by Michael Beeghley, Coordinator and Technician at OneBXL

I have been producing hybrid events for over 5 years now, starting back when the technology was still quite new and unproven. In the beginning, it was seen as a bit of a gimmick by some - why go to the effort of live streaming an event when you could just record videos and post them online later? But I could see the potential, even in those early days. There was something exciting about combining the energy and spontaneity of a live in-person event with the reach and accessibility of the online world. 

When I first started live streaming events, the focus was very much on the live experience. We would stream the event, but there wasn't much thought given to what happened to the footage afterwards. Maybe we would clip a few highlights for social media, or post the full recordings online, but that was about it. The potential for reuse and repurposing wasn't fully realized yet.

But over time, as I produced more and more hybrid events, I started to see the possibilities. All of this great footage we were capturing could be reused in so many creative ways, both as short form snippets and longer form edited videos. And by repurposing it intelligently, we could extend the life and impact of our events exponentially.

Short Form Videos

One of the easiest and most effective ways I found to repurpose event footage was through short form videos. There is a great deal of variety within what we consider to be short form: some short form videos can be as short as 60 seconds, others as long as 10 minutes, and there are different strategies and even different platforms for posting each different type of short form video.

For our shortest example, for each speaker of a hybrid conference, you can grab a 45-60 second highlight reel of the best moments - an inspiring quote, a surprising statistic, a particularly insightful comment. These short clips could then be shared immediately on social media to start engagement and discussion. 

Vertical short form videos like this are great as "appetizers" to get people interested in the speaker or topic. By sharing these quick previews on platforms such as Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, or even TikTok, it can drive viewers back to watch the full session recordings later. Make sure that your organization has permissions to post on these platforms, as they are often subject to restrictions. 

As well as highlights, you can also cut short snippets to use as quotes, statistics and key messages across other marketing content - emails, ads, website banners etc. Repurposing the best moments into short shareable videos helps events get way more exposure.

You can also create recaps - 5-10 minute summaries looking back at a full day or even the whole event. These gave viewers who missed it a flavor of the experience and helped continue the buzz post-event. 

Long Form Videos

While short form content works well for driving quick engagement, long form video is where you can really tell a story and deliver value. 

One of my favorite ways to repurpose event footage into longer form content is to create a curated "Best Of" video. Here I would combine highlights from multiple sessions and speakers around a central theme or topic. 

For example, Kevin and I were the technicians on a full day event at the EU Parliament last year on the subject of how industry and government can work together to further the new green economy. There were so many great speakers: a Member of European Parliament, representatives from several huge multinational corporations, as well as researchers from a prestigious university. With all of these great speakers on the same subject, it was the perfect opportunity to edit together a 20 minute keynote combining the best moments from 5 different speakers on the same subject. By seamlessly blending multiple perspectives around a core topic, you can create a new piece of content that provides real informative value to viewers.

Longer videos like this also give the editor a chance to get creative. Using on-screen graphics, music and dynamic transitions between speakers make the end result flow nicely as one cohesive virtual keynote.

I find these "Best Of" videos work extremely well for post-event promotion and lead generation. They provide a long enough preview for viewers to really understand the value of the event, and make them much more likely to seek out the full recordings if they are interested.

Tips and Best Practices

Over the years and countless events, I've learned a few key best practices when it comes to repurposing hybrid event footage:

Start planning for repurposing early. Don't leave it until after your event finishes - build it into your strategy from day one. Think about what content and speakers will work best for short versus long form reuse.

Record everything! You never know what gems you might uncover in the editing process, so make sure you capture all sessions.

Use chapters and markers during recording to make editing easier later. Flag key moments in the live stream so they are easy to find.

Think visually. Use on-screen graphics, overlays and creative transitions to make your edited videos pop.

Interview speakers, attendees and sponsors during the breaks and capture B roll footage of the venue, crowd, activities etc to use as b-roll overlays later. This can increase the budget since you’re adding a videographer for the sole purpose of producing after-event content, but if the client has the additional budget, there is great value in going this route. 

Pay attention to audio and visual quality - invest in professional AV equipment and technicians like OneBXL. Poor quality will ruin your chance to repurpose effectively.

Promote your repurposed videos actively across email, social media, ads etc. They won't gain traction on their own. 

Think of your target audience and post where they spend time. Analyze viewership data to see which videos and formats perform best. Refine your strategy based on hard numbers.

Stay on brand. Use your organization's fonts, colors, logos consistently to reinforce your visual identity.

Ask yourself what kind of resources you want to spend on creating social media content. It’s not just budget, but also time. Are you going with a professional content creation team like OneBXL? Or are you asking your communications team to repurpose the event footage into content? Or is it a combination of the two?  

There’s a lot of collaboration that goes on between the client and content team. Have a clear vision of what your content repurposing strategy is before the meetings even begin. Then, as the rounds of edits are underway, try to communicate clearly as you get to the deliverables.

Conclusion

After producing countless hybrid events over the past 5+ years, it's clear to me that repurposing footage into short and long form videos offers huge opportunities. 

It allows you to maximize exposure for your speakers and sponsors, promote your brand effectively, generate high quality leads and provide extended value long after your event has finished.

But capturing great live event content is only half the battle. To really capitalize you need to reuse it intelligently across a strategic mix of platforms and formats. 

I've found short social videos work extremely well to create initial buzz, while longer edited compilations provide more in-depth value. Used together, they allow you to leverage your event content to its full potential.

The world of hybrid events is still evolving rapidly. But even as technology changes, the fundamentals remain true. The brands that learn how to repurpose event footage smartly will continue to win.

If you're looking for help planning and executing a hybrid event, consider contacting OneBXL for a consultation today. 

Further reading

Engaging Your Pan-European Audience: Tips for Planning Inclusive Hybrid Events
Maximizing Engagement: 5 Keys to Hybrid Event Success
The Hybrid Event Technology Stack: Best Practices for Seamless Experiences
OneBXL’s Guide to Using Zoom for Your Next Hybrid Event