By Amanda Wegner

While in-person events remain an important and invaluable way to connect, educate and inspire, digital and hybrid events remain an indispensable option — and in some cases, requirement — for meeting and event planners. However, meeting and event attendees are no longer first-timers, so gone are the days of excusing lo-fi and poor-quality options for digital and hybrid events. Attendees demand virtual experiences that are on par with tangible, face-to-face events.

“The key to a successful event — whether in person, digital or hybrid — is creating memorable experiences,” says Jake Potter, senior advisor of events for the ENTENTE Network of Companies. “When you organize a high- quality event, attendees are more likely to return in the future. The best hybrid and digital technologies allow you to engage with attendees in fresh ways and retain their interest in future events.”

“We’ve been living in this world of virtual events for some time now, so digital events are no longer a novelty, and audiences are harder and harder to surprise and please. Expectations are higher across the board,” adds Lindsay McGuire, the associate director of content and campaigns at Goldcast, a digital events platform. “You have to actually deliver on what you say your event will deliver on. Disjointed experiences, events that seem cobbled together and salesy product pitches will no longer fly with today’s digital event audience.”

KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR CHOOSING A QUALITY PLATFORM

For planners navigating this new world that demands high-quality hybrid and digital events, a robust event platform is a must. “Choosing a reliable, cutting-edge digital event platform can take digital and hybrid events to the next level,” says McGuire. When evaluating potential platforms, event planners should consider the following seven factors:

1. Budget

The first thing to consider, says Potter, is your budget in relation to the user requirements you need and the range of functions the platforms offer. “Some providers charge a single fee for access to all features, while others allow you to choose and pay for specific modules based on your needs and preferences,” he explains. To that end, do your due diligence to identify the features you require to meet the needs and expectations of your event and audience before searching for the ideal platform.

2. Functionality and Capabilities

From the pre-work to identify the functions required for your event and audience, planners must evaluate the platform’s ability to handle those key event functionalities, such as real-time registration monitoring, ticketing customization options and mobile optimization, to ensure the platform truly meets their needs and their audience’s needs. You want to make sure the platform makes your event easy to attend.

“These features (like real-time registration monitoring, ticketing customization options and mobile optimization) ensure the platform can meet diverse event needs while remaining user-friendly,” advises Lauren McCullough, vice president of marketing for the event platform Bizzabo.

Schedule a demonstration of the platform to see these functions in action and ask if a sandbox environment is available to try the platform yourself.

3. Ease of Use and Integrations

A user-friendly platform for both organizers and attendees is a must. As part of your due diligence, identify critical integrations, such as customer relationship management systems, marketing software and other tools, to streamline workflows with your existing toolbox and ensure data is captured seamlessly.

4. Analytics

Any robust platform will provide insights into attendee behavior, engagement and feedback, which are essential for future event planning and demonstrating a return on investment, according to McCullough. Additionally, ask about real-time analytics and reporting capabilities, which can additionally reveal valuable insights. With the immediacy of real-time reporting, these not only can help improve the attendee experience, but could also expose in-event issues.

5. Engagement Features

These features are no longer nice to have. They are crucial, especially for virtual events. “Engagement features enhance attendee participation and keep them connected, making the event more dynamic and memorable,” McCollough emphasizes.

McGuire agrees and recommends looking for a platform with a variety of features that encourage attendees to actively participate. These features could include live and prerecorded video, networking rooms, one-on-one booths, audience polling and video Q&As, to name a few. Your pre- work will help determine what types of engagement will work best for your event and audience.

6. Scalability and Customization

“It’s important to select a platform that provides strong hybrid capabilities, and flexibility for scaling up or down based on the size and format of the event,” advises Potter.

Also, inquire whether the platform offers customization options to align with your branding and specific event goals. “You’ll want to make sure the digital event platform you select can deliver a true experience using best-in-class branding — your event should look like your event,” says McGuire.

7. Support, Reliability and Security

A digital media platform is just that — a platform. Even the best technology can have glitches or fall prey to user error. Understanding the level of customer service a provider can offer, including after-hours and real-time support, is necessary.

“It’s important to know what provisions the platform offers for emergencies and whether there are additional charges. Having reliable support is essential,” says Potter. In fact, he recommends asking about uptime, and the capacity to handle large volumes of data and users simultaneously.

In addition to support and reliability, planners should consider the security protocols the platform has in place to protect sensitive information and ensure a smooth event experience.

EXPECTATIONS BECOME OPPORTUNITIES TO STEP UP YOUR DIGITAL OR HYBRID EVENT

Both heightened expectations and new features provide planners the opportunity to level up their digital or hybrid meeting experiences.

For instance, networking continues to be a major priority for attendees and McCullough says planners are reshaping their events to provide more opportunities for connection. In some cases, this is replacing content sessions.

“Planners are building agendas that allow for spontaneous networking and meeting opportunities, while also facilitating guided connection sessions,” she says. “For digital and hybrid meetings and events, it’s crucial to be intentional about providing ample opportunity for networking and casual interactions.”

New technologies and features are upping the game on audience engagement by actually bringing audience members into the event content itself. This includes opportunities for audience members to “raise a hand” and be brought onto the event “stage” to give them “a real moment in time and have a huge impact on audience engagement,” suggests McGuire.

Digital and hybrid event attendees also demand personalization. “The industry has undergone a massive technological leap recently, giving planners and marketers the ability to tailor experiences to make them hyper-relevant and engaging,” according to McCullough.

“Attendees expect a personalized event experience, from the email promotion to the registration flows, agenda, networking and post-event follow-up,” she says. “When planners focus on personalization, they can provide a tailored experience that delivers on attendee expectations, interests and goals.”

Many platforms are leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to help provide some level of personalization.

“One of the most notable trends is the integration of AI-powered tools for personalized attendee experiences and enhanced networking opportunities,” Potter concurs. “This has become a major distinguishing factor for event platforms, helping to increase engagement and satisfaction.”

Whether you’re looking to provide ample networking opportunities, tailored personal touches or deep engagement, these professionals agree that event and meeting planners can no longer rely on PowerPoints and simple digital meeting tools to check the box for digital or hybrid event offerings.

“Digital events are a powerful tool to drive real, revenue-generating impact,” according to McGuire. “But for organizations to achieve these results, they must meet the high expectations of today’s audiences to deliver a high-quality, Netflix-like digital event experience.”

McCullough adds that every interaction with your brand is an opportunity to engage and delight your attendees, no matter the format or structure of your event. She concludes, “People are busier than ever. In order to feel their time investment is well-spent, they are seeking immersive, personalized experiences that cater to their needs and interests.”

Special Considerations and Reminders

When investigating digital/hybrid meeting platforms, says Lindsay McGuire,
the associate director of content and campaigns at Goldcast, look out for low maximum participant allowances, short meeting duration quotas, limited branding opportunities and pricey feature add-ons. She also recommends ascertaining the original purpose of the platform you are evaluating.

“If you find out a platform was initially built to host webinars, be sure they’ve really upped their game” beyond webinars, she says. Also, double-check the feature set to see what’s included and better understand the required learning curve.

For hybrid events, Jake Potter, senior advisor of events for ENTENTE Network of Companies, notes that it’s essential to ensure your audiovisual crew is equipped to handle the hybrid aspect, including integrating your platform of choice. “You need someone who can seamlessly link everything together and provide live support when technical issues arise,” he says.

And don’t forget to have someone dedicated to monitoring the chat to address issues or concerns as well.