How Technology Can Enhance the
Attendee Experience at Events
The event industry has undergone a major transformation in recent years. While in-person events are
making a comeback post-pandemic, technology continues to play
an increasingly important role in shaping the attendee experience
before, during, and after events. For event planners and
organizers, leveraging technology effectively is key to creating
more engaging, interactive, and memorable events.
In this blog post, we will explore some of the ways technology
can be used to enhance the attendee experience at corporate,
association, and other special events. Whether it's improving
accessibility, driving engagement, or streamlining event
communications and marketing, technology offers immense
opportunities to create next-level event experiences.
Improving Event Accessibility and Inclusion with Technology
One of the biggest benefits of incorporating technology into events is that it can make events more
accessible and inclusive. This expands the potential audience and provides more equitable access to
events for different types of attendees.
Some examples of how technology can improve accessibility include:
● Live captioning and translation services: Providing real-time closed captions and
translations on screens makes events more accessible for those who are deaf or hard of
hearing, or for whom English is not their first language.
● Virtual reality (VR): Allowing remote attendees to join via VR headsets gives people who
can’t travel to events in person the ability to have an immersive on-site experience.
● Gamification and interactive technologies: Incorporating interactive elements like
gamification, augmented reality, polls, quizzes, and live Q&As can make events more
engaging for all learning styles and preferences.
● Assistive technologies: Offering assistive devices onsite like audio description for blind or
low vision attendees, sign language interpreters, or assistive listening devices levels the
playing field.
● Hybrid event formats: Blending virtual and in-person attendance options through hybrid
events is more inclusive for attendees who can’t or prefer not to travel.
With nearly 1 in 4 adults having some type of disability in the US alone, building accessibility into
events opens opportunities for event organizers in terms of both attendee acquisition and
demonstrating corporate social responsibility.
Driving Event Engagement through Technology
Beyond improving access, technology can also help drive greater engagement and interaction at
events. Encouraging attendees to actively participate makes for a more dynamic, memorable event.
Some examples of technologies for boosting event engagement include:
● Audience response systems: Real-time polling and survey platforms allow organizers to
take the pulse of the “room” and get attendees involved.
●
Interactive displays: Tactile interactive displays allow attendees to explore info and visualize
data creatively.
● Q&A and chat features: Open Q&A sessions and chat channels facilitate discussions
between speakers and attendees.
● Gamification: Trivia, scavenger hunts, leaderboards, and other game-design elements
motivate participation.
● Augmented and virtual reality: Immersive AR/VR experiences can transport and engage
attendees in memorable ways.
● Event apps and social media: Apps and social media integration allow attendees to network,
share insights, and continue the experience.
● Video production: Highlight reels, livestreams, and recap videos that capture event
discussions and moments can involve remote audiences. One of the most effective ways to
increase event engagement and interaction is to outsource video production for events
to seasoned providers, which can capture and showcase the highlights, insights, and
emotions of the event in a compelling and memorable way.
Enhancing engagement leads to more impactful events and better prospects for attendee retention at
future events.
Optimizing Event Marketing and Communications with
Technology
Technology also enables more streamlined, effective marketing and communication strategies for
events. Event organizers can leverage tech to deliver targeted, multi-channel messaging before,
during and after their events.
Some examples of tech-enabled event marketing and communication tactics include:
● Email marketing: Segmented email campaigns allow organizers to deliver personalized
promotions and reminders.
● Social media: Organic and paid social campaigns expand event reach and facilitate
conversations.
● Text message alerts: Important updates can be relayed in real-time via SMS.
● Chatbots: Automated chatbots answer FAQs and give attendees instant access to info.
● Dynamic displays: Digital signage and smart boards around event venues can display
schedules, maps, sponsors.
● Event apps: All-in-one apps allow for enhanced communication, content sharing, networking.
● Virtual events: Webinars, livestreams and on-demand video presentations extend reach
online.
● Post-event follow up: Email, video and social recaps maintain engagement after events
wrap.
With the average B2B event budget hovering around $250K, investing a portion into marketing and
communications technology provides serious ROI through expanded audiences, accurate
measurement, and year-round engagement.
Key Takeaways and Recommendations
While in-person events are irreplaceable for relationship-building, technological enhancements offer
major opportunities to improve today’s events.
Here are some key recommendations for using technology to create better attendee experiences:
● Evaluate needs and pain points across the attendee journey and identify tech solutions.
● Build accessibility and engagement elements directly into event programming.
● Take an omnichannel approach to promote events before, during and after.
●
Invest in onsite technology like WiFi, power access, device charging stations.
● Provide tech support and training to ensure comfort with any tech interactions.
● Measure and analyze data and feedback to improve future events.
As event participation resumes post-pandemic, organizations should strategically leverage technology
to craft more inclusive, interactive, and engaging attendee experiences. Rather than being gimmicky
add-ons, the right technologies integrated thoughtfully can elevate programming, increase event ROI,
and help forge lasting connections with audiences. With mindful tech adoption, the possibilities are
endless for creating distinctive live events that attendees won't forget.