From associations trying to broadcast their virtual events to as many viewers as possible to nonprofits putting a spin on their hybrid fundraisers, live streaming has become a staple of the virtual and hybrid event world.
Furthermore, as these event types grow in popularity, virtual and hybrid event platforms have evolved to include a host of other features to enhance the classic live streaming experience. If you’re on the hunt for live streaming tools to improve your next event offering, then look no further! We’ve compiled the top platforms to engage your audience, live stream your activities, and take your virtual and hybrid events to new heights.
In this guide, we’ll cover live streaming virtual and hybrid events through the following points:
- The Basics: An Overview of Event Streaming
- Top Tools for Streaming Virtual & Hybrid Events
- Pathable: The Ultimate Virtual & Hybrid Event Platform
- Hoppier
- Wonder
- ARHT Media Inc.
- Social Media Streaming
- Snapbar
- Gamerjibe
- The Sketch Effect
- Miro
- SpatialChat
- Mesh
Let’s dive in with a brief overview of event streaming and important features to look for in virtual & hybrid event platforms.
The Basics: An Overview of Event Streaming
Before diving headfirst into shopping for the perfect event platform, it’s important to get a better understanding of what an event platform is meant to do and how it can help your organization.
What is a platform for live streaming virtual events?
A virtual event live streaming platform is a tool used by event organizers to upload, host, and broadcast videos of their events. These streams are used for a variety of reasons, from engaging remote audience members to advertising the event to the public.
Furthermore, while there are platforms that exclusively offer live streaming, there are also more comprehensive virtual and hybrid event platforms that also have live streaming as one of their features.
A virtual and hybrid event platform is a type of event software that allows you to manage and administer your virtual or hybrid event. Far more robust than a simple live streaming platform, these full-service event platforms offer a wide range of tools to enhance the event experience, such as:
- Live-streaming
- Breakout spaces
- Gamification
- Polling & Q&A
- Virtual meetings
- Virtual booths
With a full suite of dedicated engagement tools, the benefits that these virtual and hybrid event platforms offer extend well beyond just live streaming.
What should you look for in a platform for live streaming hybrid events?
Whether you’re searching for a simple event live streaming platform or a more intuitive and versatile virtual and hybrid event platform, be on the lookout for the following characteristics before investing in a virtual and hybrid event tool:
- Easy to use
- Scalable
- Within your budget
- Customizability
No matter how promising an event tool may look, it’s going to hurt you in the long run if your team and attendees are struggling to use it, it’s not able to grow and change with your organization, or it costs you an exorbitant amount of money to use.
While special capabilities like polling or virtual booths will vary by platform, these basic accessibility and usability characteristics should be native to whatever platform or tool you choose.
Top Tools for Live Streaming Virtual & Hybrid Events
Ready to revolutionize your approach to virtual and hybrid events? Take a look at our list of the top-performing event live streaming and virtual and hybrid event platforms, all of which should be easily accessible, customizable, and scalable solutions within your organization’s budget.
1. Pathable: The Ultimate Virtual & Hybrid Event Platform
Pathable is an all-in-one virtual and hybrid event platform made to maximize attendee engagement for any organization. This thoughtfully-designed solution is made with you, the event organizer, in mind. It offers complete ease of use and a vast array of tools for you to level up the event management process and improve attendee experiences.
Just take a look at a few of the features that make up Pathable’s comprehensive toolkit of intuitive event technology:
- Live streaming, pre-recorded content, and on-demand videos
- Virtual trade shows, exhibitors, and sponsor ROI measuring capabilities
- Platform compatibility with any device browser
- A mobile event app, with simple set-up and coded customization
- Live polling and session surveys
- Chat rooms, video forums, and attendee-to-attendee networking
- Badge and ticket scanning
- Event data tracking and reportage
Additionally, Pathable offers integrated social media widgets, allowing you to track event hashtags, posts, and publicity in real time.
What is this event streaming platform best for?
Pathable’s virtual and hybrid event platform is the ideal, full-service event solution. No matter your organization, the content of your event, or the make-up of event attendees, Pathable is our top choice for event organizers searching for a platform that can truly do it all.
Want to learn more about Pathable’s all-in-one virtual and hybrid event software? Book a free demo today! Book a demo.
2. Hoppier
Hoppier is a virtual and hybrid event software that seeks to enhance engagement with physical experiences, as well as classic virtual event features. Hoppier users are issued virtual credit cards, giving them access to a host of partnered vendors that will deliver products to remote attendees. Above all else, Hoppier hopes to create a truly engaging, hybrid event experience with:
- Customizable vendor menus for easy attendee food selection
- Live streaming and virtual group or one-on-one chatting
- Personalized gift and product deliveries
With Hoppier’s streamlined product and vendor delivery system, the attendee experience is put front and center.
