We are thrilled to reconnect with events expert Emma Pitts! She’s a regular workshop leader at EMERGE and was featured in the Fall 2020 Aspire Magazine on Technology and Events. In this exclusive interview, Emma helps us explore how events continue to change and evolve in a technological world.

Now that we are back to in-person meetings, why should planners still consider hosting hybrid events?

Hosting hybrid events remains extremely valuable, particularly for expanding audience reach. By utilizing live streaming, a larger audience can partake in your event than ever before. While the notion of "content is king" held sway in the past, the contemporary cornerstone for growth is owning network connections. To thrive in the event space, we must focus on making and fostering connections rather than just the quality of our content.

Let's take church attendance as an example; according to the Barna Group, the average attendee only goes twice a month to a church. Does this mean they aren't involved in what is happening within the congregation? Not necessarily; it just means they couldn't get there that Sunday. The same is true for your conference. You have people who don't come every year because, for whatever reason, they can't make it. Still, if you could increase the average attendance by adding streaming while delivering a great experience, you can grow your audience.

According to The Content Trap: A Strategist Guide to Digital Change, by embracing both the physical and virtual dimensions, planners ensure expansive networking opportunities and claim ownership of a powerful synergy—enabling engagement with individuals irrespective of geographical boundaries or logistical constraints. This holistic approach, owning both the network connection and its complementary influence, exemplifies a visionary event strategy, promoting inclusivity while magnifying the event's overarching reach and impact. I strongly recommend reading The Content Trap by Bharat Anand for further insight.

What are you learning about engagement in hybrid and virtual events?

When we think about streaming events, we should consider measuring engagement by how many people watch for how long. As you know, retaining attention is becoming increasingly more challenging. In 2004, individuals could focus on a video for about 2.5 minutes. Fast-forward to 2023, our attention spans have plummeted to approximately 47 seconds, according to psychologist Dr. Gloria Mark.

While quantity has increased – HubSpot reports that people spend an average of 19 hours per week viewing digital content – viewing duration has diminished. Only 12% of viewers watch more than 12 minutes of content, regardless of platform. Viewers watch an average of 50-60% of the total length of a YouTube video.

Given these insights, hosting successful virtual events demands reimagining traditional event structures. An effective approach involves segmenting content into shorter, compelling bursts that can be streamed together. Moreover, offering on-demand access to content acknowledges the reality of limited attention spans and allows attendees to engage at their convenience.

In addition to measuring engagement by the reach and duration, we should also consider measuring by action. The best way to call people to action is to pick one thing we desire for people to do or one place to interact.

We often believe that the more options we provide, the more engagement will increase. So, we call people to participate in networking rooms, breakout sessions, chat segments, second screens, and the like. Not only does this get overwhelming, but many people are doing other things and multitasking while watching a streaming event. You know this is true because we've all done this! In fact, I just interrupted my typing of this answer to look something up!

As meeting planners, we need to adjust our expectations for engagement. We will see better engagement by simplifying options and driving all attention, traffic, and calls to action to one place.

We all value the experience of meeting in person. But our reach will be greater if we fully commit to meeting our audience where and how they are already engaging.

What is next for events? What changes do you see in the next five years?

As technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) progress, a new era of online events is on the horizon. AI will play a pivotal role in facilitating meaningful networking connections. In the not-so-distant future, perhaps even in the coming months, meeting planners will experience the convenience of uploading their event requirements through RFPs. AI will seamlessly generate recommendations without the planners engaging in time-consuming research. Moreover, this innovative capability will extend beyond event recommendations, seamlessly integrating with networking and trade shows to optimize attendee interactions and create enhanced experiences. If this isn't already in development, I just gave away a million-dollar idea!

I believe we will see a future of events where people can attend virtually in a 3D space for trade shows and meetings. With Apple coming out with their new VR headset, we will see more and more trade shows in the coming years start to offer 3D tours, 'touch and feel.' AI and VR will make attending in-person events a luxury and a distinct experience, among others.

Six Keys to Hybrid Events Events in 2023

Have an online host! Most of the time, the instructions you give your in-person audience differ from those of online.
Invest in a jib camera. A jib camera helps to show your audience what's happening in the room up close and as a whole. Varied shots allow viewers to see the crowd's emotions that mirror their own and feel more connected to the experience.
Track how long people watch. Duration data (obtainable by unique IP addresses) provides all kinds of information helpful for programming decisions, such as how long people tuned in to a session, what time they started, and when you had the most people online.
Negotiate the internet with the venue. Hotels and convention centers will charge extra for a dedicated line for streaming. Even if you are only considering streaming your event, negotiate that cost upfront. Ask for 30 Mbps up and down and a dedicated line for streaming. With this level of bandwidth, you shouldn't run into any issues with the right equipment.
Stream part of the conference. Limit your virtual experience to only the elements that will work well online. The online and in-person experiences are and should be different, and that is okay! Offer incentives and additional content just for those who are joining online.
Create more moments of interest. We like to call these "pop-ups." Remember VH1's Pop-Up Video with all the fun facts? We should also add "pops" of information on the screen. Video needs interesting elements to sustain the attention of the audience. Include fun facts about your speakers, event, audience, etc.

EMMA PITTS

Emma is the CEO and Founder of PullSpark, Georgia's only certified female-led event production company. PullSpark is an award-winning event and film agency in Atlanta, GA, producing virtual events, videos, and experiences for brands such as Delta, The Home Depot, The Home Depot Foundation, Chick-fil-A, Panda Express, Venture Atlanta and John C. Maxwell Co. PullSpark believes that the greatest ROI of any content is the memory it makes, that's why they like to call themselves: Memory Makers. PullSpark is hired to advise people on what to say and how to say it on screen and stage.

Emma is a true entrepreneur at heart. When not building PullSpark, Emma is working on producing a Broadway musical, Unfinished Dreams, which she hopes to workshop in Atlanta in 2024. In addition, Emma is working on her first short film and long-form documentary.

Emma gives back to the community through PullSpark by fully funding video work for Atlanta Children's Shelter and sits on the Board of Directors. Emma is highly involved with the Metro Atlanta Chamber. She wants to help grow Atlanta as a hub for young entrepreneurs. She is passionate about mentorship and works with several young professionals interested in starting their own business.