Hybrid Events: Why You Should Livestream Live Events

Think that livestreaming will distance your patron attendance? Here's seven reasons why you should offer a hybrid event

February 08, 2024

Lyubomyr Nykyforuk, Head of the Solutions Architect Department

Thought Leadership

8 minutes

Patrons attend in-person events for the visceral, unmatched feeling of being in a crowd, hearing music, or watching sports in real time. So why would you want to live stream your events?

Streaming is typically targeted at viewers outside the venue or stadium. It’s a digital medium that’s decidedly removed from what’s considered “live.”

As it turns out, streaming online can boost your event in several ways! By live streaming events and offering a virtual component in hybrid events, potential benefits can include increased attendance, new revenue streams, and engaging marketing content.

Streaming vs. Livestreaming

Traditional streaming is delivering video to computers and mobile devices via the internet. This transmission of video means that viewers don’t have to download content in its entirety to watch, making it much easier to consume. Media like podcasts, webcasts, movies, and TV shows are common forms of streaming content.

Livestreaming is sending video over the internet, but in real time. Today, many types of media are livestreamed, including sports games, TV broadcasts, and social media.

The two terms are often used synonymously. The difference is that streaming is created before being broadcast and livestreaming is created as it is being broadcast.

Why is Livestreaming Live Events So Popular?

Livestreaming offers a "behind the scenes" approach that feels unscripted and transparent. This can build trust in a way that other marketing tools can't. According to survey data, customers want video content — 80% of internet users prefer live video to blogs, while 82% prefer streaming video to other social media content.¹

The pandemic has caused demand for streaming content to skyrocket. Between February and March 2020, streaming consumption increased by 73% in the United States alone.²

In fact, it’s becoming an important source of audience contact and income for events that have been paused because of social distancing protocols. Many ticketing platforms quickly pivoted to streaming. Event organizers transformed their in-person events to virtual to survive.

Many businesses have used real-time video to substitute for the traditional in-person experience. Since interest in and use of this platform were already trending well before the pandemic, it’s quite likely that this demand for streaming will persist even after the pandemic.

What are Hybrid Events?

Hybrid events are the combination of an in-person event and a virtual event. As the pandemic swept the globe, ticketing platforms and event organizers turned to streaming and other virtual means to continue holding some semblance of live events and keep their businesses afloat.

Even before the pandemic, event technology has supported and enhanced in-person events. If you’ve ever watched a recorded panel from the San Diego Comic Con or a taped lecture from a university professor through a VOD platform like YouTube, you’ve participated in a hybrid event.

What is a Hybrid Event vs a Virtual Event?

A hybrid event combines an in-person event with a virtual event, while a virtual event takes place entirely online without any in-person component.

Hybrid Event:

Attendees have the option to participate either in-person or virtually.
Requires a physical venue for the in-person component.
Enables face-to-face networking opportunities for those attending in person.
Requires a hybrid event platform to stream the event live for virtual attendees and facilitate their participation.
A successful hybrid event can be more complex to organize because it must accommodate both virtual and in-person audiences.

Virtual Event:

All attendees participate online using a virtual event platform or video conferencing tool.
No physical venue is required.
Networking and interaction take place through virtual means, such as chat, Q&A, and breakout rooms.
Relies heavily on technology to deliver content, facilitate engagement, and simulate an event experience.
Generally easier to organize than a hybrid event, as there is no need to manage a physical venue and in-person logistics.

Both virtual and hybrid events offer the advantage of increased reach and accessibility, as attendees can join from anywhere with an internet connection. The choice between the two depends on factors such as the event's purpose, target audience, budget, and the organizers' goals for attendee engagement and interaction.

Hybrid Event Examples

One of the most well-known hybrid events has to be TED Talks. TED conferences are held throughout North America, with presenters’ talks available for free viewing online. By November 2012, Ted Talks had been watched over one billion times worldwide, demonstrating the power of virtual components in event planning. ³

Webinar World is another hybrid event hosted by ON24. It has been held in both a physical and virtual location for a few years now. ON24 offers sponsors the chance to host their own event sessions, along with placing their logos on the Webinar World website conference keynote slides and within promotional emails. ⁴

Another great example of hybrid events is Unbounce, which offers patrons the opportunity to purchase tickets far before the actual date. Early-access tickets give ticketing platforms and event organizers the chance to grow their audiences exponentially. ⁵

Are Hybrid Event Formats Here to Stay?

Sixty-two percent of event planners say they will keep virtual audiences even after live events can be held again. Per Swapcard at Event Tech Live 2020, 82% of companies believe that there is a “push toward hybrid events, more digital elements at events.”

Virtual events have become the new normal during the pandemic. While live events will always be an important part of any robust event program, combining them with virtual offerings creates a powerful platform. Why throw that away?

The virtual portion of hybrid events meets unique needs, and if another pandemic or similar event occurs, virtual supplies a way for businesses to continue to meet consumers.

