Advantages and opportunities going Virtual or Hybrid

The advantages and opportunities virtual and hybrid event spaces bring over traditional, face-to-face events.

We believe that both virtual and physical events have their place in the marketing mix. People want connection. But they also want convenience. Hybrid events that combine the two (physical + digital), can offer the best of both worlds. One event. Two experiences. There are a number of advantages to hosting virtual events:

Cost effectiveness. Physical events can be extremely costly, from renting event space, hiring caterers, employee travel costs, putting speakers up in hotels, and so on. Virtual venues on the other hand, are not geographically limiting.

In-demand speakers may agree to speak for a fraction of the price at virtual events because of the convenience. You can afford better speakers (and more of them) for the same price. For marketing events, more high-quality speakers translate into more potential leads.

Convenience and ease of access. Based online, attendees can view content from wherever they are in the world. All they need is a browser. Not only does this ensure accessibility to event content but it also extends the reach of core brand messaging.

Saves time. Depending on the complexity of the event programme, virtual events can be set up and run in shorter timescales than physical events, providing an agile solution in times of necessity.

Choice & relevance. Like live events, virtual events can facilitate multiple speaker sessions simultaneously; allowing audiences to access content streams that are most useful and relevant to them.

Content flexibility. Virtual event content can still be accessed and visited long after the event itself has passed. From a delegate’s perspective they can browse at leisure without the rush to choose between competing keynotes and having to prioritise what new pharma innovations to learn about.

Data collection and management. During physical events, meeting slots are limited and any data gathered might be scribbled on a piece of paper to be transported back to the office. Not great GDPR compliance. Virtual events make data collection a little easier and allows for a more effective follow-up. Your legal department will also thank you.

Reduced carbon footprint. Taking an event online can also help lessen the environmental impact of travelling to and from a live event venue.

Big data and personalised follow-ups. You can track online visitor behaviour in much more detail. You know what type of content they’re viewing, which reps they’re talking to, which attendees they’re engaging with and what resources they’re downloading. This is valuable information to create bespoke and personalised follow-ups. During your online event, you can also actively interact with your audience and collect feedback instantly. It allows you to analyse and improve present and future events.

Flexibility. Virtual event attendees can revisit the experience on their own terms, increasing the conference’s value for the attendee and its ROI for the summit producer.

Event ROI. It’s easier to analyse detailed information about your online audience, since attendees already shared their data during the registration process. Virtual events are able to run longer, accumulate more leads, and reach more people.

Will virtual events lead to the demise of physical events? We think not.

People are still people – at the end of the day, they want connection. But they also want convenience. Whilst virtual event solutions have their place in the overall marketing mix and can be integrated as part of a hybrid event strategy to complement a live event schedule, in-person, physical events are unrivalled in their valuable ability to bring audiences together, evoke emotional responses and drive action to prove ROI and hit strategic KPIs. We love the power of face to face events and the convenience of virtual. The future is hybrid. We believe there’s a place for both in the marketing mix!

Thank you for reading.

No two projects are the same, and we’re full of ideas to bring your objectives to life. If you would like to find out more, please do get in touch.