What is this event streaming platform best for?
This virtual event platform is optimized for organizers that want to quickly and easily deliver physical experiences, namely food and vendor products, to their attendees’ doorsteps.
3. Wonder
The Wonder virtual and hybrid event live streaming platform is made to shake up and improve networking between your attendees. Within Wonder, attendees are able to navigate a 2D space that shows labeled circles of conversation, such as “emerging trends in nursing,” and jump into these breakout sessions. Moving freely between the main presentation stage and these flat, accessible bubbles of collaboration, attendees are able to easily take charge of their networking experiences.
Here are a few of our favorite features from this unique virtual event and networking tool.
- A unique, navigable 2D digital venue
- Spaces and Circles, which are scalable, customizable networking groups
- A configurable presentation stage for presenter live streaming & updates
Encouraging conversation and engagement between attendees is a major hurdle for event organizers. With Wonder, you can overcome this challenge with ease.
What is this event streaming platform best for?
Above all else, Wonder is built to provide a streamlined, engaging networking experience between attendees. If your main goal is to provide a smaller and more intimate event with an interactive and accessible networking experience, Wonder may be a good fit.
4. ARHT Media Inc.
As a part of the Holopresnece network, the ARHT Media Inc. virtual and hybrid event platform boasts unique access to hologram and green screen event technology. A pioneer in the field of hologram event broadcasting, ARHT Medic Inc. seeks to enrich the virtual and hybrid event experience by allowing presenters to live stream holographic displays of themselves to remote and in-person attendees through:
- Holopod displays: virtual, life-size display boards showcasing live or pre-recorded presenters
- Capture studio: a temporary or permanent green screen recording studio able to capture and transmit live speakers to display boards and the ARHT platform
- The Virtual Global Stage: a customizable, virtual presentation stage with green screen and holographic production capabilities
At the cutting edge of event hologram technology, ARHT Media Inc. is designed to dazzle and engage event attendees with a near 3D, live event experience.
What is this event streaming platform best for?
ARHT Media Inc. is well-suited for event organizers who want to create bold, sophisticated events using live, holographic technology.
5. Social Media Streaming
While social media may not be able to host complete virtual and hybrid event experiences, social media streaming services like Facebook Live and Instagram Live can be surprisingly effective tools for your event live streaming needs. Fully integrated with major social media platforms, social media live streaming tools are an easy way to advertise and share your event sessions, content, and offerings with a broad audience.
Just consider these benefits and features of social media live streaming platforms:
- Maximum simplicity and ease-of-use for stream viewers and organizers
- Real-time feedback, reactions, and comments from viewers
- Increased public visibility and access to mass sharing features, like hashtags
With social media live streaming, you can meet viewers and attendees directly through the same familiar, simple, and easily navigable platforms where they already spend so much of their time.
What is this event streaming platform best for?
Consider using social media live streaming for your virtual or hybrid event if your main concern is simplicity, accessibility, and access to a streamlined advertising system.
6. Snapbar
Think of Snapbar as a dedicated social media engagement tool that integrates with your chosen virtual or hybrid event platform. This photo sharing and video live streaming platform markets itself as a virtual photo booth. Through the Snapbar platform, event organizers, sponsored brands, and attendees alike have the ability to post a variety of visual content to maximize event engagement.
Here are some of our favorite features from the Snapbar virtual and hybrid event tool:
- Various backgrounds, frames, and other customizable video and photo editing widgets
- Easy social sharing and integrations with a variety of virtual event platforms
- Content moderation, attendee usage monitoring, and data tracking
Bouncing between sessions, discussion groups, and all of the different booths that make up your event, attendees sometimes struggle to find a dedicated space where they can have fun and freely engage with other attendees. Snapbar provides that special engagement space with a fun, visual twist.
What is this event streaming platform best for?
The Snapbar photo and event streaming platform is best for event organizers who are more focused on streaming user-generated content and promoting user engagement. If you’d like to give your attendees the chance to live stream alongside your organization, then consider integrating Snapbar with your virtual and hybrid event platform.
7. Gamerjibe
Gamerjibe is a virtual event platform that maximizes interactivity through the use of digital avatars and navigable, digital spaces. The software markets itself as a “next-gen events platform” that leverages 3D, game-like spaces to encourage attendee engagement. Similar in look, feel, and function to a 3D online console game, Gamerjibe creates a rich virtual environment where attendee avatars are able to interact, “walk” through your event space, and consume a variety of content (including live streams!) in an interesting way.
