Hosting hybrid events opens up the event doors to a broader and extensive audience. It also offers a lot of networking opportunities with peers and inspires people with the energy of the on-stage speaker. But, it is challenging to keep the audience and the speaker on the same page. And here are some winning online event ideas to engage your audience in the hybrid event. 

Proven ways to improve audience engagement in the hybrid event:

The primary KPI for the success of the event is attendee engagement. But it is a tough job to crack, and a hybrid event makes it more challenging. Screen fatigue could be a problem with on-screen attendees. And the negative vibes of some can spread and transmit to a room full of people. Here are some winning secrets that help you drive maximum audience engagement at the virtual event.

1. Keep the event crisp and sharp:

Traditional meetings lasted for hours, extending well beyond the lunch break in many offices. But this trend cannot be projected over the hybrid event. Online audiences are better with shorter sessions, and the recommended average presentation time is 30 minutes. Speaker has to make their note enjoyable with critical takeaways to retain the audience’s attention. Ensure that the speaker is talented to handle both the online and offline audience simultaneously. The critical attributes for a successful hybrid event are short sessions, quick message delivery, and exciting breaks. Optimize the break with surveys, polls, notifications, and reward giveaways. 

2. Customize the event for the audience:

People show interest in events that specifically impact and interest them. People might forget what you said and did but never forget how you made them feel. Personalize the event presentations to help them engage better. Please take a brief survey on what the attendees expect from the event, their interests, the areas in which they need help, etc. This will help plan the sessions around what the audience wishes to hear. Customize the event experience with live questionnaires and polls to measure the audience engagement in the presentation. 

3. Foster interaction among the audience:

It is common to neglect the online audience of the event. Give them a voice to interact in the event. Choose a hybrid event platform that fosters interaction among the audience and the panelist through live chat and live video options. One best way to encourage interaction between the online and offline audience is to introduce them to each other. Screen the online audience video panels before the event starts. The virtual networking zone in the event platform will encourage attendees to create their profiles and interact one on one. Use small breakout rooms with a mix of both audiences to start conversations and to delve deeper into their networks.

4. Announce exciting rewards:

Rewards are exciting and can achieve high audience retention and engagement rates. Random prize draws are valuable elements to involve the participants. The rewards could be a physical product or a service that the attendees are long awaiting. They are also perfect moments to celebrate the sponsors, as they generally donate the rewards. Such options encourage attendees to stay online and consume the key takeaways.

5. Gamification is directly proportional to audience engagement:

Games are effective ways that help both educate and engage the users. It encourages the attendees to be a part of the event, winning prizes and badges along. Provoke the competitive spirit of attendees by conductive games, and offer points for every active participation. Virtual platforms that support gamification can conduct live quizzes and scavenger hunts and prepare a leaderboard to reward the winners.

6. Choose an ideal event platform:

A perfect hybrid event platform like Virtex is the key to planning and customizing the event for the audience. The platform organizes expos with highly interactive booths to deliver personalized experiences. Its social media tools help create the event buzz and amplify two-way engagement. You can also leverage its live dashboard for real-time engagement numbers and robust performance metrics to measure the event’s success.

While planning for in-person elements for the event, consider how they could translate into an online experience. Plan every step of the event and keep the audience’s experience as a critical factor in your event strategy.