What is Hybrid Event Marketing?
Hybrid event marketing incorporates a variety of marketing tactics to enhance the event experience. This can include interactive experiences, social media, and fan engagement. activities.
In fact, the events of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia incorporated a number of hybrid marketing strategies that included :
- A campaign with footballers Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi where they appeared to promote the brand using their individual social media accounts, and
- the use of advanced 3D mapping technology to provide a real ‘experience’ before matches using augmented reality.
Hybrid event marketing combines two or more different marketing methods to promote a product or service.
One of the most common examples of hybrid event marketing is when a conference, is used to promote the launch of a new product. Other examples include:
- A sporting event being used to promote the sale of tickets for another sporting event
- Maybe, a concert being used to promote the release of an album
- or perhaps, a party being used to advertise a new store location
Why Hybrid Marketing for Events?
“Hybrid events are a great way to generate buzz.”
Many organizations use hybrid events to generate buzz around their brand and product. A hybrid event is a combination of an immersive experience and a live performance.
“60% of leadership believe that events are the most critical marketing channel for achieving business goals” – (https://www.bizzabo.com/blog/event-marketing-statistics)
The immersive experience can be as simple as a guest wearing a VR headset and exploring an AI-generated fictional world. Or, it can be as complex as building a full-scale replica of the Titanic that’s fully functional.
The live performance element can be anything from a traditional concert to an interactive circus show.
A hybrid event marketing strategy is an effective way for brands to engage with their target audience. It allows them to easily cater to the different needs of different customers and increase the chances of making a sale.
The use of hybrid event marketing can help businesses make the most out of their events by linking them with their digital campaigns. It also helps to create a smooth transition between offline events and online campaigns by using technology such as QR codes, digital signage, and interactive displays.
Hybrid event marketing is crucial to businesses because it helps them connect with their target audience. It allows companies to take events that are already occurring in the world and bring them into the digital realm so they can easily cater to the different needs of different customers. This strategy also increases the chances of making a sale by offering exclusive content for those who attend an event in person, as well as a wide range of offers for those who follow along online.
How to Use Hybrid Marketing
With the rise of social media, event marketing has shifted from creating a destination event to creating a destination experience.
For some, this shift has been in response to the idea that consumers are more focused on the experience and less on the product. For others, it’s simply a more cost-effective way to engage consumers. Regardless of the reasoning, event marketing is not a static practice and has evolved to include digital and interactive components.
A hybrid approach to event marketing incorporates traditional methods with new and digital ones (read our blog Event Marketing Trends in Post-COVID era).
The most common digital components are live streaming, geo-targeting, gamification, and user-generated content.
How to Measure Marketing Success ?
There are many success factors that are important to measure hybrid event marketing. We share some of the most important factors:
1. Event Engagement
2. Event participation
3. Participation in social media before, during, and after the event
4. Length of campaign
5. Number of attendees
6. Number of leads generated
7. Volume of sales generated
8. Share-of-voice on social media for the event
9. Engagement on social media for the event
As in every marketing campaign, you first need to set goals. Here are a few questions to ask yourself. They might help you come up with some strategies.
- What do you want attendees to do after attending your event?
- Do you want them to take one specific action, like buying tickets to your next event?
- Or, do you want them to sign up for your newsletter?
- And also, do you want them to try your products?
- Or, do you want them to try your service?
- Do you want them to share with you their feedback?
Conclusion and Takeaways
Hybrid event marketing is the integration of digital, experiential, and live events to create a more personalized experience for customers.
Brands are able to post about events and activities with the hope of drawing in potential customers, and those who show interest can personalize their experience by ultimately being on-site at the event. This type of marketing strategy is used across many different industries, including music festivals, sports arenas, athletic teams, and art galleries.
There are several studies that compare events – ones that rely heavily on digital marketing to ones that focus on the live experience. Some studies have shown that companies that rely heavily on digital marketing strategy are more likely to draw in customers, but those who invest in a broader approach to their events will ultimately see higher profits.
In conclusion, hybrid event marketing can be a powerful and effective way to reach your target audience and achieve your marketing goals. By combining the benefits of in-person and virtual events, you can create a unique and engaging experience that resonates with your audience.
If you are interested in exploring the possibilities of hybrid event marketing for your business or organization, we encourage you to contact us. Our team of experts can help you plan and execute a successful hybrid event that will drive results and reach your desired outcomes. Don’t wait – get in touch with us today to start planning your hybrid event marketing campaign!