Take a look at a few of the most talked-about features leveraged by the Gamerjibe platform:
- Text, video, voice, and screen sharing capabilities
- No downloads or apps; only a web browser is needed for use of platform
- Complete 3D space for booths, private groups, and live streams
Promoting a fun, engaging virtual experience for attendees is made simple with Gamerjibe’s rich, gamified event platform.
What is this event streaming platform best for?
The Gamerjibe virtual event and live streaming platform is ideal for event organizers whose main concern is complete event immersion, and who would be open to creating a unique, game-like event experience.
8. The Sketch Effect
The Sketch Effect is a virtual event engagement solution that adds a fun, artistic element to your virtual and hybrid event platform and live streaming tool. The Sketch Effect team is a group of professional animators and illustrators that can integrate their services and tools with your in-person, hybrid, and virtual events to visually communicate lectures, sessions, and other event content. With The Sketch Effect, you can:
- Integrate professional, pre-recorded illustrations into live-streamed event content
- Create rich video animations to pair with event sessions
- Hire a live graphic artist to engage in-person attendees and stream their illustrated content to remote viewers
While The Sketch Effect itself isn’t an event live streaming platform, it is a companion tool that can greatly enhance the engagement potential of content administered through your hybrid and virtual live streaming and event platform.
What is this event streaming engagement tool best for?
The Sketch Effect’s services and tools are well-suited for event organizers looking for additional sources of engagement to enrich their existing live streaming platforms and the event live streaming experience.
9. Miro
Taking a clean, customizable approach to event engagement, Miro is a virtual and hybrid event platform that markets itself as an “online whiteboard platform.” Built for anything from small team meetings to larger group events, Miro’s scalable software gives attendees an interactive whiteboard space to pin illustrations, notes, and more to optimize collaboration and productivity between teams. Consider these top-rated features from the Miro platform:
- Live whiteboard design tools, such as templates, drawing, and mind mapping
- Ability to easily embed documents and files into attendee engagement spaces
- Seamless syncing and software integrations with other event platforms
- With Miro’s intuitive whiteboard and design features, collaboration between your attendees and seminars from your event speakers are more visually engaging.
What is this event streaming platform best for?
Miro is made for event and meeting organizers who have team collaboration top-of-mind. Integrating Miro with your other event platforms can add another layer of interactivity, engagement, and productivity to group sessions.
10. SpatialChat
Built like a chatroom app such as Discord, SpatialChat is a group video chat and streaming platform that specializes in easy video conferencing and networking. From running small town hall meetings with your team to hosting moderately-sized conferences, SpatialChat is built to streamline navigation between activities and promote conversation. Furthermore, the platform’s cute, configurable backgrounds allow you to create a unique event space. Just take a look at some of the best features that SpatialChat has to offer:
- Customizable, 2D event space backgrounds, such as presentation stages and cocktail party rooms
- Easy drag-and-drop navigation between sessions, meetings, and discussion groups
- Multiple screen sharing and the ability to embed videos into the event space
- With this dynamic web-based event platform, conversations are able to easily flow between attendees, speakers, and presenters.
What is this event streaming platform best for?
With a host of great chat tools but a slightly limited number of users able to virtually attend a single event at one time, SpatialChat is best for smaller event experiences and event organizers who want to facilitate conversation.
11. Mesh
Even relative to the other entries on this list, Mesh is a unique virtual and hybrid event platform. Built with the graphics of a classic 16-bit game, the Mesh platform completely gamifies its events to encourage engagement and infuse a natural element of fun into the attendee experience. For example, consider these wacky and effective special features leveraged by Mesh to enhance your events:
- Hundreds of character customization options for attendee avatars
- Complete customization of event spaces, including basketball courts, dungeons, and more
- Embeddable games, links, surveys, and live streams
While professionalism isn’t necessarily this platform’s main goal, Mesh does offer a distinctive, fun, and thoroughly engaging event landscape to gamify your next meeting or conference.
What is this event streaming platform best for?
Mesh is made for event organizers who want to shake things up and foster a more relaxed event environment infused with a sense of play.
Wrapping Up
Planning, managing, and hosting a successful virtual or hybrid event is no easy task, and it’s important to have the right technology by your side to promote an event experience that is both engaging yet accessible. These top-rated virtual and hybrid live streaming and event tools should help you to achieve your event goals, each offering its own unique features to level up your event offerings.
Learn more:
Interested in learning more about virtual and hybrid events and other tips and tools to maximize your event success? Check out the Pathable blog, or book a demo now.