The Pros and Cons of Virtual/Hybrid Delivery

Previously, we introduced five different models for hybrid delivery: Full Virtual, Targeted Virtual, Blended, Physical, and Content365. Each of these models can be used to help you meet different goals such as gaining brand awareness or driving lead conversion. To help you decide the best model for your events we’ve created the following chart that outlines the pros and cons of each model.

Key Takeaways: Full Virtual

There are several benefits to a Full Virtual event. Virtual events tend to attract a large number of registrations due to convenience and the price of attendance. Event teams can expect up to 4-6x the number of registrations. Because everything is digital, attendees and engagement at the event can be tracked in much greater detail giving organizations the means to truly optimize the event experience. Additionally, virtual events are less expensive and have an unlimited reach. Unfortunately, virtual events only see about 38% of registrations engage at the event (38%) compared to physical (93%) and the average session participation is 46% less than at the physical event. With so much going on at home or in the office, attendees are easily distracted and may even forget about the event altogether.

Key Takeaways: Targeted Virtual

The Targeted Virtual model is most appropriate when you have a select audience that you want to inform or persuade. With a targeted approach, you gain all the benefits of the Full Virtual model while increasing engagement with more intimate meetings, during which attendees feel comfortable speaking up.  The greatest disadvantage of the Target Virtual model is that selling sponsorships is much harder as there are fewer attendees that sponsors can reach.

Key Takeaways: Blended

By allowing attendees to decide the engagement method, you can reach both travelers and homebodies together. A Blended model opens the door to selecting smaller more cost-effective venues. By providing attendees with participation options, event teams can increase overall engagement while increasing attendance numbers. Blended events allow teams to double exhibitor value by giving them the ability to gather leads from both physical and virtual attendees, increasing lead numbers.

The most difficult part of Blended delivery is generating content that can be delivered both physically and virtually. Additionally, Blended events require the same costs as physical events such as shipping, travel, and paying for a venue.

Key Takeaways: Physical

The Physical model is the most profitable because attendees are well-accustomed to spending their time and money on in-person experiences. Because there are fewer outside distractions, these events result in higher engagement rates and leave a lasting impression on everyone involved. On the flip side, physical events are much more expensive, limit audience size to venue capacities, and make tracking attendee actions a little more difficult.

Key Takeaways: Content365

The greatest advantage of Content365 is that you can sustain event engagement long after your actual event has ended. Unlike the other models, Content365 does not typically generate significant revenue, however, the prolonged availability of session and exhibitor content results in more views and serves as a great way to nurture leads.

To learn more about our virtual and hybrid offerings click here.