Table of Contents
COVID-19 outbreak and social distancing got real and took the wheel of the whole event industry.
That’s why mobile event apps are now more in demand than ever.
These apps aid event planners and their attendees to manage a virtual event.
In a recent survey conducted by Social Tables, 35% of event planners said that event technology has been the biggest gamechanger for the industry.
“ The most used technologies by event planners are photobooths (45%), event apps (44%) and live streaming tools (44%).” – Engaging Events
However, the rise of virtual event apps does not necessarily mean that every event should be managed by an app.
An important question here is, “Is an event app REALLY worth it for your virtual event?”
Let’s find the answer.
What is a Mobile Event App?
“A mobile event app is a software application that is used in the context of the physical or virtual event. The purpose is to provide real-time information and insight, enable interaction, and increase engagement among all participants and organizers.”
Event apps provide attendees with the information they need. Information about schedules, maps, other attendees’ information, organizer details, speaker information, etc.
Attendees can install these apps on their smartphones or tablets to receive important updates about the event.
Likewise, organizers can use these apps for networking, advertising, getting audience responses, and tracking objectives.
What are the Essentials for a Mobile Event App?
Today, mobile event apps are an integral part of events and conferences.
Every event app provider offers different features, but the most successful ones include the same features.
- One-in-all App
It means that an event app is an all-in-one, one-stop-shop with its selection of features.
In simple words, all the features are available in one app and there is no need for another app.
This can help increase the productivity and engagement of attendees.
- Personalizable
According to Linkdex, 70% Of consumers expect a personalized experience.
So, users of the app should be able to completely personalize the mobile app according to their needs.
This means that colors, fonts, slogans, and brand logos could easily be customized according to the event style or user preference.
- Updatable
Since the event’s app is usually attendees’ go-to place for real-time updates and event information, it should be able to be updated and edited in real-time.
Additionally, some apps also enable organizers to send targeted notifications. This is to communicate the last-minute changes to the program and give alerts about session reminders and giveaways.
- Networking
The app should maximize networking opportunities by matching attendees with other attendees having similar interests.
Some apps also allow users to send one-on-one messages to each other and plan a meet-up. This way, they can connect with every other peer at the event.
Providing users with matchmaking will enable them to connect more efficiently.
- Feedbacks for ROI
Providing attendees with the ability to give feedback is another key feature of a successful mobile event app.
Their feedback can be utilized during the event to make live changes. Or after the event to make improvements to future events and to calculate ROI.
Live polls, session ratings, and attendee messaging are essential tools to include in an app for attendees’ feedback. This will help you communicate with your attendees and understand their needs better.
Why Event Apps Have Become Such a Huge Deal?
Event apps have a lot of benefits for both organizers and attendees.
Here are some of them:
Benefits for Attendees
“For event planners, the difference between a successful event and an unsuccessful event comes down to the overall experience. Provide your event attendees with a centralized location where they can view the agenda in real-time and read speaker bios, Moreover, make sure they can navigate to their destination without having to ask staff. And they should receive timely announcements. All these ingredients deliver a well-organized experience to all in attendance,” says Daafram Campbell (CEO/ co-founder of Switchit)
And, this is just possible with a mobile event app. The app offers attendees various benefits, such as:
- Easy and Quick
Event management apps make the event process easy and quick for attendees.
With mobile event apps, the attendee no longer has to print off their ticket. They do not have to stand in the queue to get in because they can scan their barcode on their phone.
- Timeless Process
With the mobile app, attendees know their way around the event due to the map integrated into the event app.
Moreover, they can log notes or check in on appointments they have made pre-show to determine which exhibitors they wish to see.
They save a lot of time with this approach.
- Networking Opportunities
Attendees can use the event app to connect with like-minded people.
They can message each other or schedule a meeting. This increases the networking opportunities.
Benefits for Organizers
- Calculating ROI is Easy
It is not an easy task to calculate the ROI of an event. Companies spend a lot of money to calculate it so that they can make improvements for the future.
However, an event app helps event organizers to easily manage their events and calculate the ROI of the event.
That’s because event apps have feedback options and polling tools. An organizer can use these tools to get feedback from attendees and determine the ROI of an event.
- Make Money with Event App
If you have developed a custom event app, it is not an expense but a legacy.
You can make money by selling banner ads inside the app to the sponsors.
These ads can link to the website of the sponsor.
You can also use the app to advertise your future events. It can save you a lot on marketing.
- Enhanced Convenience
Mobile apps reduce a lot of stress for the organizers.
By using the app, the organizers can provide real-time updates to attendees and keep them updated on schedule changes.
- Increased Security
Contrary to collateral commonly placed at events, mobile apps include authentication and security measures.
It is to make sure that users have access to the information they are authorized to receive. Thus, the event becomes more secure.
“Mobile apps have become necessary for many events. I call them “Swiss army knife apps” because they can do so many things. Every touch on the app is usually trackable, providing a gold mine of data on a collective and individual attendee journey. It can be valuable to improve the future events and to personalize the event experience,” says Corbin Ball (CMP, CSP, DES, MP)
How to Optimize Virtual Events with an Event App?
Virtual events require the same amount of preparation and care as physical events.
In both events, you need to successfully market the event, engage your attendees, and offer them an unforgettable experience.
Here are some tips you can use to get the most out of your virtual event using an event app.
- Updates via Push Notifications
One of the biggest headaches for event organizers is to provide real-time updates about the event to attendees.
However, this task has become easier with mobile event apps as it allows you to send push notifications to your audience.
These notifications can keep the event registrants engaged as they don’t land in their message box.
Instead, push notifications pop up on the mobile screen, ensuring that the messages are seen and read.
- Conduct Live Polls & Q/A
Live polling allows speakers to engage directly with their audiences while asking questions and getting responses in real-time.
The attendees can respond to the polls using their mobile event apps.
Speakers can incorporate the live poll results directly into their PowerPoint presentations. This way, everyone can see the results in real-time.
- Offer a Personalized Experience
Make your event app personalized for your audience. It simply means that the app should be able to meet the unique needs of a specific user.
You can achieve this by offering personal schedules, personalized push notifications, onsite Kiosk registration, and more.
The ultimate aim is to keep the user more engaged. So, do everything that serves the purpose.
To Wrap it Up
Today, we learned it all about mobile event apps.
Remember, a mobile event app plays an important role in the success of an event as it brings value to all the stakeholders of an event.
With all of the points discussed above, the question at the beginning of the article can be answered- “Is an event app really worth it?”
Yes, it is worth it for your virtual event to have an event app. From keeping attendees engaged to determining ROI, an event app has it to make your next event successful.
Do you want to know how we can help you regardless if your event is physical, virtual or hybrid? Book a demo today.