Mastering the art of virtual and hybrid events: How BlueJeans by Verizon is changing the game

Events are a vital means of communication for organisations to connect with their stakeholders. Virtual events boomed when COVID struck and are now a staple of most business operations. But as a new normal settles in, events can be virtual, face to face or the new combination – hybrid. Whether it’s an all-hands call or customer advisory board, a product launch or large-scale training session, a financial update or an analyst briefing, many organisations are investing significant resources into hosting hybrid or virtual events each year – with varying success.

With so much money being spent on events, it’s essential to consider whether they deliver the intended results and explore how their effectiveness and efficiency can be improved.

Challenges organisations face with virtual and hybrid events

According to recent research from BlueJeans by Verizon, a leading provider of virtual event solutions, 23% of organisations spend between £50k to £100k on virtual and hybrid events annually, while 13% spend between £250k to £500k.

The fact that 41% of the respondents attend three or more large-scale virtual events per month demonstrates the growing significance of virtual and hybrid events.

Given this, it’s critical that businesses can show good results and value from their event investment.

BlueJeans Events and Studio is an all-in-one virtual and hybrid events solution that delivers a studio-grade, professional event experience designed to enable organisations to spend less of their budget on event production agencies and more on their core marketing activities, while still delivering polished, interactive and engaging virtual and hybrid events.

The advantages of BlueJeans Events and Studio

BlueJeans Events and Studio addresses the top three challenges organisations face when hosting virtual and hybrid events, namely ease of use, reliable performance, and audience engagement. These are critical factors that can make or break the success of a virtual or hybrid event. For instance, if the technology used to host an event is too complicated, it can lead to frustration among participants and reduce their engagement levels. Similarly, if the technology’s performance is unreliable, it can lead to disruptions and disconnections, causing participants to lose interest.

BlueJeans Events and Studio has features that keep the audience engaged and interacting throughout the event. This includes live polling, Q&A sessions, and social media integration. It allows organisations to customise virtual events with their branding, imagery, and content, creating a seamless experience for participants and reinforcing the brand’s identity. The solution also provides an all-in-one production and live-streaming capability, allowing organisations to manage their events from start to finish seamlessly.

BlueJean’s by Verizon Studio Dashboard. Source: BlueJeans by Verizon

One of the most significant advantages of BlueJeans Events and Studio is that it puts the event organiser(s) fully in control of the event. This means that they can manage the event in real-time and make adjustments as necessary to ensure a smooth experience for all participants. This level of control is essential in ensuring that virtual and hybrid events meet their objectives and provide value for money.

BlueJeans Events and Studio allows organisations to simultaneously livestream their virtual events to multiple platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, helping maximise and expand the event’s reach.

Connecting with fans: Brentford Football Club’s hybrid forum journey

As a BlueJeans by Verizon customer, Brentford Football Club values its fans’ support. The Fan Forum engages with senior representatives and provides insight into the club’s strategies. After a pandemic hiatus, the club expanded its reach by offering in-person and online attendance to the Forum, using BlueJeans Events and Studio.

The club transformed the Forum into a hybrid event, reigniting interest, attracting maximum attendees, and enhancing fans’ engagement. It used BlueJeans Events and Studio for a seamless experience, with support from a BlueJeans Events team.

Impressively, over 500 supporters attended, doubling the physical venue’s capacity due to online participation. Fans praised both in-person and online experiences and the club could focus on the event’s execution without any technical concerns. The Forum’s success has led Brentford to plan more hybrid events that let fans connect from anywhere.

Prominent personalities like Steven Bartlett, known for Diary of a CEO and Dragons’ Den, have opted for BlueJeans by Verizon due to its exceptional audio and video quality. As someone who frequently jumps from one virtual call to another, he knows the importance of having reliable communication tools, a sentiment that many of us can relate to.

“It’s the exact reason why I now choose BlueJeans by Verizon wherever I can – it’s guaranteed reliability, and high-quality connection is the best I’ve used,” said Bartlett. “I couldn’t recommend this enough – I used it recently for a 500+ person event, and the quality was unbelievable.”

It’s said that seeing and hearing is believing. Check out the Studio demo – so you can explore the capability yourself.