The boundaries that separate virtual engagement from physical presence are becoming increasingly difficult to define and tag. As a result, there is a rise in technology adoption to bring greater accessibility for people and organizations and foster greater collaboration and networking opportunities. Adaptation and innovation in event planning are inevitable in a world that is becoming increasingly steeped in digital resources. In event management, existing methods, practices, and knowledge have been linked primarily to face-to-face forms of communication, with minimal consideration towards how space can be progressively transformed or enhanced by technology. Attendee satisfaction with virtual and live sessions is crucial. There is a rising expectation from attendees to be able to join events in person, virtually, or onsite within a location; and such multi-modal accessibility and flexibility is the hallmark of the hybrid event.

The Role of Virtual Events in Enhancing In-Person Experiences

Virtual events have always had a complementary role in relation to in-person experiences, but the pandemic has made digital interfaces crucial in maintaining the connections that begin with contact in the physical world. The use of virtual tools to engage beyond a point of contact can extend the experience of a live event; marketing materials and promotional content can be more effective when they provide additional touchpoints to elicit multiple audience interactions. A virtual event can and should be viewed as an extension of a corresponding live event, when applicable. The term “hybrid” describes an event conceptually situated between the digital and traditional formats. In this context, a virtual event refers to a completely digital experience. Those unable to attend an in-person event may still prefer digital platforms. Virtual events often coincide with or are hosted in place of similarly themed in-person events and are useful for casting a wider net. Virtual events remain a valuable source of data in their own right, serving as a reliable method for gauging interest and consumer intent. Post-event analytical data can inform event planning for future in-person interactions. These engagements might take the form of brief Q-and-A sessions, online panel discussions, chat experiments, focus groups, and position papers or white papers. One strength of a virtual event is its capacity for attracting and engaging a wider audience. Digital interfaces are by nature accessible to those who may not be able to attend an in-person event due to various reasons, including financial constraints, geographic distances, or other scheduling concerns. Additionally, a virtual engagement can be conducted asynchronously by providing, for example, a pre-recorded discussion, article, or video for viewing over a period of days. Participants can comment in a specialized discussion section on the webpage or via social media, and presenters could in turn respond without a common time or real-time conversation. Ongoing engagement beyond the day of an event has been enthusiastic in my experience, and this often happens organically on social media. Finally, as mentioned at the outset, the digital interface can offer myriad opportunities for interactive engagement.

Designing Virtual Events to Complement In-Person Experiences

When utilizing a hybrid model, it is critical to also offer a full virtual option that could stand alone as a complete experience, even in the absence of the in-person opportunity. Integrating new digital technology is not the only hallmark of a virtual complement strategy. Rather, the virtual strategy is designed to authentically align with and enhance the in-person experience, providing participants with an array of real-time touchpoints, content, and activities that are designed to delight, entice, and add value to the overall gathering. In implementing and familiarizing digital tools and technologies, the experience can offer unique multimedia components, layers of interactivity, and foster robust engagement. By leveraging technology to offer live streaming, online workshops, and other unique digital arrangements, participants can be offered a taste of the experience in real-time and in advance.

Simply receiving content passively through online streaming does not offer a unique experience in its own right, but tools that allow interaction with live sessions can create unique value. In order to fulfill the aim of creating a robust and enticing virtual complement strategy, interactivity and connection are central guiding principles that inform the approach to product development and participant engagement. This is designed to foster mutual benefits for both the virtual and in-person strategies, while also putting the virtual complement strategy into a position of being able to succeed on its own. By creating new touchpoints and an enhanced digital gathering, the virtual attendees feel a deeper connection to the physical event experience. Furthermore, through planning accessible and easy-to-use interfaces for digital content, this approach furthers an inclusive approach to offering opportunities for diverse and underrepresented voices. While some offer a relatively simple point-and-click approach, others can foster a deeper level of multimedia interaction and directly connect with a participant’s device. Digital tools that offer virtual participant interaction include live polling features, live Q&A submission tools, and personal video sharing features. Some will offer a deeper level of interactivity by allowing participants to take selfies, ask questions to the room, and interact with other participants. In addition to deepening the virtual component through robust and easy-to-use virtual platforms, the facilitation must integrate at the showing-the-ropes level and in the course of in-event programming. This reflects a behind-the-scenes collaboration across virtual programming and in-person presenters to create a continuum of experience, as well as to create additional layers of attention to detail. At a more collaborative level, the virtual and live event teams should also have the opportunity to strictly align on brand message and accessibility compliance, while creating continuity across how the event content is delivered.

Best Practices for Implementing Virtual Events as a Complement Strategy

When planning to add a virtual experience to your in-person event, build out a strategy that encompasses both of your event types and consistently interweaves the two experiences. During the kickoff planning meetings between the virtual event team and the in-person experience team, lay out your objectives and the key performance indicators (KPIs) that will best tell the story of how successful your virtual engagement is. Create simple complementary objectives that will benefit both your in-person and remote audiences to ensure you deliver a unified experience for both halves of your event. Design your event space and your event experience with inclusion in mind for both event types. Promote your virtual experience to your remote attendees and establish equal and inclusive experiences for all your attendees throughout their event journey. During your event, have teams output data across both event types that reflect the success of the virtual event KPIs. Following the event, analyze how the two experiences interleaved and drove success for each other and work on strengthening that nexus for your next event. By consistently establishing clear reasons for creating a hybrid event, virtual to in-person events can establish the link between their visions and heighten the in-person experience. Demonstrate validated best practices for integrating an online audience in an in-person event. Workshop an approach for your organization in order to include your online audience in your upcoming in-person experiences. Create mechanisms to easily allow your in-person audience to also access the virtual programming on demand after your event is over. Let your in-person attendees know you have multiple channels available for them to provide live feedback on the in-person experience. Encourage your in-person attendees to attend live sessions broadcast to the virtual world throughout your event. Team Practices and Strategy for a Cohesive Curriculum Internal Preparation for Collaboration Events. Create a single front-of-house team to communicate across all aspects of both the virtual and in-person experiences. Require communication in your front-of-house team that discusses input from both event types so that one influences the other. Use a unified calendar of events for both event types to help make it easier to manage last-minute changes and updates that impact both in-person and virtual audiences. Use stock visuals and branding across all digital touchpoints to unify the hybrid experience for both remote and in-person participants. Create uniform FAQs and troubleshooting guides for your event, addressing the most common questions for all event types. Tech Stack to Support Engagement. During the placement of your main stage for in-person live audiences, provide at least one camera at the back of the room to capture the live stage on video for the remote participants. Using microphones, unify sound throughout the entire event space so that the remote audience can hear the live main stage discussions occurring in areas immediately outside the main stage. Remote Discussion and Engagement. Loop in classroom faculty and session facilitators on the online engagement and feedback potential. Use poll technology and other virtual session interaction tools to validate if your remote audience is in tune with your virtual presentation experience. Provide two columns to identify that presenters are talking to the remote audience at home depth at least every three slides or four and a half minutes.