What are the Benefits of Hybrid Events?

Increase Attendance

The main question everyone is concerned with when it comes to streaming an event is, won’t attendees just stay home to watch? The surprising fact is that live video can actually improve ticket sales! The New Yorker found that 67% of patrons are more likely to buy a ticket to an in-person event after watching live video from that event.³ It’s possible that a live stream plays on a sense of FOMO, or “fear of missing out,” encouraging viewers to want to experience the real thing.

Let’s look at an example. Hamilton’s premiere on Disney+ earlier this year was successful for the platform. After premiering the performance, Disney+ grew to over 60 million subscribers. Perhaps most interestingly, 30% of viewers who had not seen a live performance of the play said they wanted to after viewing the VOD version.⁴ Even if just 10% of that viewer base wanted to see a live performance of Hamilton, that’s still six million potential attendees.

This is just one example and an outlier at that. Not every performance garners attention like Hamilton has. But it provides a strong case study for the power of livestreaming events.

Livestreaming can be valuable for events of all sizes, especially for events and venues with a limited attendance capacity. Streaming can expand sold-out events into a virtual space, allowing attendance to grow. One example of this is Salesforce’s 2015 Dreamforce Conference, which reached 75x the number of people who attended in person via video. There were 150,000 in-person attendees — and 10 million attendees via video.⁵

Monetize the Livestream

Livestreams from hybrid events can be easily repurposed. By converting the stream to video, you can offer segments to patrons on demand and monetize the offering for added revenue. You can make your content available through subscriptions, pay-per-view, or license it to others for use in various ways.

Research by Unruly shows that recorded video can increase buyer intent by 97% and brand association by 139%. This translates into more tickets and increased patron loyalty, especially when a virtual component is included.

Opportunities for New Revenue

A live stream provides more opportunities for sponsorship and advertising placement. Different partner companies can sponsor various segments of the broadcast.

Sending the stream itself through a sponsor’s website or other industry portals could result in enough earnings to cover some event costs or even drive more revenue.

Online content also presents your events and business to prospective clients, including new artists and venues. You can reach individuals in your niche or outside your usual market who may not have otherwise thought to partner with you.

Reach New Markets

Live video streaming is a great way to improve visibility. You can gain a new audience who might not have heard of your event before or couldn't attend for various reasons.

Streaming your local event makes it accessible to a worldwide audience. With a live stream, you can reach viewers where they are and drive traffic back to your website or social presence.

You can also catch the interest of artists, entertainers, sports professionals, or content leaders, potentially creating new relationships. With hybrid events, you can reach viewers on different platforms, in different places, and on their schedules.

Offer New Content Types

Your live stream can offer new and different perspectives. Take attendees on a virtual tour of popular venues, interview favorite artists or athletes, or create VIP experiences like behind-the-scenes of popular events. You can offer interesting insights and layers of engagement to your livestream with augmented reality.

Livestreaming Platforms for All Budgets

Hybrid events don't have to be expensive. There are livestreaming solutions for all budgets. From Vimeo and YouTube to Wistia and Zoom, there’s no end of existing structures to send your hybrid event stream through.

Using streaming in your event marketing is likely to return more than you spend. Video can drive ROI in many ways, as described here. Per Hubspot, 52% of marketers globally said that video is the kind of content with the best ROI.

Grow Marketing Impact

You can use snippets of the video on social media, blog content, and other channels. By gating the content behind a lead capture form, you can collect information about viewers of hybrid events. These insights can tell you more about your current audience, as well as new prospective audiences you can cultivate.

Nurturing these leads via email and social media until your next event can grow brand awareness and have a positive impact on event ROI.

Livestreaming a live event has many potential benefits, including increasing attendance by as much as 67%.

Think that livestreaming will distance your in-person attendance? Here’s how it can boost your next live event.

Make Livestreaming Part of Your Event Strategy

There are still some areas to consider before starting to livestream your live event. Just because everyone else offers hybrid events shouldn’t be your only reason for joining in. Don’t jump into streaming because it’s the hot new trend. Instead, make it part of your event strategy.

Streaming can offer advantages to almost every kind of event. To find that benefit, you have to consider your remote audience. How you want them to interact with the hybrid event will inform the what, where, and how of your event stream.

Consider what you want the stream to achieve by thinking these questions through:

Do you want the remote audience to have the same in-room experience as people at the event?
Would you rather just offer a window to the event and have the remote audience be a fly on the wall, or plan a hybrid event for greater engagement?
Is the stream’s purpose to help professionals with career skills and industry knowledge?
Do you want your remote audience to be able to network?
Is the main goal to showcase your brand?

Answering these questions can help you pinpoint your target remote audience, the experience you want them to have, and the purpose of your hybrid video.

You’ll also want to consider how much of the event you want to stream. For some types of hybrid events, streaming everything works well. Other events are better served with a limited section streamed to a remote audience.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Hybrid Events?

