As the Covid-19 pandemic winds down, the world is adjusting back to a new normal: borders are reopening, limits to gathering sizes are being relaxed, and the world is learning to live in this new post-pandemic world.
Organisers are finally going to be able to host live events – music festivals, seminars, conventions, networking events, and many more. People are also getting out of their homes to attend these events after a two-year hiatus.
The limitations on physical gatherings due to the pandemic have forced us to think out of the box and be creative with socially distanced activities. Rather than being a fringe option, virtual events have become a valuable risk mitigation strategy, helping to future-proof against uncertainty whether that uncertainty comes from pandemics, travel restrictions, war or some other unexpected circumstance.
However, real connection is an ever-present need despite the virtual bridges we’ve created during the pandemic. Moving forward does not mean that virtual is the only way to host an event, especially when people want more options and personalisation.
Now, we are looking into a future that will be filled with a mix of live, virtual, and hybrid events.
Organising events is no easy task
Although virtual events may feel cumbersome at first due to the need for some digital skills, the benefits of a virtual event do tend to outweigh a physical one.
For organisers, there is no need to enforce limitations on attendees, so they can effectively have unlimited footfall and higher returns on investment. Cutting down on large and often expensive venues while attracting more people makes economic sense after all.
For attendees, virtual events mean that travelling costs are no longer a prohibitive barrier to attending them. Attending an event from the comfort of your own home also means greater ease, and you are also able to record and watch events on demand at your own convenience and pace.
However, organising, planning, and improving live virtual and hybrid events could prove to be a task that is beyond the capabilities of event professionals. Higher footfall for online events also means more data, but data alone cannot analyse itself. Tech platforms also have to work on several integrations, requiring the right technical expertise.
Additionally, it could be challenging for event organisers to keep attendees engaged. It is, after all, challenging to keep spectators glued to a screen. Attendees who are disengaged will drop off quickly, resulting in poor event outcomes.
But what if there was a platform that could not only help organisers host events and keep attendees deeply engaged, but assist in connecting organisers to experts, planning the event, and analysing success through data analytics, and ultimately help you run the event smoothly and seamlessly?
Event tech platforms are the way forward
This is where leading event tech platform Hubilo comes in.
“At Hubilo, what matters to us is how we bring organisers together. Our direction is based on return of investment (ROI), and we constantly think of how features can bring more value to organisers by driving the right engagement and creating more immersive experiences,” said Mayank Agarwal, Hubilo’s co-founder and Chief Technology Officer.
To create a platform that comprehensively addresses the industry’s needs, Hubilo did one of the things it does best – it listened. With Hubilo’s rich expertise in the events space and feedback from both organisers and attendees, it was able to create a platform that fosters organic human connections through the reimagination of events.
“It’s challenging to keep spectators glued to a screen. Attendees who are disengaged will drop off quickly, resulting in poor event outcomes. One particular problem is that when switching between screens, attendees can quickly lose interest. Disengagement is therefore an important issue that needs to be dealt with. Events are only successful when attendees are satisfied, so why would they be satisfied if they did not build a connection during the session?” shared Mayank.
Hubilo’s platform is built for both organisers and attendees. It allows event organisers to create an event that meets their vision and objectives, and still caters to greater engagement, connections and footfall. Apart from virtual events, Hubilo has also led the charge in embracing hybrid events, where both live and virtual events are combined.
The platform is also able to cater to a wide range of events – according to what their clients need – and the ideas are limitless. Clients have tapped on the platform to host marriages, live surgeries, sales kick-offs, education summits, trade and job fairs, town halls, and even a DJ party, among many others. Hubilo closely works with event organisers to bring their creative visions into reality.
It amazes me that the Hubilo platform can be used in so many diverse ways. Personally, I love the town halls we host on Hubilo. It is incredible to witness how all of us located across three different continents and countries are able to connect and engage on one single platform.
We have started catering to physical events now, but organisers are also continuing to ask for virtual and hybrid events. The market is shifting, but still not completely.
– Mayank Agarwal, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Hubilo
As a testament to its success, Hubilo has already held more than 12,500 events since April 2020 for over 1,000 clients across more than 100 countries leading to over 100 million event engagements.
The technology behind Hubilo
Creating a one-of-a-kind experience for attendees is made possible by the technology that drives immersion and engagement.
Hubilo’s full suite of technological innovations and consistent client success support enables organisers to move away from cookie-cutter events and build an immersive event experience for their attendees. With unparalleled experience in all types of events, Hubilo makes everything from event planning to execution hassle-free, with assistance for onboarding, contacts, and others.
Its intuitive interface features a side panel that facilitates live interaction amongst attendees, sponsors, hosts, and speakers across event sections. Sponsors can also gain visibility, attract, and connect with prospects through booths, rooms, and lounges. Furthermore, its comprehensive analytics and lead scoring features simplify measuring and optimise event outcomes.
Session chats allow audiences to interact with the speaker and other attendees in real time, responding to questions, polls, surveys, and messages. There are also interactive rooms and lounges encouraging participation and one-on-one interactions.
The integration of gamification features also drives deeper engagement. Something simple as having selfie contests and quizzes, and keeping track of activity through a leaderboard can help drive more interactions and even nudge attendees to check out important event happenings. Data generated from these activities enable organisers to see which sessions engaged attendees best, and better design future events that cater to their attendees’ preferences.
Whether it’s a virtual or hybrid event, we help you deliver value to your attendees, sponsors, and exhibitors. Hubilo’s engagement suite lets you provide an enthralling event experience to your attendees and make them return for more. By having a wide variety of engagement options, it enables event organisers to appeal to a wide variety of audiences and different types of events.
– Mayank Agarwal, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Hubilo
With hybrid events gaining traction, ensuring that both the virtual and in-person audiences truly connect is crucial. Hubilo also has a mobile app that enables in-person and virtual audiences to identify and connect from any location.
What’s more, its hybrid solution enhances the event experience, advances audience engagement, and delivers seamless integration.
The support does not end when the last attendee leaves the room. With Hubilo, organisers can better understand attendees through data analytics that can be customised to what organisers want to see.
Organisers can simply define Key Performance Indicators that they wish to track success by, and Hubilo will do the rest. These indicators can range from something as concrete as which booths were the most popular during an event, to complex ones such as how many attendees enjoyed a certain segment of the event.
A trusted and proven platform
As one of the industry’s largest event tech companies, Hubilo’s arsenal of engagement innovations and technological improvements to the events industry has attracted a large number of notable clients.
These clients include Mercedes, PropertyGuru, AVIXA, Enterprise Singapore, Maersk Shipping, Infocomm Asia Pte Ltd, Smartly.io, Walmart, AB InBev, Roche Pharma, TedX, Stanford, Acronis, Deloitte, and many more across Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and the United States.
These companies don’t have to be the only ones with access to Hubilo. Anyone can host events on Hubilo, and it is happy to help clients plan and strategise the entire event with its award-winning client experience team.
Hubilo already has the experience in running a plethora of events on its report card, so you can be assured it knows how to make your event run in the way you want it. Visit Hubilo today and see what they can do for you and your events.
This article was written in collaboration with Hubilo.
Featured Image Credit: Hubilo
