Tag: hybrid events

News

Will the vaccine effect the events industry?

As we write this blog, over 35 million people have had their first dose of the vaccine in the UK. Numbers are climbing daily across the world, so what effect will this have on the events industry? 

As we know, in the UK the high-risk groups were prioritised which is fantastic however this will not mean the quick return of in-person events. The typical event attendee is early to late middle age and in good health, so potentially lower down the vaccination queue. 

If in-person events are only going to be available to individuals that have been vaccinated then we may not see a return of events in 2021. Also, will people want to attend events if they need to either carry out tests beforehand and have to stay socially distanced throughout. Some companies have already announced that they do not require staff to return to the workplace in 2021. Will these companies be happy for staff to attend in-person events instead? 

It seems that event organisers of large events have very serious decisions to make about how to safely allow the attendance of thousands of people. We believe that in-person events will take place this year but what we do know is that they will be very different to before. 

The UK has already carried out pilots for sporting events so we hope to see the results of these soon. The growth of hybrid events is also guaranteed as these types of events offer great value to both in-room and virtual attendees. Hybrid events has existed in sports and television for decades so we believe they will be the ‘norm’ in the future and a majority of events will enjoy a hybrid future.

One thing is for sure the next couple of years will see the events sector completely redefined. 

If you would like us to assist you with your event planning for the future for both in-person and hybrid events then please get in touch to discuss further. 

News

Virtual Events vs. Venue Events

In our current climate, virtual events have become the new ‘normal’ however we wanted to discuss virtual events vs. venue events.

When the UK went into lockdown, many companies were looking at ways in which they could still communicate with their clients and target audiences. Virtual platforms, that were once not highly utilised, were in high demand. Now as we approach the easing of lockdown, companies are looking forward to face-to-face interactions. What will the future hold for events?

Virtual events vs. Venue Events

We have listed below the differences between the virtual and physical events:

The Cost

There are many costs associated with a physical event such as renting a venue, food and beverages, travel expenses, accommodation and speakers. Virtual events on the other hand do seem to be more cost-effective. However, we worry that the event attendee will not receive the immersive event experience that they remember from a physical event.

Flexibility

Pre-pandemic, many large corporate events welcomed attendees from across the globe to their events. However, many organisations are now working remotely and connecting with employees and clients from remote locations. In these instances, virtual events seem to work the best because they can accommodate people in different time zones and virtual events record the sessions, enabling attendees to watch the recordings if they couldn’t attend due to busy schedules.

However, when you speak to the industry, people are missing the face-to-face interaction that they experience at physical events. Meeting in person allows the attendee to build an instant relationship with another, meaning a stronger lead for the future.

Collecting data

Data can be collected both in-person and at virtual events to measure and analyse the success of the event. At a physical event data is collected at registration and throughout the event through a number of measures. Virtual events on the other hand can see how the attendee moves through the event, what they viewed, shared, clicked, downloaded etc.

Networking

Networking is definitely where the virtual events battle with physical events. People need the face-to-face interaction that they get at physical events and the virtual event platforms don’t seem to have mastered this yet. In-person meetings give more added value in building relationships when one meets someone.

We believe that when discussing virtual events vs. venue events, both will remain serving many sectors. Many businesses will opt for a mix of physical and virtual events, otherwise known as a hybrid event that combines the two formats. A hybrid event will bring the physical attendees and virtual audience in the same frame, delivering the original values to the attendees.

If you would like to discuss how we can provide assistance with your physical, virtual and hybrid event, then please get in touch today.

News

How can we safely return to live events?

As we enter another four weeks of lockdown, it is apparent that business as we know it will continue to be in turmoil and it is clear that live events will not be the same for the foreseeable future.

Currently, the only option is to meet online so in-person and face-to-face meetings are not possible. However, when live events do become an option again what restrictions could be in place?

Smaller events

We believe that live events will be possible in 2021 but they will have less capacity and only small events will be possible. Venues will have to reduce their capacity until a vaccine is available. Having the option to run live events will be great news for the industry however smaller numbers will mean an effect on the event’s revenue.

Security at events will increase

If a vaccine is still not available when live events start up again then it is likely that testing or some screening will be needed to help stop the spread of COVID-19. This will affect the registration/check-in process at events. Recent news has suggested that 15-minute COVID-19 tests will be administered onsite at sports events to test spectators and get sports fans back to watching live sport asap.

Growth in Hybrid events

There will be a growth in hybrid events where both face-to-face and an online option will be available to the delegate. This will enable large-scale events to take place but the online aspect will assist with the possible restrictions on event capacity and international travel.

A business will increase regional meetings

As remote working has been embraced by many companies across the UK, there may be a need for regular regional team catch-ups. These may be team-building activities or communication events on a smaller scale. These are likely to be small in size but more regular than in previous years.

While most of the above possibilities are less than desirable, they are worth considering. We are trying to predict what lies ahead so that we can make sure our staff are on hand to support the events industry post-COVID-19.

If you would like to discuss how we can provide assistance with your online event and/or live event post-COVID-19, then please get in touch today.