Technology is transforming the event industry. Recent developments have forced countless event planners to adapt to the latest event management software, modifying their working styles. Event technology will aid event professionals and improve attendees’ experience. Technology trends in event planning tools will transform event industry.
Event management solutions are an essential technology and a business trend for 2022. Knowledge of the latest events and technologies provides planners with a competitive advantage. Studies suggest event technology increases attendance by 20 percent.
How Have Event Technology Trends Changed The Event Industry?
Event technology trends have changed the entire outlook of the event industry. It has lent power and speed to event planners. Event technology has made it possible to host not just in-person events or offline events but other event types like hybrid events.
It has made searching an event venue, organizing data, and creating an event checklist easier than before. Event companies have increased their social media presence and improved attendee experience by leveraging event tech trends.
Let’s see the event technology trends that have created an impact on the event industry and will continue to change the landscape of the industry.
Top 18 Event Technology Trends
1. Facial recognition
The practice of validating and identifying an individual using their face features is known as facial recognition. It captures, analyzes and compares facial patterns. Facial recognition technology recognizes and locates human faces in photos and videos.
The favoured biometric is still facial recognition technology because using facial recognition is simple. There is no direct physical contact with individuals and, the verification/identification processes for facial recognition and matching are quick.
Facial recognition technology,
- improves efficiency and seamlessly integrates security in the events industry
- also provides event planners with valuable input on the experience of their event attendees
What can you do with facial recognition?
Your team can use facial recognition technology to spot event attendee flow obstacles and track session attendees’ data to see what performed well and what didn’t. The ability to support facial recognition changes the perspective of event planners towards the venue.
Automation at some entry points is also possible thanks to the technology, which implies fewer staff needs and cheaper expenses.
2. Online Event Registration
Event registration is one of the most important things when planning an event. While all event organizers prefer a huge attendee count, having them all in one location necessitates attendee control. Therefore it is vital to recognize the hazards. Furthermore, if you expect huge crowds, you’ll need to figure out a way to keep track of everyone. This is where the problem begins.
Finding an event registration tool that can efficiently register a few hundred individuals may not be as successful for large crowds. Therefore finding one that can manage large crowds swiftly and effectively without mistakes becomes crucial. The event registration technology ensures the entire registration process is simple, efficient, and safe.
Some technology also offers automated refunds if the cancellation meets the criteria. This makes cancelling your event registration forms hassle-free.
AllEvents is your go-to event discovery platform for creating, marketing and selling event tickets online. Furthermore, it has unlimited ticket types and provides you with an in-depth ticket sales analysis. As an event manager, you can also customize forms. Technology used in event planning plays a vital role, so choose wisely.
3. Multi-use event app
Today, having an event app is no longer a luxury. It is a downside if you don’t have an event app as an event management company. Apps or tools make it easier for event management companies to plan, organize and execute large-scale events.
Multi-use event apps like AllEvents are the one-stop event management solution for all the attendees and organizers.
A single app that gives you access to registrations data, event schedules, marketing features. It also helps you to manage check-ins, check analytics, send email invites and broadcast messages to attendees, making it easier for event planners to stay on schedule.
Some of these apps also have interactive features like live polling, using which event planners can plan a personalized user experience. They also allow attendees to interact with one another via elements of gamification.
4. Live Streaming event technology
Like live TV, live streaming technology allows you to watch, create, and share videos in real-time. Live stream only needs an internet-enabled device, such as a smartphone or tablet, and a platform to live stream from.
With Hybrid events happening around the world, live streaming of events has started becoming popular.
- You can target global audience for event.
- Increase event reach and popularity
- live streaming your event online is a live example. If the viewers like your events online, they will be likely to attend them offline.
With a gated streaming facility where you can stream to thousands of audiences. Only ticket purchasers of your event will be able to access your content.
5. Retargeting
What do you do when a prospect or a possible attendee visits your event website but does not register? You target them again or as we say, retarget them. Retargeting as an event technology helps event marketers to track the potential attendees for future events via creative event content ads. These ads appear as pop-ups for those who visited your website.
What you can do?
You can capture data of page visitors, people who tried purchasing tickets and didn’t complete the flow. Retargeting these hot leads will boost ticket sales.
Pro tip: You can start automated booking reminders with AllEvents retargeting features.
6. Project Mapping Technology for events
The concept of project mapping is quite similar to video mapping and spatial augmented reality ar. It is a projection technique that turns objects (often irregular in shape) into screens for video projection. Opposed to other AR and VR concepts, project mapping allows the audience to experience augmented reality without head-mounted or hand-held devices.
