By: Mack Baniameri
Co-founder and CTO, JabberYak
Event planning ranks among the most demanding professions, necessitating keen attention to detail, risk mitigation, and unwavering focus. While event planners are typically tech-savvy, they seldom have the luxury to dig deeply into every new application or tech solution. Yet, there are few tech essentials that can truly set them apart from the competition.
Event organizers look for technology solutions that can help them to:
Plan and manage their events more efficiently and effectively. This includes solutions for tasks such as registration, ticketing, budgeting, scheduling, and logistics.
Provide a better experience for their attendees. This includes solutions for things like mobile apps, live streaming, networking opportunities, and social media integration.
Measure the success of their events and track key performance indicators (KPIs). This includes solutions for data analytics and reporting.
Here are some of the specific technology solutions that event organizers look for most:
Event management software: This type of software can help organizers to manage all aspects of their event, from planning to execution. Features typically include registration, ticketing, budgeting, scheduling, speaker management, and attendee tracking.
Mobile apps: Event apps can provide attendees with a convenient way to access information about the event, such as the agenda, speaker bios, floor plans, and networking opportunities. Apps can also be used to collect feedback from attendees and track engagement.
Live streaming: Live streaming allows organizers to reach a wider audience and extend the reach of their event. It can also be used to create a more immersive experience for attendees who are unable to attend in person.
Networking tools: Networking tools are the essential part of every event and can help organizers to facilitate connections between attendees. This can be done through features such as icebreakers, group social chats, and gamification apps.
Social media integration: Social media integration allows organizers to promote their event and engage with attendees on social media. This can be done through features such as social media buttons, live feeds, and contests.
In addition to these specific solutions, event organizers also look for technology that is user-friendly, reliable, and scalable. They want solutions that can be easily integrated with their existing systems and that can accommodate a variety of event sizes and formats.
Here are some of the emerging technology trends that event organizers are keeping an eye on:
Artificial intelligence (AI): AI can be used to automate tasks such as registration, ticketing, and attendee engagement. It can also be used to analyze data and provide insights into attendees’ preferences, event personalization, and event performance.
Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR): VR and AR can be used to create immersive and interactive experiences for attendees. For example, VR could be used to give attendees a virtual tour of the event venue or to provide them with a behind-the-scenes look at the event. AR could be used to overlay information on top of the real world, such as speaker bios or exhibitor booth details.
Blockchain: Blockchain can be used to create secure and transparent ticketing systems. It can also be used to track attendee data and provide insights into event attendance patterns.
Event organizers are constantly looking for new and innovative technology solutions to help them create better events for their attendees. The technology solutions that are most popular with event organizers vary depending on the specific type of event and the organizer's goals. However, the solutions listed above are some of the most common and in-demand technology solutions in the event industry today.
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