Introduction
The demand for hybrid events has soared over the past few months and considering it is the new norm, innovators are coming up with new features for hybrid event platforms. Features define a platform; it’s as straightforward as that. A platform that comes with an abundance of useful attributes will prove to be the best pick for your hybrid event needs. A feature-rich event platform will help enhance the overall experience of everyone involved in it, from the audience to the hosts. Additionally, it will also help drive audience retention throughout the event’s duration. Here are some important features you should be on the lookout for when searching for the best platform for hybrid events.
How To Choose The Best Platform For Hybrid Events
1. Customization
Customization is one of the most crucial elements that define the result of the event. Your hybrid event will require its own arrangements, requirements and theme. To ensure this, every element of your venue should be fully customizable as per your requirements, whether chosen from predefined themes or designs built from scratch. Ultimately, all aspects should be an accurate reflection of your brand, its themes, and its purpose.
2. Automation Features
Hybrid event platforms are compatible with automation software that help one facilitate events more efficiently, from planning to execution. Using multichannel automation software that tracks your event performance in real-time enables you to optimize your planning and helps you drive better engagement for all your sessions and streamline your marketing strategy. Plus, they are cost-effective and generally save a lot of time.
3. Interactive Spaces
A hybrid event platform contains a lot of simulated spaces that replicate spaces at in-person events, to give its users a close to real experience. A welcome lounge for attendees to view agendas, watch introductory videos, and acquaint themselves with the event. A conference hall to organize keynotes, sessions, panel discussions, and more.
An exhibition zone featuring personalized & QR-enabled hybrid booths for partners to showcase their products & services. An information desk that dispenses all the necessary information for the audience, ensuring users a seamless event experience.
4. Live and Semi-Live Options
A semi-live session is when you have a pre-recorded session that plays with live Q&As and other elements. Pre-recorded media offers hosts and organizers a bit of flexibility when it comes to presenting the content. On the other hand, live media offers a sense of immediacy that helps one have a better connection. Having a mix of both will help keep your audience engaged throughout the duration of the event.
5. Networking
Networking is the foremost reason why one attends any kind of event- on-site or hybrid. Provisions for networking will allow your audience to interact seamlessly with hosts and other participants in the event. Having a networking lounge where on-site and remote attendees can interact and form relationships will ensure an interconnected event experience. This can have great benefits in terms of boosting audience involvement.
6. Communication
Having convenient communication channels during your hybrid event will not only facilitate engagement but will also ramp up audience participation. Both engagement and networking are crucial to the success of a virtual event, and allowing your participants to communicate and connect with each other easily will help you achieve that. Features like agenda-specific chat rooms will help attendees get involved and connect with each other better.
7. Interactive Features
On-platform elements like polls, quizzes, games, Q&As, etc. not only boost engagement but also actively gets remote attendees directly involved with hosts & others present in the event. This also helps event organizers get feedback, collect data and understand their audience better.
8. Branding
No stone should be left unturned when it comes to marketing opportunities for your brand. With the help of interactive booths, banners, standees, and display screens to name a few, you can feature branding all across the virtual venue of your event as well and deliver a branded event to remote attendees.
9. Analytics & Reporting
Real-time analytics is one of the most important advantages hybrid events offer. An in-built activity tracker ensures that you don’t miss out on any valuable information relating to audience behaviours. Some examples of details you should expect to have access to are – how many people attended the event, the duration of their attendance, the activities they took part in, and so on.
10. Security
With thousands of people attending an event, the onus is on you to ensure protection from hackers and other external threats to keep your event safe. A robust security integration will allow attendees to store passwords securely, share resources safely, and communicate with others risk-free.
Final Thoughts
Keeping as many of the aforementioned features in mind will help you make the most informed decision in choosing the right partner for your event. Having said this, it’s important to keep the phrase “quality over quantity” in mind when it comes to the features you want to feature (no pun intended).
In fact, every feature detailed above is available on our own platform! So if you are planning to host hybrid events, do so with Samaaro! Reach out to us at hello@samaaro.com to request a demo.
About Samaaro
Samaaro is a powerful and fully customizable virtual and hybrid events platform that organizations have leveraged to host scalable and engaging events. Our reputed clients have hosted Hybrid Exhibitions, Hybrid Tradeshows, Hybrid summits, Virtual trade shows, Virtual fairs, Virtual conferences, Virtual awards ceremonies, and more on Samaaro. With a plethora of features, such as a powerful analytics dashboard, one-on-one and group chats/video calls, custom software integrations and more, Samaaro empowers you to host impactful hybrid events that effectively connect you with your global audience and achieve business milestones.
