Keeping Up to Date with Digital Trends at Events

Keeping Up to Date with Digital Trends at Events

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Just like in any other field, events organizers are using technology to create a simpler, more enjoyable and more effective experience for the people who are attending the event. Whether you want to create fewer lines, get people really integrated and engaged with the event itself, or to help network and share information, there is now event technology available that can do all of this.

The type of event that you are holding will affect the technology which is most suited to you. Let’s take a look at four of some of our favorite event technology innovations. 

Ticket scanning and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)

Ticket scanning technology such as that developed by Ticketbooth uses technology to scan tickets on entry to your event, making the entry process faster and more accurate, with the option for the use of online tickets and tickets bought through Facebook events. It can be helpful against fraud and can also help you to accurately audit your numbers, so you know exactly who and how many are attending at any given time. It also makes the ticket buying process easier for your attendees and there is almost no risk of losing the ticket.

It can also allow you to sell merchandise along with your event tickets and can give you the option of asking specific questions to your attendees to give you information about those who are going to your event – without interruption to your event.

Virtual Reality

Virtual reality (VR) is being used with events at the moment in one of two ways – to enhance the experience of those who are attending and to help those who are not present enjoy the event from a different location.

Some of the ways that virtual and augmented reality can be used in an event include:

Attendee Engagement–allow attendees to try out products through VR – in fact, according to research by Hidden Creative there is a rise of 135% in the number of people who are likely to buy a product after seeing an augmented reality version of it. This means that they not only see value in the product but also engage with it.

In training – VR gives attendees an excellent way of practicing and training. For surgeons, for example, to be able to practice on a `virtual` body, it means that fewer cadavers are needed while allowing individuals to repeatedly go over trickier processes and assessment can be made easier.

Live streaming – massively expand the number of people who you can reach out to with your event. You might have people in different countries or with mobility issues who would find it difficult to attend your event, and by live streaming it to them, they can not only see what’s happening, but other technology could allow them to have all the information and an experience as close as those already attending as possible – but with the best seats in the house!

Interactive Mobile Event Apps

There are many interactive mobile event apps around which can be helpful to enhance an event and build attendee engagement. And there are also always more becoming available, so you should be able to find the app that suits your needs. Some of the apps available at the moment include:

-A nearly all in one event app like Pathable which help connect people with similar interests, expertise or other common features

-To help attendees remember names

-Virtual business card apps

-Apps which will help people to find their seat. Constantly growing in size, auditorium seating has become popular with these apps.

-Audience response system apps

-Apps which allow presentation material to be shared with the audience on their mobile device – where they can like, comment or share it

-Apps which can turn an attendee’s smartphone into a microphone, so everyone can hear the question or comment

-Apps where organizers can create puzzles and games to help attendees to engage with the subject.

Facial Recognition Technology

Facial recognition technology is becoming increasingly used at events. Whilst at the moment it is used mainly for things like Facebook tagging – which is great for the marketing of your event, did you know that planners can use this feature to ensure better security, automated check-in, fraud prevention, and even to be able to read people’s moods to see how they react to certain things.

The use of digital technology at events is on the increase. By being able to cut out the boring, time-consuming parts – such as getting people in, security and organizing them to be in the right place at the right time, event organizers can concentrate on engaging with those attending, making it interesting and making the event a success.