Everyone is talking about hybrid events. No matter where you look, whether in trade journals, on event blogs, in corporate blogs on numerous event platforms and providers of interaction tools - providers and planners are reporting on hybrid events everywhere. They really are the supreme discipline for event planners, as they are ultimately two events in one. The face-to-face event and the event on the participants' screens. Perhaps you feel the same way: the longer you think about it, question providers and calculate their costs, the bigger the question marks become. But it doesn't have to be that way. Hybrid events can also be planned and realised relatively easily and achieve a wide reach at the same time. How? We'll show you in this blog post.

A hybrid event as a satellite event

Firstly, let us briefly clarify the terms.

Hybrid event: A hybrid event combines an in-person event and an online event. This means that there are participants on site as well as those on the screens. The audience ratio and the respective interactions and authorisations are completely open and any combination is conceivable. This is probably what makes a hybrid event so challenging for many planners.

Satellite event: A satellite event is one that takes place simultaneously at several locations under one event title or motto. A well-known example of this is a music festival that takes place in several locations in one city.

As a planner, you can combine these two event formats to create a hybrid satellite event.

The advantages of a hybrid satellite event

Compared to a classic presence event, you can reach significantly more people with a satellite event that takes place at several locations. After all, you can hold the event at the main location as well as at any number of other locations. In addition, the hybrid event allows you to reach numerous participants at their screens.

In addition, a hybrid satellite event - if you have designed it well - can significantly reduce the strain on your budget. This is because you no longer have to move from location to location with your event and your messages as you would with a typical roadshow. This eliminates the costs and effort involved in transporting materials, technology and the entire crew. All that remains of a classic roadshow is the hire fee for the respective location. If you can organise the satellite event on the premises of your own branches or network partners, this budget item is also eliminated.

Another advantage of a hybrid satellite event is that your participants can decide for themselves whether they want to be on site or on the computer. This allows you to fulfil the needs of every type of participant. Those who prefer face-to-face small talk can attend on site and those who prefer to watch from the comfort of their sofa or desk can do that too.

The realisation of your hybrid satellite event

You are probably wondering how you can implement such a hybrid satellite event in practice. It's easier than you might think.

All you need is a central event location, the "event hub", which is equipped with a main stage and classic audio-video technology for live streaming. In addition to corona-compliant seating and catering, you also need a connecting element for the participants

• on site at the satellite hub,
• in the satellite locations and
• on the computers in the offices.

Support from TEDME

TEDME is ideally suited for such a connecting element, as TEDME can be used by your participants in any browser without any installation.

Whoever is on site opens tedme.com and enters the session code you provided. That's it. He or she can now take part in all votes, Votingssurveys, word clouds, Quizzes, Q&A rounds and much more and uses very little data volume and very little energy on your smartphone or tablet.

The participants at the screens have access to exactly the same functionalities via a browser or via the TEDME integrated into your event platform. Configure your online event or livestream as usual and then integrate TEDME into the digital platform of your choice via iframe. You're ready to go.

The good thing about using TEDME is that all participants access the same application at the same time. Regardless of whether they are in the central event location, in one of the satellite locations or on the computer.

Support through audio-video technology at the satellite locations

Integrating TEDME into hybrid satellite events is really child's play. Now you just need to take care of the audio-video technology at the main and satellite locations. If possible, choose a main stage that is very well lit and has excellent sound transmission technology. This is the central element of your hybrid event. Make sure that everyone can hear and see the speeches from here. If your budget allows, you should also install a second or third camera and thus perspective.

At the satellite locations, all you need now is a technician and the technology to receive the stream, i.e. a large screen plus projector or a large screen and a stable internet connection. You play the presentations from your central hub on the screen.

If you want to intensify the interaction between the participants in the hub and at the decentralised locations, you can also use a moderator equipped with a video camera and a microphone with a windscreen for live contributions from the audience. In this case, you will need someone at the satellite locations to ensure that your video conference at the centre is set up cleanly and on time. As you can see, this is where things get more complex. But we want to give you the idea in any case.

Networking at a hybrid satellite event

Probably the simplest networking option for such a hybrid satellite event is to divide the audience into three groups:

• Networking on site,
• and networking at the satellite locations,
• and networking at the screens.

