Running a Seamless Hybrid Event – Bringing us together.

We were approached by Perago (because we’re pros), to run a one-of-a-kind hybrid event. It was to be hosted in two locations, and online, running simultaneously at opposite ends of the country. But that’s not all.. The event would be bilingual, with translation and there would be food and drink for those in-person and online. Sounds like it might be extremely difficult to pull off, right? Not with a platform that can handle the heat.

After a meal in a local pub and a night in a very rural caravan, we were up bright and early for the National Eisteddfod, Wales’ biggest festival and one of the largest cultural celebrations in Europe. Parking a whole two (or three) fields away from the Science and Technology village meant almost closing our three rings and hitting our step count for the day before 10am (Won’t be a problem for a hybrid event).

We set up the stall and after the essential coffee run, we got chatting to the lovely people of the Eisteddfod. There was a constant stream of potential event attendees and there was lots of opportunity to chat to event hosts looking for a hybrid solution! It was amazing to see so many people understanding and wanting to be involved in hybrid events.

After a huge amount of hard work from the team here, Haia was ready to be put to the test on the 24th of June. The event consisted of 25 people in person at M-SParc on Anglesey, 33 people in the Senedd in Cardiff, and 48 people online via our platform, Haia.

It kicked off with an intro from Victoria of Perago, followed by Glyn Jones, Welsh Government Chief Digital Officer on the stage in the Senedd, and up here in the North, Pryderi Ap Rhisiart and Rhun Ap Iorweth AS/MS for Ynys Mon.

The platform was able to facilitate 8 breakout sessions to allow the Haia participants to network effectively. There were also QR codes dotted around the venue so that those in-person could network online – a huge success in getting those online involved and letting them know that they’re included in the event and not just a bystander.

Online and Live Event Tips

And we want to show you how to host a hybrid event, and to make it just as successful.

Some key points to take away:

  • Make sure you have a reliable platform. It might help to have Haia helpers behind the scenes to ensure that the speaker can get on with their live performance.
  • Ensure translation is available for those that need it. Our platform facilitates seamless translation.
  • Make sure online attendees feel included. Perago organised a little hamper from Castle Hampers Wales for everybody attending virtually.
  • Organisation is key. When undertaking any event, it’s really important to be as organised as you possibly can, and communicate effectively.

If you feel you’re ready to master your first event, you can take the plunge and create your Haia account. Or if you want to arm yourself with some more of our tips and tricks, you can see some of the ways Haia does events differently, with the audience always at the heart.

About Tom

CEO & Co-Founder

Tom is passionate about events on Haia, especially esports. Tom enjoys swimming and climbing in his spare time. Get in touch with him to discuss any events you'd like to run!

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