What To Look For In A Hybrid Event Platform
In the last couple of years, the virtual event platform market has grown exponentially. With that, virtual event marketers have had a tough time navigating this crowded space. As more businesses embrace the virtual way of conducting business, these virtual platforms have become essential to not just host events, but also to maintain employee relations and manage communication and collaboration among various departments within an organization.
So, how do you choose the best hybrid event platform from among these several options? We think this checklist might help.
1. Customizability
We would rate customizability the highest because every business today has joined the virtual events bandwagon and as we all know, no two businesses are the same. So, being able to tailorize the platform to suit your business objectives is a must.
2. Simplicity
Don’t mistake simplicity for a limited capability. By simplicity we mean the ease with which you can use a certain software or platform. For many events online, things like a live demo, streaming, recording, etc, are required to be managed by a moderator who may or may not be an IT expert. A simple and easy to use platform is preferable on any day.
3. Deployment
First things first, the event platform should be easy to deploy and secondly it must operate well within other systems. In other words, compatibility with other software like marketing and customer relationship management is a crucial element to consider while shortlisting the best hybrid event platform.
4. Integration
One of the biggest technical challenges facing today’s businesses is that they are often using lots of different apps and platforms, many of which do not work well together. Interoperability is essential for getting maximum value out of your hybrid event technology, so be sure to look for platforms that integrate with your other solutions, such as marketing automation, customer relationship management, and payment systems.
5. Security
This one goes without saying. The platform needs to be hosted on a secure server, and be capable of safeguarding your data.
6. Audience Engagement and Networking
Several hybrid event organizers are under immense pressure to engage both in-person and remote attendees in the same manner. In such circumstances, a platform like Virtex that has more than enough tools to engage and create networking opportunities among the audience is necessary.
Another element we would like to add here is the ability to gamify content. It draws from people’s interest in games and their addictive quality. At the same time, it piques audience interest and keeps them engaged for longer periods of time.
7. Good Sponsorship Deals
Good sponsorship revenue can make your event more profitable while helping your sponsors identify leads. A valuable hybrid event platform should have the ability to design customized sponsorship packages that vary according to scope and size. It should also help sponsors track audience engagement and provide real-time analytics to calculate their RoI.
8. Reporting and Analytics
Event technology today makes it much easier to track audience data and derive insights from it. What your hybrid event platform should be able to do is not just track data but help generate useful, actionable reports for you. This vital information can be shared in the form of post-event marketing content or even as hybrid event FAQs.
9. Mobile Friendliness
Compatibility with mobile phones simply cannot be overlooked today. Several participants and attendees get a lot of work done through their mobile devices and in such a case, making your hybrid event mobile-friendly is an absolute must. For this, you need a platform that can be easily accessed through both laptop and mobile devices.
