The Impact Of Technology On The Events Industry
Technology continues to make huge leaps and bounds and change all aspects of our lives – how we live, interact with one another and work.
We use technology on a day-to-day basis; it’s become an integral part of modern society. And has been for some time.
According to Datareportal, as of October 2024:
- There are 5.52 billion internet users in the world (67.5% of the global population), growing at an annual rate of 2.8%
- An avg. a daily time of 6hrs and 36 mins spent using the internet
- 70.3% of the world uses a mobile phone, with 5.75 billion unique users.
- There are 5.52 billion social media users (63.8% of the world’s population)
We’re using some form of technology on a daily basis and this is only increasing.
We’ve also seen a complete change in the ways we consume media.
The days of Blockbuster are gone and on-demand video has been the norm for roughly the last decade.
The never-ending scroll on reels has now been adopted by most social platforms and there is now a battle for audience retention as creators try to find new ways to grab viewers’ attention in shorter and shorter timeframes.
“Content is king” is a phrase often thrown about nowadays and this is becoming more and more apparent every day.
Not that long ago our experiences basically only lived in the moment they happened, in our memories and sometimes in old-fashioned analogue printed photographs that we could occasionally share.
Today that has all changed due to the growth of the Internet, social networks and mobile connectivity.
How Technology Has Changed The Events Industry
Technology advances have had a huge impact on the events industry.
These developments have completely changed and advanced all aspects of what we do. How we design, produce, plan and manage events for our clients.
We need to adapt to the needs of our clients and design events that keep up with how we use technology and interact with one another.
Technology has had a huge impact on the types of events we create and how we create them.
In recent years, highly related to the COVID pandemic, we’ve seen a huge increase and advancement in the ‘virtual’ space.
So much so that we’ve even seen the likes of hybrid, virtual and even Metaverse events become normal.
Technology has also enabled our events to become more sustainable.
Through the effective use of technology, we can reduce the carbon footprint of putting on an event by improving efficiency and changing how we attend events, reducing the need to travel, for example.
Invisible Technology
Invisible technology is event technology that seamlessly supports our event planning and management – the idea being you would hardly know it was there.
Why it matters?
The advances in technology have had a huge impact on futuristic entertainment ideas used in the events space, as this too has had to get with the times and compete with audience retention, and push to be the next ‘new’ thing in an ever-saturated market.
According to Cvent over 42% of event planners work 15-20 hours a day during the month of planning, resulting in half of event planners reporting getting only an average of 5 hours of sleep during the planning period.
That’s why as event managers it’s essential that we don’t just look to the flashier tech to support our events such as VR and AR, but concentrate on invisible technologies like efficient event registration software, automated data collection tools, and smart scheduling systems that will play a vital role in ensuring your event runs smoothly.
And that’s only the surface of what technology can do for your events (and you!) We’ll get into more detail below.
Do you want to make your next event as tech-savvy as possible? Check out our guide: Tech Forward Event Spaces
Impact On The Types of Events We Create
Technology has changed the ways in which we attend events – we now have the option of hybrid events or fully virtual events – making events overall more easily accessible.
- A hybrid event is an event that has both in-person and virtual elements.
- A virtual event is an event that is fully hosted online, virtually.
Depending on the purpose of your event, the best type of event to host will vary.
Although, we find hybrid events offer the perfect balance for most clients.
Hybrid events are fantastic for events that have attendants from all around the world, but allow a select audience to attend the event in person.
This is great for conferences, for example.
If you’re a company with a global workforce that wants to host a conference for all staff to attend, hosting a fully LIVE (in-person) conference at a physical location will not be the most cost-effective option.
You would have to book flights, hotels and get around all of the logistical challenges of doing this which of course will be costly.
If you’re concerned about sustainability, this route will also have a huge carbon footprint.
A fantastic way around this is by hosting a hybrid conference.
You can look at some guests attending ‘virtually‘ that may be, logistically, inefficient to attend in-person, and the guests that are attending the physical event being more local.
This way you save on cost, time and emissions from the travel, whilst keeping your event open to your entire audience.
Technology has of course not gotten rid of the need for entirely in-person, LIVE events. In fact, it’s enhanced the experience of a fully LIVE in-person event.
We’ll go more into this below.
Impact On How We Plan Events
Technology has had a huge impact on how we plan events.
It’s made this much easier, more efficient and more accurate.
Through the use of technology in events, we can create a purpose-built event app that asks guests to sign up for your event and provide their information.
The registration asks for all of the required information we, as event planners, need to effectively plan your event.
We’ll have an accurate number of guests in attendance and key information to make the event enjoyable and purposeful for your audience.
