Top Five Event Tech Features – survey

The return of live shows is being boosted by the digital transformation our industry has witnessed.

Findings from ExpoPlatform’s latest Event Tech Returns to Live survey sets out which of these tools and features are most important to eventprofs.

This article highlights the top five and provides a bit more detail on each component. Download the full Event Tech Returns to Live report here.

On-demand content

The ability to offer on-demand content after an event came out on top, with with a weighted rating of 8.2/10.

This feature allows an organiser to extend the lifecycle of their event, increase engagement and boost revenue.

A total of 45% of respondents said it was a high priority for them, with a further 31% saying it was quite important.

Success is determined by whether your content is useful and different enough to add real value to your community.

An organiser can set themselves apart from the competition by creative use of content types: doing something different. 

Planners should act like scientists who trying to crack the formula of what resonates with their audience

Lead retrieval

Lead retrieval was rated 7.8/10. A omnichannel approach using technology allows exhibitors to gather all touchpoints – online and onsite – into one dashboard for real-time analytics. This technology has been proven to boost their ROI by three times.

Our survey saw 38% placing it in the top tier and a further 34% saying it was quite important for their needs.

See how ExpoPlatform’s Lead Intelligence can triple exhibitor ROI at your events. Book a demo.

Timothy Skennion, managing director of Derabo Advisory Group, said: “The ability to retrieve – and ideally score – leads in an efficient and measurable manner provides the exhibitor with the clearest path towards defending their investment.”

Event mobile app

The addition of an event mobile app to your in-person productions was rated as the third most important technology feature.

It received a weighted rating of 7.1/10 having grown in popularity over the last few years as attendees become much more comfortable with downloading apps.

This is because people have also become more comfortable with digitisation. They expect immersive, personalised event experiences using modern software and tools as well as virtual access options if their plans change unexpectedly.

This format is known as a Smart Event – an in-person show which includes extensive use of digital technology to increase value of the experience for all participants.

For organisers, the easiest way to add a digital layer to in-person events is through a mobile event app. Using apps to boost event engagement and participation has been common, but their popularity has surged more in the post-Covid era as they play an important role in:

• Building year-round community experiences
• Contributing towards sustainable events by minimising the use of paper
• Delivering real-time updates and content
• Providing on-the-go access to remote and mobile audience

365 Community and Marketplace

Building a platform which offers your attendees a place where they can engage, network and do business year-round came out fourth.

Robyn Duda, CEO of RDC, was fascinated by the results for a 365 Community and Marketplace – features which offer year-round engagement with your audiences.

This came out fourth in our survey, with a weighted average of 6.8/10 and 34% saying it was of average importance.

She said: “I think the industry has and is approaching the community building piece all wrong – which is why it’s not working. It’s not an event challenge, it’s a brand challenge. There should be a greater emphasis here from a high level to foster the feeling of a community for the community’s benefit – not for an organiser or sponsor’s benefit.”

Events are a powerful tool to bring people together, but they are not the whole picture. Participants also need to keep those relationships alive all year long and digital platforms offer a way to do that.

Live shows can build trust face-to-face at an annual celebration of the industry, while an online community can reinforce that year-round. They benefit each other.

Full breakdown of weighted ratings:

• On-demand content for post-event – 8.2
• Lead retrieval – 7.8
• Event mobile app – 7.1
• 365 Community and Marketplace – 6.76
• Interactive floorplan – 6.66
• AI Matchmaking – 6.48
• Simultaneous hybrid streaming – 6.28
• Self-service exhibitor stands – 6.14
• Hosted Buyer meetings – 6.00
• Location-based notifications and analysis 5.18

Interactive floorplan

The rise of Smart Events makes an interactive floorplans important for enhancing the visitor experience.

That will be why it came out fifth in our list of priorities for event tech, achieving a weighted score of 6.66/10.

Interactive floorplan allow an organiser to provide a more seamless experience for customers – one that’s not only easy, but fun as well.

These digital maps can be used by organisers to visualise the layout of an event’s space. They also allow quick insights into how many people will be using each area of a venue.

This allows an organiser to make better decisions about where to place tables chairs, exhibits as well as plan out staffing needs. They’re also a great way to help attendees navigate the tradeshow floor and find the booths they are interested in.

These floor plans are integrated into the mobile event app and fit right into your workflow.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article and found it useful. At ExpoPlatform, we want to help you build better events and communities. Please get in touch and ask for a demo here. Thank you.