Why the Future of Events is Hybrid

If you're like most event professionals, you're always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to create value for your attendees. You know that to stay competitive, you need to offer experiences that are unique and engaging. Much like many of our daily activities will feature more video components going forward, so too will traditionally in-person events. 

According to Bloomberg, almost 39% of workers would rather leave their job if it doesn’t offer a flexible work environment, and that number climbs to 49% for millennials and Gen Z employees. A similar sentiment is rippling across the events industry, and more flexibility and engaging experiences will be the standard.

According to Frost & Sullivan, the global webinars and virtual events market will continue to boom as hybrid work becomes mainstream. Recent analysis finds that the long-term, sustainable impact of hybrid work and the adoption of digital channels are creating an unprecedented wave of virtual events. The global webinars and virtual events market is projected to reach $4.44 billion by 2025, up from $1.57 billion in 2020.

The incredible amount of innovation over the past two years has been driving this growth. Event managers now have more solutions that are easier to use, provide greater access, and come stocked with features for networking as well as advanced data reporting and analytics.

Companies are also learning that virtual events require the same high-quality production and content creation used to make broadcast TV, sports, and live events engaging and memorable, in order to have a comparable impact and ROI. Applying the lessons of broadcast TV, content creation, and experience design to virtual events will create value and enhance attendee engagement. 

Think of the experience of attending a live sporting event.

Thousands of people will show up for the live event, but millions tune in on TV and have a vastly different but equally enjoyable experience (probably more so if your team wins!). The TV viewing experience is designed, planned, and produced with engaging content, informative commentary, sound design (hearing the refs and/or the players), and other offerings not available to those in person.

Now, think about the last time you experienced a virtual event. Chances are, the live event had more of an impact on you. This is because humans are social creatures who crave interaction and engagement with other people. 

Much like TV programs include a live studio audience, live events supply the content necessary to increase the engagement of the remote viewing audience. Add to this the advances in communication technology over the past two years and you have all the tools you need to create memorable virtual experiences with global reach.

Hybrid events are becoming an effective and profitable event strategy because they combine the intimacy and engagement of live events with the interactivity, flexibility, and global reach of virtual events. This promising approach combines two powerful experiences that can complement one another.

It's not a question of if your company should start planning hybrid events, but how quickly you can get started. Event organizers and producers know what it takes to make a successful live gathering; but to bridge the gap between physical and digital experiences, they're turning to virtual solutions like Zoom Events to create connected and unified experiences. 

Need help getting started? Zoom’s Event Services team leads the way in designing virtual and hybrid events that make a meaningful impact on your attendees and give you the competitive advantage. As your partner, we’ll help you navigate the evolving hybrid landscape and create a memorable, engaging experience for attendees who need event flexibility and convenience.

Hybrid events are changing the way we do business, and the companies that embrace this new event strategy will be better positioned to lead their markets and gain market share. To learn how Zoom can help you transform your next event into an impactful experience, contact a Zoom Events product specialist today.