Steer clear of the common pitfalls of hybrid events

Even though we’re no longer under lockdown restrictions, many of us still choose to work remotely – which ultimately means hybrid events are here to stay. These events can cater to all audiences in an engaging way no matter where they are – but they can be easy to get wrong. Whether it’s pitching your content correctly, making sure your online platforms are working, or simply having the right tech and power distribution equipment, there can be a lot of potential pitfalls to navigate – so here’s how to avoid some of the most common ones.

Hybrid events explained

If you’ve yet to attend a hybrid event, or you just need a quick refresher on the concept, these are essentially events where your audience can actively engage and participate via smart tech. Crucially, the events are available for both a live and online audience, which has made them a growing fixture of the global events sector since early 2020.

In the business world, common hybrid events include conferences, exhibitions, trade shows, product demos and large-scale sales pitches.

These types of events are popular right now as they allow the hosts to cater to the different attendance requirements of their audience, as it gives people a choice. Whether they’d prefer to remain remote for Covid-safety, to avoid long-distance travel or simply to manage a schedule clash, the virtual element covers all bases and lets audiences get involved.

The common pitfalls

Planning any big event can be tricky at the best of times and the additional technical requirements with hybrid ones can cause problems. Here are some of the most common examples and what you can do to circumvent them.

Keeping it engaging for everyone

It can be easier than it might seem at first to neglect your virtual audience, but you need to make sure your content is as engaging for them as it is for those there in person. This means making the most of interactive features, so have plenty of polls, online games, Q&A sessions and make any speeches brief.

Being prepped to handle two experiences

The same can be said for your hosts or presenters. They need to be sure they’re involving both audiences and explaining clearly how those attending virtually can access any presentations and demonstrations. If not, you risk isolating your audiences and those online may drop out.

Maximising the potential audience

Another benefit of hybrid events is you can open yourself up to an international audience, but you need to be smart and hold it at a time that suits as many time zones as possible. While you should host it in the timeslot that best fits your biggest target audience, try to avoid early starts or late nights for others where you can – they’re more likely to join if it’s a decent time for them.

Using the right platforms

Having interactive experiences on a virtual and in-house level can require sophisticated software on which to run and also stream your event. Using second rate platforms and software could lead to buffering, stalls and ultimately cause frustrating issues for users. So – even if it costs a bit more – choose tried and tested packages and devices specifically for hybrid events to prevent this from happening.

Having dependable power supplies

At your hybrid event you’ll be running a lot of tech and using a lot of power, so any form of outage could be catastrophic. So, make sure you use a quality setup, right down to aspects like your power distros and rubber boxes, as it’ll limit the chances of a potential blackout. Even a relatively short one might end up in online attendees becoming unable (or unwilling) to re-join the event, so it’s definitely something to pay attention to.

In fact, that’s something we can help you with here at Rubber Box, with our wide range of quality power distribution equipment. Take a look through our products and request a quote today. Alternatively, give us a call on 01282 677 910 or email info@rubberbox.co.uk if you need any buying advice or assistance.