The first two groups network in the same way as you would at a traditional face-to-face event. For the third group of participants, you can either use the event platform of your choice or one of the video conferencing solutions specially developed for networking, such as wonder, spatial or trember.

Conclusion

Hybrid events can be very complex. However, those who focus on the core functions and elements of their event can achieve both greater reach and cost savings. Networking is particularly important at a hybrid satellite event. Make sure there is a connecting element, e.g. a digital solution such as TEDME.

Do you have any questions? Or would you like to use an interactive solution for your event? Then please contact us.

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Regardless of whether incidences are skyrocketing or you simply have little lead time for your next general meeting, in this article we will show you how to quickly and legally implement your general meeting online with TEDME - or the online part for your hybrid meeting.

First clarify the organisational aspects of the general meeting

The most important thing comes first: all organisational issues relating to your general meeting. You probably know your articles of association and the regulations for your meeting inside out. Just to be on the safe side, take another look and check whether you have thought of all the formalities.

Especially if you want or need to switch quickly from a physical event to a virtual version, you should definitely clarify whether or how you can

• have to adjust the agenda once again,
• should adjust the original timetable for each agenda item or vote,
• have to send out the invitation again,
• the speakers online,
• weighted votes or voting proxies must be taken into account.

Once you have clarified all this, you can move your virtual general meeting to the Internet in just a few hours - with TEDME.

Upload the list of participants and set up voting questions

It's really quite simple. All we need from you is a list of possible participants and their voting weights. If someone is unable to vote, simply enter a zero in the corresponding table cell of your list.

In addition, we need the questions you wish to vote on, as well as the possible answers and answer options: Are multiple answers permitted? Is only one answer valid?

You can find out more about authenticated participants in the module TEDME Auth.

Remember the Q&A session and participant questions

When moving your meeting online, ask yourself how you want to organise the Q&A session and where the participants' questions should be received and collected. In an already organised event platform or simply via TEDME? In addition to the technical issues, also consider organisational and time-related aspects.

How long should the Q&A session last? How do you want to collect the questions - moderated, anonymous or open for all to see? Anything is possible with TEDME, the important thing is that you decide.

An open submission of questions ensures more participant activity and therefore a more lively meeting. On the other hand, with a moderated session chat or anonymously submitted questions via the TEDME Q&A module, you can better control which content is used during the meeting.

Streaming or a video conference?

You also need an online solution for broadcasting images and sound. A stream is always suitable if you expect many members, want to produce a high-quality broadcast image and are focussing on presentations rather than joint discussions.

If the group is smaller and an exchange with image and sound in both directions is to take place during the entire event, a video conferencing solution is more suitable.

Whatever you choose, you can integrate both in TEDME with just one click.

In both cases, remember to activate the recording or order it from your service provider. This will make it easier for you to take minutes and possibly record individual passages from the meeting for the production of a video trailer for the next general meeting.

The complete general meeting in a single tool

You can either integrate TEDME into your existing event platform or, conversely, integrate other tools, such as the video conferencing solution, into TEDME. Both directions are possible - thanks to iframes and APIs from TEDME.

The IDs of your participants' names are also transferred and nobody has to register twice or download another tool. This is a real plus point for our voting solution, especially at general meetings where elections and voting are involved and you don't want to lose anyone.

Receive a simple briefing

To ensure that you set up your virtual general meeting correctly, we will provide you with a brief, simple introduction to the tool. Alternatively, we can take over the implementation for you - just as you like and need it. Many organisers make use of this service from us, especially for their first event. After that, most of them are able to do it all by themselves, because our tool is really very easy to use.

How quickly your general meeting is online

It depends a little on how advanced your overall planning already is. However, TEDME can be set up very quickly. It can be set up and ready for use in around 48 hours before your event.

Admittedly: That's already pretty tight. If anything changes here or internal questions arise, things can get hectic for you as a planner. It is technically possible from our side. However, we recommend that you allow for a little more time.

All other events are online even faster

Did we just talk about a time buffer? You can reduce this even further at an event without official elections or voting. After all, nobody has to upload or check a correct list of participants and votes.

Conclusion

Do you want or need to get your general meeting online quickly? Either as a purely virtual event or as a hybrid event? With TEDME, you can do this in just a few hours - legally compliant and convenient for your participants. Contact us right away so that we can set up a demo account for you and you can get started as quickly as possible.

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