it was interesting to see how the large industry events are ‘doing hybrid’. It confirmed to us what we already knew – the priority is to consider the whole customer journey from start to finish for both audiences equally. That is the only way you can hope to deliver your hybrid event content in the most engaging, impactful way.