Hybrid events offer a unique opportunity to combine the best of both worlds by bringing together virtual and in-person attendees. This event trend has become increasingly popular in the event industry, providing a way to engage a wider audience and offer a more inclusive experience. When hosting a hybrid event, it is important to consider the type of event and the event content to ensure you create the right hybrid event experience. Hybrid events can offer increased event engagement and promote your event to a larger audience. However, they also come with their own set of challenges. The events team must carefully plan and execute the hybrid event strategy in order to create a successful event. Additionally, the event management process for hybrid events can be more complex than for traditional in-person events or online events.

Here are the main pros and cons of hybrid events:

Pros:

Increased reach and accessibility: Hybrid events allow attendees to participate either in-person or virtually, accommodating a wider audience and enabling people to join from anywhere.
Flexibility: Attendees can choose their preferred mode of participation based on their schedules, travel constraints, or health concerns.
Cost-effectiveness: Virtual attendees don't incur travel and accommodation expenses, making the event more affordable and potentially increasing overall attendance.
Reduced environmental impact: With fewer people traveling to attend the event in person, hybrid events can lower the carbon footprint associated with transportation.
Enhanced engagement: Hybrid events can offer interactive features like live polls, Q&A sessions, and breakout rooms, boosting overall attendee engagement.
Valuable data and insights: Hybrid events provide data on both in-person and virtual attendee behavior, which can help organizers make informed decisions and improve future events.

Cons:

Complex planning and logistics: Organizing a hybrid event requires coordinating both in-person and virtual aspects, which can be more challenging and time-consuming than planning a purely in-person or virtual event.
Higher costs: Hybrid events may require additional technology, equipment, and staff to ensure a seamless experience for both in-person and virtual attendees, which can increase overall costs.
Technical challenges: Reliable internet connectivity, audio/video quality, and platform stability are crucial for a hybrid event. Technical issues can disrupt the experience for virtual attendees.
Divided attention: Presenters and moderators can find it challenging to engage both in-person and virtual audiences simultaneously, potentially leading to a disconnected experience for attendees.
Networking limitations: While hybrid events offer some networking opportunities, virtual attendees may find it more difficult to connect with others compared to in-person interactions.
Differing attendee experiences: Ensuring that both in-person and virtual attendees have a consistent and equally valuable experience can be challenging, as the two groups may have different needs and expectations.

How to Make Hybrid Events Work?

Creating a successful hybrid event requires the use of the right hybrid event platform, such as an event app that can seamlessly connect virtual and physical events. It is also crucial to ensure that both virtual and in-person events are equally catered to in order to provide a great hybrid event experience. When running hybrid events, it is important to keep in mind that hybrid events can’t simply be a replication of either an online event or a physical event. Each hybrid event should be tailored to the specific needs and preferences of the audience.

To make hybrid events successful, consider the following strategies:

Define clear goals and objectives: Determine what you want to achieve with your hybrid event and how you'll measure success for both virtual and in-person attendees.
Choose the right platform: Select a reliable virtual event platform that can handle your expected audience size, offers the needed features, and integrates well with your in-person setup.
Invest in high-quality audio/video equipment: Ensure that your in-person speakers and presentations are captured clearly for your virtual audience. Use professional-grade cameras, microphones, and lighting.
Engage both audiences: Develop an agenda catering to virtual and in-person attendees. Use interactive features like polls, Q&A sessions, and breakout rooms to keep everyone engaged.
Provide clear instructions: Communicate clear guidelines to both audiences on how to participate, access content, and engage with others.
Assign dedicated moderators: Have moderators focused on engaging the virtual audience, monitoring chat, and facilitating Q&A sessions to ensure virtual attendees feel included.
Encourage networking: Create opportunities for attendees to interact, such as virtual networking sessions or matchmaking based on shared interests.
Offer on-demand content: Make session recordings and other content available on-demand after the event for all attendees to access and revisit.
Train your speakers: Provide guidance to your presenters on how to effectively engage both in-person and virtual audiences, such as maintaining eye contact with the camera and addressing both audiences.
Conduct thorough testing: Test your technology setup, internet connectivity, and platform features well in advance to minimize technical issues during the event.
Gather feedback: Collect feedback to gauge their satisfaction and identify areas for improvement in future hybrid events.
Be adaptable: Be prepared to adjust your approach based on feedback and any challenges that arise during the event. Have contingency plans in place for technical difficulties or last-minute changes.

By following these strategies, you can create a more seamless and engaging experience for all attendees at your hybrid event.

Ready to Livestream Live Events?

Now that we’ve discussed why you should livestream your live event, ready to get started? If you still have questions, the right technology partner can help! You don’t have to go it alone when creating hybrid events.

Softjourn is a global technology services provider focused on working with Media & Entertainment services. We design and develop services for live events, live video, and video on demand for those in the Media industry.