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“ MAKE SURE YOU OFFER YOUR SPEAKERS MORE THAN JUST A SPEAKER SLOT .”
this levels out . There will still be in-person events , but the virtual element will become the expected norm for any event worth its salt . Hopin is fast-tracking this approach with the release of the Hopin App on IOS and Android , to allow in-person delegates to also benefit from the virtual elements , as well as a number of new integrations to facilitate hybrid events further . Watch this space .
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Costs
Considering what you get , it is actually amazing value with a pricing structure that is affordable at the entry level ($ 99 a month ); building up to more functionality , branding , customisation and some account support with the Growth plan ($ 800 a month or $ 8,000 a year ) or $ 18,000 a year for the Business plan with full customisation and your own account manager .
There is also an Enterprise plan at an undisclosed amount ( I have heard of $ 50k ) but best speak to Hopin if you need that level of support and customisation .
There are also additional fees relating to ticketing and a per delegate fee that differs according to the Hopin plan you are on . Essentially , you can do it on your own if you know what you are doing on the event and technology front , but the more you pay the more support and
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customisation you ’ ll get .
Downsides
No platform will ever tick all the boxes 100 % and Hopin is no exception . The biggest issue is that it works best on Chrome or Firefox , which most people have , but not necessarily as default . It does work on other browsers , but it becomes buggy and you may lose functionality .
VPN and firewalls can also prove an obstacle , but Hopin has a good bank of resources to overcome this with forward planning . The backstage is rather basic and can prove challenging for speakers who are hoping between the event and the stage .
Streamyard does make it a lot easier but if you are going to use the backstage / studio area , make sure you rehearse … a lot ! The comms panel can be confusing at the start with too many options that are not always obvious , but with good
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delegate instructions / video walkthroughs , this is quickly overcome .
Conclusion
Some 200 events later , having trained over 1,000 speakers on the platform and hosted over 50,000 registrants , I give Hopin a solid 4.5 / 5 .
No venue ( virtual or in-person ) will ever tick all the boxes fully for all events , but Hopin has managed to combine many of the key event areas , in a simple , intuitive , functional and easy to use platform , that is affordable at the entry level .
Hybrid will be the big topic for 2021 / 2022 as we ease out of lockdown and Hopin is way ahead on this front , enabling its platform to embrace this new event era with gusto .
No # 1 piece of advice : Using the Hopin platform for your next virtual or hybrid event does not make you an event planner . The biggest challenge right now is on-boarding and bridging the gap between tech and event expertise . So get professional advice , either directly from Hopin if you are on the growth plan or from someone such as myself .
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EON specialises in easing clients out of their digital discomfort and into the digital event space , building confidence and ability in delivering virtual and hybrid events . EON is the preferred hopin supplier for The Houses of Parliament across the Commonwealth , and clients include the NHS , BBC , and Sport England . EON is a certified Hopin Partner Agency and Certified Hopin host . |