How to run an online event: reaching your audience
At the Royal Academy of Dance, we know that crafting a successful event means thinking beyond the room you’re in. In part three of our series on how to run an event, we explore how to broaden your reach and build experiences through online and hybrid formats.
As the event landscape evolves, blending in-person experiences with digital access is no longer optional – it’s an opportunity to extend your impact, increase inclusivity, and futureproof your event strategy.
In-person vs. online or hybrid: which format fits your event?
The format of your event should always reflect your goals, your audience, and your available resources. While in-person events offer valuable networking and immersive experiences, online and hybrid events open new doors to accessibility, scale, and long-term engagement.
According to research by Eventbrite and Markletic, 73% of event organisers believe hybrid events will continue to be important to their strategy post-pandemic, while 86% of B2B organisations report a positive ROI from hybrid event models.
Online/hybrid benefits:
- Global reach: Platforms such as Medici TV show how digital content can engage international audiences in meaningful ways.
- Increased sponsor visibility: A larger digital audience means broader exposure, better value for sponsors, and increased future funding potential.
- Greater accessibility: Hybrid models remove physical, financial, and geographical barriers, promoting diversity and inclusion.
- Sustained content value: With recordings, your event’s impact can live on well beyond the day itself—ideal for marketing, education, and CPD.
Common Pitfalls:
- Technical complexity: Streaming a successful event online requires careful planning, expertise, and strong partnerships.
- Increased costs: Production quality matters. Investing or hiring in AV teams, platforms, and moderators is key – but comes with budget implications.
- Split focus: Hybrid delivery means serving two audiences with different needs, expectations, and engagement styles.
- Unpredictability: Even the best-laid plans can suffer tech hiccups. As Harvard Business Review notes, managing risk and planning for failure is part of the game. Read more.
How to run an online event (and still make it personal)
Technology is your backbone, but people are still your focus. Here are some thoughts on how to bring it all together:
- Work with trusted tech partners
Build relationships with experienced AV and tech professionals who understand event production, not just streaming. A smooth run-of-show depends on it.
- Test everything – then test again
Do dry runs with every presenter, moderator, and AV team member. Check all tech under the same conditions as the live event. This helps minimise last-minute stress.
- Choose user-friendly platforms
Think accessibility and ease of use. Platforms like Zoom, Hopin, and Teams Live Events are familiar to many and provide reliable infrastructure for both webinars and live streams.
Keeping it human: creating connection at scale
Just because your audience is behind a screen doesn’t mean your event can’t feel personal.
- Welcome both audiences: Acknowledge in-person and online attendees equally. Make online guests feel part of the experience from the first moment.
- Use interactivity: Live chats, polls, and breakout rooms can transform passive viewers into active participants.
- Double up on support: Assign a team member to manage online engagement and troubleshooting in real time.
A successful hybrid event in action
In 2024, the Royal Academy of Dance hosted its annual Members’ Day as a hybrid event. With hundreds attending from around the world, the event combined in-person workshops with streamed sessions, interactive Q&As, and online networking lounges. The result? An award-winning experience recognised as Best Hybrid Experience by Cvent Excellence Awards.
We’re proud to have demonstrated how hybrid formats can widen access, boost engagement, and still deliver the energy of an in-person experience.
Ready to run your own hybrid event?
If you’re planning your next event and want to create something inclusive, impactful, and globally connected, we’d love to welcome you for a site visit at our London headquarters.
Explore the Aud Jebsen Studio Theatre, our versatile studios, and discover how we can support your event—whether online, in-person, or both.
Contact our events team: hires@rad.org.uk