A two- or a three-dimensional item is spatially mapped on a virtual program that replicates the real-world environment it is to be projected on, using specialized software. The program may then work with a projector to project any picture onto the object’s surface.
Imagine sailing in Sydney Opera House. 3D projection mapping allows organizers to display ordinary objects with vivid and realistic shapes.
A projection is a video that can include a simple light source or even a full-colour map based on the landscape or building. Save event inspiration. Projections are a wonderful way to evoke emotions within an event space.
7. 3D Event diagraming
3D Event diagramming is a software package that makes it very easy to prepare the geographic setup of an event. This may include exhibits, guest tables, stages, VIP sections, food and beverage counters, etc.
3D floorplans enable you to collaborate with your customers and contractor in real-time, regardless of where you are in the planning process. You can get a crystal clear image of the event before it happens, allowing everyone engaged in the event planning process to visualize how the floorplan will flow. This event tech brings in clarity and precision in the event, reducing the chances of errors.
It is one of the most promising technologies that has emerged in the last couple of years to help event planners. This comparatively young technology can improve attendance and save event planners money.
8. Live Translation
Live translation is a fairly established technology amongst other event technology trends. It allows you to translate whatever is being spoken into multiple languages. It is one of the most crucial tech event trends in the event space, especially for mobile events, live events, and virtual events.
As event planners, it is important to realize that not all attendees are well-versed in English.
Translations from one primary language to multiple languages spoken around the world allow you to address a wider audience. It increases the chances of creating an impact.
This way, your virtual events ideas can succeed and be attended by individuals from almost all corners of the world. It breaks down the language barriers, allowing more attendees. In a way, it also improves your social media and international recognition.
9. Artificial Intelligence
AI is a promising but still poorly understood technology in events. The software can analyze huge volumes in real-time to identify and improve the patterns and learning process. Custom AI development company could create precise, personalized interactions among individuals in an increasingly vast database with virtually unlimited resources.
Combining data collected during registration to create an effective matchmaking experience will enable the attendee to connect based on similar interests, such as jobs, industry, or other specified variables.
Chatbot integrations into events software help event professionals to save time on staff costs. Volunteers are often required to do extremely much training, and most are occupied with answers to frequently asked questions.
10. Second Screen
The use of a mobile device to create an improved attendee experience for content, generally with interactive capabilities, is known as second screen technology. It is commonly seen on television, but it is becoming more common at events.
Presenter information like slides, polls, video, notes, and social network connections can be delivered to any device that’s connected in real-time.
Some second-screen event technology also tracks things like participants who pose questions through the software, how they reply to polls, which slides were downloaded, and what data was collected. It provides minute-by-minute analytics of attendees’ involvement during the event.
It allows the event management teams to understand the attendees’ reaction to the topic as it is given. They may have real-time conversations with the attendees and compare event outcomes across many meetings or events.
11. Sentiment Analysis
Sentiment analysis is becoming an increasingly loved event technology for providing real-time insights.
It allows you to identify the nature and tone behind texts using natural language processing (NLP). It is a smarter way to understand the emotions of your attendees.
You may examine hashtags, @-mentions, emoticons, and comments to identify varying degrees of satisfaction when event attendees interact on social media and remark on an event.
Attendee activity on social media while in an event gives actionable data that may be used to make real-time modifications. Their responses or mentions can help you offer adequate breaks, replenish food and beverages, avoid crowding, study attendee behaviour, and address issues with technology.
But that’s not it.
You can use this positive feedback as testimonials to motivate page visitors to book tickets.
12. Indoor Wayfinding Event Technology
Attendees can utilize indoor navigation tools to navigate any sizable indoor location using only their cell phones. This makes attending events stress-free.
Event management firms can employ smart apps that allow operational gains by utilizing indoor mapping software tools.
Deeper insights into visitor behaviour, the capacity to discover and identify assets rapidly and effortlessly, and the ability to use this knowledge to operate more effective management can contribute to a better result.
Pro Tip: Learning how Casino marketing and sports event marketing is done helps a lot to improve audience engagement.
13. Behavior Recommendation
Behaviour recommendation tools allow you to change your simple events to data-driven events.
Data from social media, their engagement with your event platform, etc., can help you understand their choices. This can help you customize your event according to your attendees.
Similarly, it can help you decide which new technology can help you improve your performance. Behavior recommendation tools can help you deliver appropriate content on your social media, driving more traffic and attracting more attendees. It will definitely step up your event promotion game.
14. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags and Beacons
Radiofrequency identification (RFIDs) use wireless technology for locating and allowing users to perform more activities (like cashless payments). In association with attendees’ badges, it becomes an electronic device that enables planners to monitor attendance behaviour.
The technology can help companies identify and prevent the theft of counterfeit wristbands or bring overflow rooms online in cases of overflow. It will also inform the planner that the speaker is coming to the hotel to meet them during the check-out process.
Many event management teams have embraced and loved RFID in recent years. Beacons have become one of the most popular methods to engage guests across events since they are cost-efficient, simple to install, and successful.
Beacons, which are used in indoor and outdoor positioning systems and Internet of Things (IoT) networks, employ proximity technology to detect human presence nearby and initiate pre-programmed actions to provide informative, contextual, and customized interactions.
When an attendee passes by an area with a beacon’s positioning system or an IoT network, the nearest beacon transmits a code to their smartphone with a notification. This message is shown as a popup notification on the attendee’s mobile device via a third-party/branded app.
15. AR and VR
The events management business has already embraced augmented reality and virtual reality technology. The most vivid augmented reality experience is provided by wearable gadgets. Because wearable AR gadgets are non-obtrusive, attendees can easily move their bodies.
Compared to augmented reality, virtual reality offers a significantly more immersive and rewarding experience.
Attendees may immerse themselves in a new world without having to travel physically. It may also be utilized to allow attendees to virtually attend an event from the comfort and privacy of their homes. Virtual reality allows for a fully realistic and entertaining 360-degree experience.
Virtual reality has several advantages over augmented reality, including fewer distractions, more involvement, and a superior 360-degree visual experience. The sole drawback of virtual reality is that it necessitates VR gear.
16. Gamification
Event planners can use gamification to include gameplay aspects into non-gaming situations to increase attendee interaction.
Event management companies can tap into attendees’ innate incentives by incorporating exciting elements like leaderboards, prizes, and badges into an existing system. It can facilitate greater learning and improve the overall event experience of all attendees.
Attendees that arrive early might use gamification activities to concentrate on the event and avoid boredom. By eliminating barriers, gaming also makes it simpler for participants to engage with one another.
Sponsors at your event may also boost attendance by using games to share short quizzes on their products launches. As more people play games, event planners may draw real-time data on the most popular games or vendors.
17. Venue Sourcing
Venues play a vital role in determining the success of an event.
Venues that can support new tech trends like facial features and live streaming are preferable over other venues available for the industry. Similarly, venues that can host several events – hybrid events, virtual events, in-person events, trade shows, are more valuable to event planners.
How do you find these venues that can suit your needs? Comes venue sourcing event tech to your rescue. Find information about venue design, occupancy limits, and on-site amenities.
When you’ve found a few locations that look interesting, you can confirm the event size and obtain an initial pricing quotation to get things started.
What Are the Benefits of Event Technology in Event Planning?
Using best event technology has several benefits. However, before we have a look at the benefits, let’s see the following statistics:
- In the technology business, almost all event professionals (97%) utilized agenda elements in their event apps.
- Attendee engagement is a key KPI for event success, according to 82% of B2B marketers.
- In comparison to 54% of B2C organizations, 58% of B2B companies employ event software during their events.
These statistics reflect how event technology has become an indispensable tool. Every event management company in the industry leverages it in some way or the other. The following are a few benefits of event technology:
- Increases your attendee engagement and improves their experience
- Helps you increase your engagement on social media like Facebook
- Streamlines vital processes like registrations
- Allows for faster, secure check-ins
- Allows you to explore the minutest details in the easiest possible way
- Enhances data organization and keeps it safe from any breaches
- Makes it possible to turn imagination into reality
- Keeps the teams on track and in harmony
- The real-time analysis allows you to leverage data and draw valuable insights
- Establishes consistent communication between you and your attendees
- Helps you analyze attendee behavior and use it to your benefit
Our Thoughts
In our opinion, event technology has made it easier to plan, organize and execute events. They are indispensable, powerful tools that can change the landscape of the event industry for good. Several companies in the industry are harnessing their power for their benefit.
If you still haven’t, you are missing out on it. You can use these tools to propel your event management company, create a top event, attract more attendees and turn dreams into reality!
Abhishek is a content marketer who specializes in ticketing and event trends happening throughout the globe. He feels that event marketers should easily find the information they need.
Hence, he is responsible enough to gather information and deliver the relevant guidelines to planners throughout the event industry.