2 Why is Event Technology Important?
According to the statistics by Statista conducted in May 2020, a survey carried out among B2B marketers gauged the state of virtual event marketing. This survey discovered that close to 50 % of respondents held around 20 and 30 such events per year. Furthermore, around 21 % of survey participants indicated that they host more than 30 virtual events each year. With so many businesses and marketers turning to host virtual and hybrid events, event technology will play a major role in the industry.
As digital technology has taken off, people realize the full potential of event technology and are hosting remarkable, interactive events around the globe with maximum attendee engagement. As soon as people receive their COVID-19 vaccinations, there will be great hope for hybrid events, as they have an in-person and a virtual aspect attached to them. These events help in propagating maximum audience reach, interaction and engagement.
In the present circumstances, how does event technology support an event planner? Let's find out.
Event technology is an event marketer's best friend. The event technology not only helps in hosting events, but it also supports in smoothening out the entire procedure of planning, organizing and hosting events. Event technology plays a crucial role in the entire lifecycle and it helps with the following aspects of planning:
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Pre-planning
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Event Promotions
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Registrations
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Website Landing Page
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Accepting payments
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Sending emails
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Sending email reminders
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Hosting a virtual or a hybrid event
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Enhancing attendee interaction
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Tracking attendee interaction, data and responses
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Collecting leads
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Creating CRM profiles
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Collecting and analyzing post-event data
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Feedback or surveys
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Sending follow-ups
As you read through the above list, you must have definitely realized that there is a tool for every step of planning, organizing or hosting an event.
3 Nine Event Technology Trends You Must Know in 2021
Now that we already know the importance of event technology looking out for certain trends that will lead the event industry in 2021-22 is important. As an event marketer, if you are not familiar with the recent trends, you might fall behind while others step up their game.
If you want to enhance all your future events, let's explore the recent event tech trends that could come in handy.
3.1 Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is amongst one of the most promising and emerging technologies. It is already being used in many industries and will soon find its way in all sectors. Many event marketers are talking about how AI will completely revolutionize the event industry in the coming years.
Through the innovation in AI and machine learning technology, it is possible to transcribe speech-to-text accurately. This will help all event attendees, even those with hearing impairments, to understand what the speaker is trying to say in real-time. With time, it is also possible for AI to translate speech into different languages. This will encourage multicultural attendees to be a part of the event, as language will not be a barrier anymore.
Chatbots are another interactive example of AI technology that can be used in events. They can be used to answer the simple questions that the attendees have in mind. This will help reduce the staffs' burden of responding to every little query that an attendee has. Therefore, chatbots can help to provide audience and customer services.
3.2 Hybrid Event Platforms
As the market and the economy get back on track, in-person events will come back. That doesn't mean that virtual or hybrid events will vanish. On the contrary, being digital will forever be a part of our lives now, and it is going to be the ultimate norm moving forward. Therefore, even in the event industry, virtual and hybrid events will be prominent.
The best way to conduct events in the future would be through hybrid events. They enable all types of audience engagements and interactions. A person is free to attend the event physically or virtually according to their choices and circumstances.
Therefore, hybrid event platforms will be the best choice to conduct hybrid events. They allow the guests to attend the event physically and virtually. Hybrid event platforms use integrated technology that ensures that people attending online are connected with people attending the same event in person. As a result, you can give access to the same sponsors, vendors and speakers to all types of audiences simultaneously.
With hybrid event platforms, you can access all of your guest's data whether they attend the event in-person or online.
3.3 Break Rooms
While hosting a virtual or hybrid event, it is important to ensure that the audience is given a break time to interact with all other event attendees virtually.
The whole point of the event is to fuel discussion. So instead of letting the speaker speak for the whole event, you can design chat, break or discussion rooms where guests can gather virtually and spend time with one another. Some event platforms also track users' preferences and responses and help them connect with like-minded attendees, guests or speakers by suggesting preferences.
3.4 Event Apps
As we all know, apps make things a lot easier. Similarly, for events, apps will ease the processes for in-person, virtual and hybrid events.
Certain event apps even try creating a virtual event venue, or in the case of hybrid events, space where the event is actually taking place. It creates this virtual room to help the attendees to experience the whole deal. The apps even allow guests, speakers and event attendees to create their own avatars to walk around the virtual space as they would have in real life. You can also click on vendor booths to interact with the vendor in order to get the desired information.
Some apps are based more on the social media user experience, where users can create their profiles and see the live stream of the event, presentations and posts, comments and questions, etc.