Since the pandemic has begun, people are waiting to return to the real world. And the event industry is waiting for the live events to return. However, this time you won’t see the live events. Instead, you will see hybrid events. And the reason for this is the convenience that Hybrid events offer. So let’s see what makes Hybrid events so unique.
What are Hybrid events?
As the name suggests, Hybrid events are the cross between live and virtual events. These events are live events but with both live and physical audiences. Hybrid events offer the best of both worlds. And the reason for this is that they provide convenience and face-to-face communication at the same time. Hence, making them a better option over live and virtual events. To host a hybrid event, you need technology. In this case, a Hybrid event platform or hybrid event technology. These platforms or technology offer an enticing experience to virtual audiences. So that the virtual audience can have similar experiences as their physical counterparts.
World of Hybrid events
As people are coming out of home, we can expect massive demand for hybrid events. But the question is, which events can be hosted using hybrid event technology? Or can you host your event using hybrid event technology? The answer is every event can be hosted using Hybrid event technology. To understand this, here is the list of Hybrid events that have taken place in the past.
- Hybrid Meetings
- Hybrid Conferences
- Hybrid Product Launches
- Hybrid Trade Shows
- Hybrid Award shows
- Hybrid Exhibitions
- Hybrid career/job fairs
- Hybrid fest
- Hybrid AGMs
- Hybrid town halls
And many more. This shows the inclusivity offered by hybrid event technology. So host any event hybrid. And get the best out of your events.
Hybrid event trends in 2021
With the growing popularity of hybrid events, event organizers are looking for a way to make their events unique. So here are some of the highest possible trends we will see shortly.
1. The dominance of Hybrid events
In the post-pandemic world, we will witness a massive surge in demand for Hybrid events. And this is because they offer engagement similar to a live event. And allows the attendees to overcome geographical, financial and time barriers. Hence, making them the most desired format for hosting events.
Apart from the demand, we will see some new changes in Hybrid events. These are-
- More TV show like format and less like digital conferences
- Modern and more tech equipped venue over plain venues
- Bigger budgets for Audio and Visual teams
- A more seamless experience for both audiences
- A new approach for the content
2. Facial recognition for the login process
The focus of the event industry has shifted from delivery to more convenience. As a result, the focus will be on improving the audience experience. And we will see a hassle-free log-in process. For this, AI-based Facial recognition technology will be used. This will allow the attendees to get rid of hundreds of passwords.
3. Voice recognition
Another intelligent alternative is voice recognition for an easy login process. Many people are not comfortable using their face as the digital key. So they can use AI-based Voice recognition to log in to the event. This will help in quick login. And the attendee doesn’t have to worry about remembering long passwords or about their privacy.
4. Smart Assistant and voice search
The event organizers are looking for unique methods to make the event platforms more intuitive. And for this, they can bring support for Smart assistants and voice-based search options. The credit for this goes to the growing popularity of smart speakers and digital assistants. Also, this will help in making the event accessible to disabled people. Hence, making the event platforms disabled-friendly.
5. Live translations in the events
Hybrid events are crossing physical boundaries. As a result, we are witnessing lots of Hybrid events catering to global audiences. And this will continue in the future. However, there is a problem, a lack of real-time translations. And this acts as a hindrance in hosting a truly global event. Although we have digital translators. But they are still not available on hybrid event platforms. So in the future, to overcome the language barrier in these events, we can see the integration of digital translators. This will enable real-time translation in Hybrid events.
6. More investment in Hybrid events
The pandemic has brought many changes in our life. Some of these changes are temporary. While others are permanent. And one such change is a shift to digital events. And in this period, the event organizers have realized that the digitization of the event industry was due for a long time. Also, this digitization is now imminent. And the pandemic has accelerated this change. So in the post-pandemic world, Hybrid and virtual events will be everyone’s first choice. Therefore, it is natural to invest more in virtual/hybrid events over plain, live events. Apart from the demand, these events are a better value for money proposition.
7. Use of Chatbots in the event
Chatbots are one of the AI-based solutions. And instead of a human answering the questions, it is software that replies. These replies are based on the behavior of humans. And the benefit of using a chatbot is a quick reply. And also, you can ask a question to a Chatbot anytime. Whereas humans work for a particular time. And with the growing demand for hybrid events, it makes sense of using Chatbots to handle the attendees’ queries. This will help in better management of customer questions. And will streamline the attendees’ experience.
8. Shifting priorities
Another change that we will see is the priority of the event attendees. Currently, for many digital event attendees, the sequence of the preferences is Content, Networking opportunities, and Entertainment. However, we are going to witness a change in this sequence. As the event technology is getting better, the behavior of the event attendees is changing. Now they don’t want to connect with just any random person but with a relevant contact. And another factor is that people want something. They are feeling tired from attending the zoom meetings and other virtual events. So we will see a new list of priorities. And these are Meaningful connection, Entertainment, and Content.
These are the predicted trends by the event industry experts. So what are your thoughts on hybrid event trends? Are you excited about the future trends in the event industry?
