Forbes said it best. "In-person events are back, but they look nothing like they used to.” While Zoom webinars and online conferences served their purpose over the last few years, real in-person human interactions were unable to be mirrored and replaced with ease. Hybrid events also came to the surface to give attendees greater flexibility and options.
However, now that most in-person events are back in action, hybrid event opportunities will continue to grow as event producers look to offer greater flexibility and engagement. They also present an opportunity to attract greater pools of attendees and engage them in ways that meet their preferences.
As more conference organizers plan for in-person and hybrid events, engagement continues to be a key consideration and challenge. The stakes are higher, and event hosts need to do everything in their power to attract maximum participation and engagement. Accessibility has become a big part of that effort.
“There’s so many different reasons for us to celebrate how the world is evolving in a good way around inclusivity,” said Chad Blaise, VP of Growth at Bizzabo, during a recent webinar with Verbit. “This is why Bizzabo has rebuilt their platform through the lens of accessibility and has leveraged partners such as Verbit to accelerate that journey,” he explained.
Today’s event planners know that engagement and accessibility often go hand-in-hand to provide the best environment for attendees. Like Bizzabo, more companies are now partnering with accessibility leaders like Verbit to improve their event experiences.
Why you should build out a hybrid event strategy
63% of large companies are looking to start hosting hybrid events. There are good reasons for these companies to pursue this event format. In fact, with 86% of B2B businesses reporting a positive ROI from hybrid events within seven months, perhaps the number should be even higher.
Here are a few more reasons hybrid events are smart for businesses and great for attendees.
Hybrid events offer broader reach
Many of today’s businesses have expanded their reach to international audiences or those in different regions. In fact, international workforces are increasingly common as well. Technology is making it possible to work across states or borders, so there’s a clear need for events that can also reach audiences in different locations. People who may be only a quick flight or drive away may still want to attend online because of distance, time or cost constraints. Giving them the flexibility of attending in person or virtually is a great way to attract and accommodate as many potential attendees as possible.
Flexibility helps accommodate more people
One of the positive aspects of virtual events and remote work was that it gave new opportunities to people with disabilities. Some people with mobility-related disabilities could take advantage of remote work opportunities that allowed them to avoid difficult commutes. Other individuals with health concerns also may prefer to avoid large, crowded events. Hybrid events allow people to participate, even if their health or a disability makes attending an event unsafe, difficult or impossible.
Collecting better data with hybrid events
The technology that supports virtual events is also helpful for collecting data. Having a mobile app or other tools available for virtual attendees and those in person presents opportunities to collect survey information, track attendance, watch time or facilitate conversations and engagement between participants.
Even with so many benefits, there are some challenges related to hybrid events. Fortunately, there are steps that businesses can take to minimize the impact of these potential complications.
Factors that can challenge hybrid events
Hybrid events require a bit of extra planning. After all, they need both a physical location and technological support to reach virtual attendees. One of the top challenges that people report related to these events is connecting with both audiences. In fact, over 70% of event planners cited this as their number one challenge when planning hybrid events.
Also, while technology helps facilitate these events, it can also cause issues when there’s a glitch. Ensuring that the venue has a strong internet connection and learning the event platform is critical for carrying out a successful hybrid event.
Still, with the right planning in place, it's possible to host effective hybrid events that offer strong engagement to both live and virtual event attendees. Finding ways to facilitate the needs of and connect these two pools of audiences can be key, and partners like Verbit can provide insights on how to do so.
Why captioning may be the secret to boosting event reach
Accessibility is becoming a key consideration for every event, regardless of whether it’s in person, hybrid or virtual. When it comes to hybrid events, one of the most important considerations is captions. Investing in high-quality captions is a wise decision, and it extends well beyond just meeting the needs of individuals with disabilities.
First, access to captions can make or break the event experience of people who are Deaf or hard of hearing. They make the event’s content accessible to them. For hybrid events, it’s critical to provide live captions to both in-person and online attendees. No one should be left out of an event that’s happening in real-time. What this means is that the captioner for hybrid events must have some technical know-how.
“To caption a hybrid event, the planner has to ensure the captioner has the ability to deliver their captions to multiple locations, from streaming to the screen in the conference ballroom, to a URL, to integrations with caption encoders and conferencing platforms like Zoom or WebEx,” explained Heather York, Vice President of Marketing and Government Affairs for VITAC, a Verbit company.
York said that at a recent event she attended in person, she could see the captions on a large screen but also had the option to view them on her mobile device. This arrangement is what event planners need to provide when their audience is present physically and virtually. Verbit integrates with popular platforms like YouTube, Zoom and more to make this as easy as possible. Additionally, presenters can add captions to their PowerPoint slides to boost engagement for everyone.
Not only are captions vital as an accessibility tool, but everyone benefits from this solution. People tend to focus and comprehend better with captions. The usefulness is even more pronounced for those who are viewing with the sound off or in a non-native language.
With the opportunity to reach more attendees in different time zones and locations with hybrid options, offering captions or transcripts of the dialogue and sessions in multiple languages can help support greater engagement. Verbit is one partner able to offer translation of captions and transcripts so that the needs of international audience members and on-demand viewers can be met with ease.
Making accessibility your top priority for hybrid events in 2023
As you plan out your 2023 events, make sure offering an inclusive experience is at the top of your list. If you’re unsure where to start, Verbit can serve as an essential accessibility partner to offer not just solutions but guidance and tips.
Incorporating solutions like captioning, transcription and audio description are simple, cost-effective ways you can enhance the experience of your hybrid events. Plus, you’ll see an immediate difference in your ability to engage audience members with varying needs without them needing to ‘come forward’ and request accommodations.
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