Why use an EMS for your hybrid events?

After organizing numerous virtual events with your event management software (EMS), the logical next step would be to use it for your hybrid events. However, not all event organizers find this transition straightforward. Since hybrid events are becoming increasingly popular, here are a few reasons why you should consider organizing them with an event management platform—whether you already have one or not!

Maximize Your Investment

If you have an EMS, chances are you’ve already used it to organize your in-person or online events. This technology, in which you’ve invested, helps you streamline your event planning and minimize the time spent on event design. Your management team will be thrilled!

Using an event management platform for your hybrid events allows you to capitalize on your investment. Plus, you know you can always rely on your EMS to help you create professional events and boost your performance!

How to use your EMS to organize your hybrid event?

Manage your registrations

Registration is the foundation of an event. Without participants, there’s no one to organize an event for. Experienced event organizers understand how an EMS can help simplify the registration process for in-person events and have leveraged this technology for their virtual events. However, some event professionals who transitioned to virtual events used the wrong tool, namely video conferencing software. As a result, they had to juggle two tools to manage registrations and live streaming for their event. Event technology advocates have used an EMS for their virtual events, automating the registration process in the process.

How does registration work for a hybrid event? You need to be able to differentiate between those participating remotely and those attending in person to enhance the participant experience (UX). Your EMS is key to managing multiple participants with different needs. In one place, you’ll be able to separate your online and in-person participants to manage event logistics, such as food, drinks, and giveaways.

Optimize the Participant Experience

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: the participant experience is the key to a successful event. The experience begins with your invitation to the event and registration through your personalized event site, and it concludes with your post-event communications. But what happens during your event is the most important factor in creating a memorable experience.

Main halls and session rooms can sometimes be hard to find, and participants can easily get lost along the way. Staying on track can therefore be compromised. With your EMS, you can publish an event app where you can include an interactive map of your event, ensuring an optimized on-site journey. Last-minute room changes? No problem! Use your EMS to send push notifications through your event app and text messages. Your participants will have real-time information right at their fingertips. Let’s not forget that your event app allows you to provide participants with a personalized agenda, a news feed, and lists of speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, and, of course, participants. #Networking

How can you create a seamless experience for your online participants? Eventdrive’s “Next Session” button allows your participants to move easily to their next session with just one click. For those not registered for a specific session, a pop-up appears with available sessions, letting them choose the one that suits them best.

Use Your Interactive Services

Your participants are already used to attending virtual events. The tide has turned! Not only are they familiar with the virtual event space created through your virtual event platform, but they’re also aware of all the different ways to actively participate in an online event.

Successfully engaging your audience isn’t a secret. Event professionals know that attendee engagement is crucial to the success of their events. To keep your audience’s attention, you need to interact with them as much as possible. Ask them questions and offer interactive services like live polls, quizzes, word clouds, Q&A sessions, and, of course, event surveys.

One way to boost engagement is by organizing quizzes throughout your event to keep participants involved. Why not have a dedicated leaderboard displaying the top participants of your events? Others will surely join in, because everyone loves to win. Don’t forget about prizes!

Whether they’re participating remotely or in person, give your attendees the opportunity to come on stage and ask questions. Let remote participants raise their hands to ask questions and display their camera on the screen so in-person attendees can have visual contact with them. In hybrid events, it’s important not to forget to bring your participants together and create meaningful interactions.

Create surveys in your EMS (Event Management System) for each session. Pro tip: Start with a general survey and duplicate it for your other sessions. Launch a survey after each session in addition to the one you usually send at the end of your event. Remote participants can fill out the session survey directly on your virtual event platform, and in-person attendees can access it via your event app.

Record your event

When using event management software for your hybrid event, you can record the entire event directly on the platform. This means you can offer participants who were unable to attend the opportunity to see what happened and ensure they don't miss out on important information.

Your professional production team will likely also record your event. You can export your online recording and combine it with on-site footage to create the perfect on-demand event. This content can also be shared internally with colleagues who didn’t register for your event but would still like to see what happened.

Now that you know all of this, it’s clear that your investment wasn't just temporary—in fact, quite the opposite. Your event management software allows you to manage registrations, create a smooth and intuitive participant experience, engage your audience, and preserve your event. An EMS is your right hand for all your events, whether they’re virtual, hybrid, or in-person.