Events have come a long way in recent years, evolving into newer, more dynamic arrangements than ever before. Technology is paving the way for a new kind of event, where it’s more widely acceptable to be head-down on your device instead of making eye contact with the speaker.
Tech is playing a new role in the event landscape, completely revolutionizing the attendee experience.
From Audience to Participant
With the introduction of tech in the event space, attendees are no longer just an audience, they are now active participants. Attendees have an expectation to be engaged in every aspect of the event; to see themselves as part of the event. Activities like real-time polling, networking, contests, games, etc. were once considered wow factors. Now, these activities are necessary for an engaging attendee experience.
Two-Way Communication
Before the use of tech at events, the speaker-to-attendee relationship was typically one-way. Platforms like social media and event apps have opened up a two-way street for communication. Attendees can send unlimited questions and comments to speakers in real-time, allowing attendees to really feel like they are part of the presentation and conversation. Being involved in the presentation is now a big part of a satisfying attendee experience.
Networking Made Easy
Event app usage in the social space has grown in popularity. Is there a lot of downtime in between sessions? Event apps make it easier to connect during this downtime, making the most out of attendees networking opportunities. Many event apps allow attendees to communicate with each other throughout the event via the app. But it also enables smart communication by matching attendees with like-minded individuals, whether it be based on industry, job title or common interests/skills. The main purpose of events is networking – and providing ample opportunity to network is key to a positive attendee experience.
A Personal Touch
Today more than ever, meeting and event planners are tasked with creating ‘personalized’ events that are relevant to each individual attendee. Event tech plays a key role in offering that personal touch. With certain sessions focusing on the demographics and interests of individual attendees, events can now be tailored to specific attendees only. In addition, events have seen beacon technology break ground in recent years. Beacons push relevant information to attendee’s mobile devices based on their location, making every attendee experience more inherently personal.
Revolutionizing the Attendee Experience
There is little limit to what tech can bring to an event. The event tech industry is growing rapidly, with event apps becoming an expectation at events.
Melissa Del Monte is the Marketing Communications Specialist at QuickMobile, responsible for communicating ideas and stories through content creation, resulting in inbound lead generation. She loves writing and learning about new technologies. When she’s not at the office, you can find her exploring with her sidekick, Sadie the Pomeranian.