Virtual events evolved significantly throughout the pandemic, offering brands a unique opportunity to reach more people and engage their communities unlike before. But as pandemic-related restrictions continue to lift and convention centers reopen their doors to the masses, should brand marketers ditch their virtual event plans in 2022? Or will these experiences last well into this decade?

In this #ContentChat recap, the community joins Mike Allton (@Mike_Allton), virtual event strategist and head of strategic partnerships at Agorapulse, to explore how to design engaging virtual or hybrid event experiences. Read the below recap to learn:

• How to decide the best format for your event
• Essential tech to support a virtual or hybrid event
• Ways to enable meaningful engagement and networking at any event

Q1: Should marketing teams plan for in-person, virtual, or hybrid events this year? If you’re planning an event, tell us what format it will be and why.

Teams should host hybrid and virtual events this year. 84% of event attendees would like an online option available to them, according to Kaltura.

A1: Kaltura recently reported that 84% of attendees would like to always have an online option available to them, so that they can attend any event as a virtual or remote attendee if they choose. #ContentChat pic.twitter.com/IkBlDFMnTn

— Mike Allton (@mike_allton) April 4, 2022

A1a: I definitely recommend marketing teams consider a virtual or hybrid approach, even if they would have been 100% in-person otherwise. #ContentChat

— Mike Allton (@mike_allton) April 4, 2022

A1: I think hybrid has been the name of the game recently. People want to be safe but also want to finally meet with other humans face-to-face ~Julie #ContentChat

— Nimble (@Nimble) April 4, 2022

A1.
There’s a magic to in-person that people have missed and are craving…but we feel it’s a missed opportunity not to also have a virtual component at this point. Go hybrid!💫
Our community is global, though, so if we do any events, they’ll be fully virtual.🚀#ContentChat

— Social Media Pulse (@SMP_Community) April 4, 2022

A1a: As someone who speaks at a number of marketing events every year, my answer to this is “yes!”#ContentChat https://t.co/WDJUgu7Udh

— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) April 4, 2022

A1b: I’m seeing more hybrid events and similar numbers of virtual and in-person events this year as in 2021. I think many formerly all in-person events found new audiences by adding an engaging virtual component.#ContentChat

— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) April 4, 2022

80% of event organizers have reached a wider audience with virtual events, and virtual offerings are essential for accessibility.

A1: A recent study showed that more than 80% of event organizers have reached a wider audience with virtual events. Providing a virtual option for your event is a great way to increase accessibility. #ContentChat

— Social hour (@socialhour_com) April 4, 2022

Giving a virtual option is essential for working parents or those that are just too busy to commit to travel! ~Julie #ContentChat

— Nimble (@Nimble) April 4, 2022

And many large companies always struggled with funding travel for professional development opportunities. #ContentChat

— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) April 4, 2022

A1. After two years of online conferences, the audience has become global for many events.

I appreciate event planners who organize hybrid events because I can’t afford to travel across the ocean. #ContentChat

— Teodora Ema Pirciu (@EmaPirciu) April 4, 2022

And we are not officially clear from pandemic travel restrictions.

I know during the Fall, many international travelers couldn’t risk traveling to the U.S. for a conference when their home country would require negative Covid testing and quarantine for re-entry. #ContentChat

— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) April 4, 2022

And it’s not just that. You need to be in an airplane with strangers for over 10 hours twice in a week.
Airports, hotels, the event itself.

It builds levels after levels of anxiety without the relaxation of a vacation.

And the costs… #ContentChat

— Teodora Ema Pirciu (@EmaPirciu) April 4, 2022

However, many eventgoers miss the in-person connection.

A1: I NEED in-person events and have started looking into having one if nobody else is going to.#ContentChat https://t.co/6i7WolS1p0

— Kathryn Lang – hopesmith and dream ignitor (@Kathrynclang) April 4, 2022

A1 I personally prefer in-person events. There’s something about the atmosphere that’s different
I would suggest that marketing teams get crowd-sourced info before making a final decision, but a lot of what I’ve heard is people wanting hybrid options
-Alyx#ContentChat https://t.co/ehE0thJL30

— Charlie & Alyx – Charlie Appel Agency (@ColfaxInsurance) April 4, 2022

That’s so true, isn’t it?! It’s not just about the content, it’s about the human connection that we’ve all lacked for 2 years. #ContentChat

— Mike Allton (@mike_allton) April 4, 2022

A1b: Plus, who misses seeing people’s sweet faces? MEEEE! oooh! Ooh! pick me!

##ContentChat

— Maureen Jann (she/her) (@NeoLuxeMo) April 4, 2022

Offer a mix of event setups to maximize the value for your community. In-person experiences may require a compelling location or unique value offering to justify the costs for your attendees.

A1b: Personally, I’m planning a series of major virtual summits, smaller virtual meetups & webinars, and likely a hybrid event in the Fall from Paris. #ContentChat

— Mike Allton (@mike_allton) April 4, 2022

Paris in the Fall FTW! I think picking really compelling locations (like Paris!) is critical for driving in-person attendance these days, now that we’ve gotten the hang of virtual event engagement. #ContentChat

— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) April 4, 2022

The key is to differentiate each event offering and build the experience around your attendee needs.

Hi All! Sorry I’m late. I’ve been working on an fun little project and I lost track of time.

A1: yes, let’s plan in-person events, but let’s do it with caution. At this point, that caution should be for the attendee to assess and address in a way that feels good. #ContentChat

— Maureen Jann (she/her) (@NeoLuxeMo) April 4, 2022

The virtual events I attended in 2020-2021 and the in-person events I’ve been attending since the fall have really crystalized the differences between an effective virtual presentation and an effective stage presentation. They’re really not the same!#ContentChat

— Social Media Pulse (@SMP_Community) April 4, 2022

Agreed!

The in-person presentations I give are built on the expectation of being interrupted and having real-time back and forth with the audience and going deeper based on their response to the content. Most virtual presentations can’t be that fluid. #ContentChat

— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) April 4, 2022

I feel like virtual presentations are more about the information; live presentations are more about the experience.
Virtual presentations need clearer actionable takeaways; live presentations need compelling ideas communicated more deeply via active storytelling.#ContentChat

— Social Media Pulse (@SMP_Community) April 4, 2022

Ronnie shares a Hopin guide with considerations for hybrid events:

A1: A diverse portfolio of all three based on business strategy is the ideal answer.

It’s important to note that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to hybrid and the resources needed are often double.

This guide has our latest thinking: https://t.co/JelI3jbnWs

— ronniehiggins (@ronniehiggins) April 4, 2022

Q2: What questions should a team ask to understand what format is best for their event? And how do the various formats impact the approach you take to the event’s content?

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