The past two years have had a significant impact on event planning. As the world moves closer towards normalcy, event planners are looking towards event technology to help manage the attendee experience.
There is no doubt that people enjoyed the option to engage in conferences, meetings, and community events via live streaming. However, event planners never intended for this to become the new normal. Now they must work hard to entice people to return to attending events in person.
Event marketing has the edge when it comes to incorporating trends in technology. Despite advances in technology, many industries rely heavily on in-person events. They trust that using the newest tech trends will get people back into event centers in 2022.
If you're an event planner looking for ways to elevate event participation, you'll need to learn the latest in technology. Here are 15 event technology trends to know in 2022.
1. AI Event Technology
Artificial intelligence technology (AI) is changing how every industry interacts with customers. It's among the growing trends in technology.
AI technology fuels chatbots. In current event technology, AI provides attendees with answers when a live person isn't available. The technology is used on websites and interactive kiosks at the event venue.
Your event website needs a chatbot set up to field commonly asked questions about the event. Site users enter their name, email, and/or phone number if the chatbot doesn't sufficiently answer their question. A representative can reach out to the individual for more information.
AI technology can also answer questions at events. The answers can respond to seminar locations, guest speakers, and the best places for lunch.
You can also update your technology with answers to frequently asked questions you haven't considered.
2. Asynchrony
Asynchronous delivery is one of the newest tech trends. It is still in the experimental phase of event planning. Event planners present live content to a global audience based on their time zone with this model.
If live-streaming is not a possibility, you can create an on-demand menu. You would market the events based on the virtual attendee's time zone. It could require a speaker doing a separate presentation for your global audience in some instances.
There are many ways you can market the asynchronous model. Because it's relatively new, the opportunity to create a unique opportunity for individuals who cannot travel due to restrictions is boundless.
3. Augmented Reality
The use of augmented reality (AR) at conventions and trade shows has proven successful. As an event planner, you want to seek ways to incorporate AR into your digital marketing strategy.
You can take cues from companies that have already utilized the technology and increase audience engagement.
Ways to use augmented reality include providing attendees with 3D virtual floor plans easily accessible on mobile devices. You can also use augmented reality for upcoming seminars and product demonstrations in video promotions.
AR-driven apps increase interaction with attendees. Build an app that allows users to learn about vendors or play games to win event tickets or souvenirs. The possibilities are boundless with the right developers.
4. Autonomous UX
Technology is quickly maneuvering us into the future. Autonomous user experience is on the fast track, as we've seen in various capacities. You only need to look around, and you'll see machines performing tasks that once relied on humans.
Vendors primarily use autonomous UX trends in technology. When choosing the location for a conference, choose a city and venue known for their technological advances.
Visitors to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 experienced autonomous services at multiple levels. The event showcased Japanese robot technology. Driverless cars, manless information desks, and automated food courts are a sampling of what's to come in 2022 event technology.
Las Vegas is a tourist city that has also implemented autonomous event tech in its Innovative District.
5. Customer Relationship Management Tools
It's essential for event planning to incorporate customer relationship management (CRM) software. The CRM event planning technology helps event planners gather information on past participants to market future events.
The data is also used to improve user engagement. Encourage attendees to complete satisfaction surveys online. Use the information to improve on future events.
Take your marketing efforts to the next level by catering content to individual users based on their profiles.
Cloud-based CRM advance event systems allow your teams to access the software anywhere they have an internet connection. The technology will improve team collaborations to improve the event's user experience.
6. Digital Check-in
The days of standing in line to check-in at a conference are a thing of the past or close to elimination. Managing the attendee experience is with digital check-in event tech streamlines the process.
The latest trends in technology allow attendees to use their smartphones to scan entry terminals to access venues. They can print tickets as itineraries. Digital check-ins can also provide attendees with digital or physical name tags.
For the best experience, invest in state-of-the-art technology and scanners. The number of digital check-in systems is based on registered participants. Although the check-in systems are efficient and move traffic quickly, you'll see a backup if you don't have enough units.
For an example of digital check-in technology, here is a list of ways the event tech can improve the overall experience:
- Access control
- Session check-in
- Multiple access levels
- Assigned booth/table numbers
- Personalized experience
The list isn't all-inclusive. There are many more benefits to digital check-in technology.
7. Engagement Insights
Current event technology comes with analytical data reporting. One of the newest tech trends includes improved engagement insights.
To improve processes and procedures, you first need data to explain user behavior. All of the technology used to put on an event gathers data on its usage. You take the data and apply it to various event stages to understand your outcomes.
The outcomes are the goals set at the onset of the event. Outcomes include increased attendance, interaction tracking, social engagement, product sales, and more.
It's crucial to understand the data you receive from various reports. To apply the data, try using these popular insight tools:
- Customer segmentation
- Persona development
- Journey mapping.
Everything you need to know about user engagement is found in these three processes.
