The Evolution of Visual Media for Hybrid Events

Over the last two years, virtual events have come to the forefront of the event industry, and were the main source of business during the pandemic. With the success of virtual events, a new expectation and business stream for hybrid events was created as we continue to see live events returning to full swing. Outside of the circumstances of our current situations with COVID-19 and keeping in mind that their will now be a set of audience members that will want to remain virtual, the primary reason we see hybrid events sticking around is due to convenience. The hybrid event space has made it easier for both attendees and speakers to be a part of multiple events without having to leave the comfort of their home. What previously used to be a 5-day commitment for people to attend some in-person events, is now made easier for attendees from a convenience and financial standpoint. Lastly from an analytics perspective, Advanced Staging Productions has seen larger audiences being drawn to hybrid events when compared to previously just in-person events. What used to be a 500-700 in-person event can now become a 1000-1500 hybrid event due to the convenience.

So Much More to Hybrid Events

But from the virtual aspect of hybrid events, it’s much more than just logging in, turning on your camera, and presenting to an audience. With hybrid events your virtual attendees are sitting at home with a lot of distractions and other competing priorities. You need to find a way to break through the noise and make it feel more like an in-person event for them as well. Advanced Staging Production has found with hybrid events you need to treat the virtual aspect as its own production, and should not be an afterthought of your live event. With hybrid events you need to understand that these are two separately produced shows both needing the appropriate attention. Essentially hybrid events have one message, but two separate productions that both require a different manner and feel. So, your broadcast to the virtual audience needs to be separately produced with a dedicated team based on the needs of the show.

Visual Media Successes

We have found success in the use and development of our Visual Media team to better produce hybrid events. Utilizing visual media is all about using images – both still and moving – to create messages that connect presenters with their audience. There is nothing more engaging to an audience than a compelling, authentic, and visual story. With visual media, you can evoke the emotion you envision for your event and build that connection between both your virtual and in-person audience. The most successful video production services Advanced Staging Production has found with hybrid events are either pre-recorded presentations, presenter walk-up videos, or brand videos that tell the presenter’s unique story and build upon the overall theme of the event. The best use of visual media in hybrid events involves a dedicated team to work with you from concept to completion following a process of collaboration. How you want your audience to feel when they walk out of your event is the big picture and should be at the forefront of your hybrid event. By understanding that hybrid events require two separate productions, you can ensure your audience will be engaged no matter how they attend your event.