When planning an in-person event, one of the most frequently asked questions is whether there will be options for online participation. In today’s digital era, global audiences expect event organisers to provide remote access, and with the numerous benefits of hybrid events, it’s no wonder this question arises so often. However, many event organisers shy away from offering hybrid event services, missing out on the opportunity to engage online audiences in innovative ways.
At BeThere Global, we’ve been leading the way in delivering unique online events since 2008. One solution we find highly effective, yet often overlooked in hybrid event production, is recording live events and making the content available on-demand. While this may not provide a full hybrid experience, it still taps into many of the advantages of the hybrid event model. If you’re unable to host a fully live-streamed hybrid event, recording your sessions is a must. This approach adds immense value and provides new opportunities for both audience engagement and revenue generation.
Here are some key reasons why you should be recording your live event:
Your content deserves a larger audience
The valuable insights shared in your sessions should reach beyond the walls of the venue. If your content is powerful enough to draw people to a venue, it likely has great value in being shared online.
Whilst hybrid events are often live-streamed, recording your event will have the same impact in reaching potential audience’s post-event. By offering on-demand access to recordings, you allow those who couldn’t attend in person to benefit from your event at their convenience, no matter where they are in the world. This access allows your content to reach further audiences and have influence well beyond the event day.
Making your content accessible post-event also assists those who did attend in-person (it really is a win, win!). With one of the main drivers to attend an event being to network, it is more than likely that some delegates will miss talks due to catch-up coffees or taking meetings. Just because they are in the venue, doesn’t mean they are able to get to every session, especially if you have concurrent tracks in the agenda. Your content has great worth to these delegates and by allowing them access to recordings you are adding great value to their event experience.
Money, money, money…
Regarding value, recording your event doesn’t just benefit your audience – it can also help you, the event organiser, to generate additional revenue. Your event is centred around the important content that you deliver. In-person delegates often pay to attend a conference as well as spending on travel and accommodation. Your remote audience will similarly invest in gaining access to your valuable content post-event. Offering recorded sessions as paid content enables you to monetize your event even after it ends. Additionally, you can bundle recordings into membership packages or use them as part of a training course, turning a one-time event into a lasting source of income. As an online events organiser, this is a fantastic opportunity to keep your event alive and generating value long after the in-person gathering has ended.
Endless marketing potential
A library of event recordings provides a treasure trove of marketing material and in many cases, valuable educational material. You can extract key moments, panel discussions, or noteworthy speeches and turn them into bite-sized clips for social media, email campaigns, or promotional videos. These highlights are excellent for building brand awareness and increasing engagement. Additionally, you can transcribe recordings into blog posts, whitepapers, or other long-form content, enhancing your SEO efforts and keeping your event alive in the digital space long after it concludes.
Using recordings in these diverse ways means that the conversation doesn’t have to end when the event does. Sharing key takeaways, highlights, or even behind-the-scenes footage from the event keeps your audience engaged long after the day is over. Recordings help maintain a connection with your community and can be a powerful tool to promote future events, showcasing the quality and depth of your content. For some organisations, the recordings can become a valuable online learning resource.
Satisfy event sponsors
Event sponsors want measurable results and long-term visibility from their investment. By recording your event, you can provide a significant boost to sponsor visibility by extending the duration of the event well beyond the live dates and reaching a potentially much wider audience than that gathered in the conference centre!
Additionally, by taking your content online you can give sponsors a much clearer picture on the return on their investment by providing data as to who is watching and engaging with each sponsored session. This added value helps strengthen sponsor relationships encouraging their continued support.
Recording live events extends their value
Recording your live event is an effective way to extend its value far beyond the day itself. From expanding your audience and generating additional revenue to boosting marketing efforts, building educational resources and providing value to sponsors, the benefits are clear. By making event recordings a regular part of your strategy, you ensure that your event continues to deliver value long after the lights have dimmed.
Our clients have seen great success with recording events. One such client, The Biochemical Society, began their virtual event journey by recording events. The Society had a diverse event calendar featuring webinars, training days, and conferences throughout the year, with expert presentations and valuable content. However, once the events ended, the content was largely forgotten, leaving it underutilized. In 2013, the Society sought to maximize the educational and commercial value of this content and partnered with BeThere Global to solve the issue. We provided a cost-effective solution by recording high-definition videos of the events, allowing attendees to revisit or catch up on missed sessions online. This extended the content’s reach, enhanced learning opportunities, and increased the value of Society membership. If you would like to read more about our work with the Biochemical Society then you can check out our case study.
If you’re ready to explore how recording your live event can unlock new opportunities for engagement, profit, and audience growth, we’d love to help. Get in touch to learn more and discover how our expertise in organising unique online events can benefit your next event. You’ll be amazed at the results!