8. Health & Wellness
COVID-19 heightened the need for health and wellness awareness at public events. Trends in digital health technology for 2022 continue to focus on the wellbeing and safety of all event participants.
One way to ease participants' concerns is to create checkpoints at event venues. Initiate COVID-19 protocols that require proof of vaccination or a negative test taken within the last 24 hours. Contract with a service provider that offers thermal scanning stations to check temperatures.
For multi-day events, provide participants with a fast-track pass if they meet certain criteria.
Aside from COVID-9 concerns, health & wellness stations that provide quick assessments are popular. Events with large attendance can also benefit from health stations. Both ideas can provide non-emergency telehealth assessments.
9. Interactive Education & Entertainment
A popular trend in technology is Esports. Esports brings gaming systems to its audience. They host large gaming conventions and competitions.
Consider incorporating interactive education and entertainment features into your next event using similar technology. People are drawn to video, making it the newest tech trend to engage audiences.
You can create 360 visuals during seminars or host interactive competitions.
Another popular use of 360 technology is 360 photo booths. Leave your guest a lasting memory. Offer the 360 photo video as a souvenir.
10. Marketing Management Tools
Make marketing your event easier by incorporating the right marketing management tools. Since the inception of digital marketing, many applications have hit the market. The newest tech trends continue to focus on apps to make life easier.
We've already discussed CRMs, now let's look at a few more tools.
Analytics and Insights Reporting
Data analytics and insights reporting are the quickest and most efficient digital performance measures. One of the most thorough analytics apps is Google Analytics.
With Google's analytics tool, you track performance across many applications, websites, and social media.
Lead Generation
Lead generation tools help you create leads by capturing information from website visitors. Landing pages linked to emails and social media ads can help promote your event to a vast audience.
Online Advertising
Online advertising tools are current event technology used to track the performance of digital ads across multiple platforms. Instead of pulling reports from Google, social media platforms, and other digital spaces, the information gets tracked by one online advertising tool.
Project Management
Event technology for project management simplifies your planning processes by keeping data accessible to team members. You can upload files, schedule meetings, monitor collaborations.
Social Media
It's almost impossible to promote an event without incorporating social media. Tools like business pages, advertising, Live streaming, and groups can boost attendance for your event.
Video Marketing
Video marketing is invaluable event technology. The newest tech trends for video marketing include content design tools like Adobe Spark and Canva.
Depending on the number of videos you create for your event, investing in a video host platform could prove useful.
Website Optimization
The latest in event tech for website optimization is tools that help website owners understand the behaviors of site users. It differs from analytic reporting in that it provides real-time feedback from site users that reflects their mood. A more advanced tool can track users' behavior and mood as they navigate the site.
11. Metaverse Experiments
The newest tech trends for event activities incorporate Facebook's new platform model called Metaverse. The goal is to encourage everyone to live online in a virtual space they create.
Events with a virtual component should give Metaverse a try. It will pique curiosity and increase engagement. With the right tech team, you can host interactive seminars and workshops.
12. On-Demand Content
Current event technology for events is on-demand content. Allowing people to access content in real-time or after the event ends will enable you to reach a wider audience and create an additional income stream.
Trends in technology move the meter in providing options for people who cannot attend a conference in person. With on-demand content, you can create an option where people pay to access Live streams of seminars, workshops, and speaker forums.
Following the event, content is made accessible on the event website. Create site memberships for people to access past content.
13. RFID Smart Badges
In conjunction with digital check-ins, RFID smart badges allow participants to put their phones away and use their event name tags instead. There are several benefits to going with Smart badges.
You can eliminate fraudulent activity by using event technology to stop users from sharing access. Smart badges allow participants to add payment methods. Now they can tap the badge at check-out to pay for merchandise and food.
Sponsors can also utilize wireless event tech from smart badges to capture insights. They can send alerts about upcoming sessions, merchandise discounts, polls, and measure engagement.
14. Social Activism
Promote your event in real-time utilizing social activism. Popular among younger audiences, social media and blogs are used to discuss information generated at an event in real-time.
Social activism is beneficial when you have social influencers leading the charge. Micro and Macro-influencers generally have specialized expertise in the event topic, are best.
15. Virtual Reality
Virtual reality isn't only for tech events. It's the newest tech trend for different types of events. Yes, the goggles are an acquired taste, but the experience is worth the inconvenience.
Use VR for 360 product demonstrations, immersive learning tools, and simulation techniques in training seminars. Younger audiences will gravitate to these types of technology in 2022.
Grow Your Events in 2022
If the events industry is to recover, it must make a strong move. Don't shy away from trying something new. Learn from the past and optimize event technology to strengthen performance at 2022 events.
The technology is readily available. Use these 15 event tech trends at your next event.
If you haven't registered for The Event Planner Expo 2022, we encourage you to do so today. We'll have a speaker series featuring influential business leaders. Click here to reserve your spot today.