You can of course make this registration as in-depth or as simple as you like. You can ask for specifics such as who guests work for, age, interests – anything you can think of.
Again, depending on the purpose of your event, the impact of this information will differ.
Impact On How We Manage Events
Imagine an event where your attendees can instantly access event details, submit their feedback, and network like never before.
You can even add your own interactive maps of your event space, these event apps benefit event planners in so many ways, by integrating app technology into events your guests can navigate the event and share their experiences with one another.
We can integrate technology into events much more seamlessly nowadays (invisible tech), even using apps to log event attendance.
The apps also provide statistics from the event – showing things like engagement, most visited areas and more – giving us data on what works and what doesn’t so we can adjust future goals.
This enables us to better manage the event LIVE and be reactive to the data. Making for a more enjoyable and seamless experience for delegates.
Impact On How Guests Interact At Your Event
Technology in events has advanced greatly and the increase in dependence on technology have also had a massive impact on the ways in which guests interact at the event.
So as event planners, we need to design events to incorporate technology effectively so that guests can interact in the ways we’re now used to.
One way of doing this is through a purpose-built event app that incorporates immersive technology such as AR and VR.
This event app can improve the ways in which delegates interact at your event and enhance your attendees’ ability to network with one another.
If you’re hosting an event where one of the main incentives for guests to attend is for them to network, an event app is a must-have for enhancing this aspect.
This technology in events can display all of the guests that are attending in one area, displaying key information such as who they are, their business, sector and anything else you choose.
Users who have also registered can then interact within the app and organise to meet at the event, whether that be a booked session or a casual meeting.
Technology has also drastically changed the ways in which guests share their experience, giving your event an online presence – which is hugely beneficial for brand activations, product launches and more – where attention is imperative to its success.
This online presence of course enables you to reach a much wider audience as it doesn’t reach just those attending the physical event.
Human First…
However, it is essential to add that tech should only enhance human connection rather than be a replacement. Technology in events should be integrated to facilitate deeper interactions and connections, whilst offering unique and personalised experiences that are essential to consumers.
In a world where AI and tech are advancing at an extraordinary rate, it is important that events retain the human touch, after all it is what our clients expect. Whether it’s having a dedicated event manager as the first point of contact, or ensuring every detail aligns with their vision, the human element will always be an integral part of organising and managing successful and memorable events.
Impact On Entertainment and Attractions We Use For Events
Before we had things like drone shows and 3D mapping technology, entertainment used to be pyrotechnics, smoke machines and sleight of hand.
Historic entertainers used basic equipment to create illusions, using mirrors and obscurers to distort how the audience would see the performer.
One area within the events industry that has felt the developments in technology the most is perhaps in the entertainment and attractions used for events!
Entertainment has to constantly keep up with the advances in technology as it has to be new and exciting for the audience to share and have the desired impact.
A wow factor is required to gain attention and get the desired effect.
Whether that be a unique simulator for guests to use, or a high-end drone show to wow the audience.
The ways people consume content and the way the content is going to be served to consumers have certainly changed and developed.
Take VR for example, as technology starts coming into how it can amplify events and experiences – it can take audiences on a digital journey.
One of the great things about leaps in the tech sector is that we can continue to create new, unique and exciting attractions, shows and more for guests to interact with.
Technology is advancing all of the time and with it comes new shows, attractions and entertainment.
As we are in an age of digital currency, sharing and content creation – we are primed for a society that completely lives and breathes online technologies.
Why Use Technology Entertainment At Your Event?
Today, it couldn’t be more important to include technology entertainment at your event, especially if it is a brand activation, product launch or public event where attention and social presence are imperative.
For any chance of one of these events having an online presence – bringing technology entertainment to your event couldn’t be more effective.
It enables you to have innovative ways of sharing experiences at the event on social media, making for a ‘trending’ event on social media – a key in producing a successful brand activation or product launch.
On top of the social presence benefits, technology entertainment also improves your ROI drastically for your event.
So it’s not just online activity relating to your event that sees a huge benefit, it’s also the physical event attendance and cost of producing the event!
What Is Technology Entertainment?
Technology entertainment spans a huge field. It includes anything from 3D mapping shows and photobooths to simulators and applications. It’s any entertainment (show, production, attraction, performer etc.) that uses any form of entertainment.
Long-Term Benefits of Event Technology
Not only do certain technologies enhance the LIVE event experience but they can contribute to long-term benefits such as as impactful post-event communication, lead generation, and marketing insights.
Here are some more:
- Improved attendee experience
- Enhanced data collection
- Increased brand recognition
- Cost efficiency and resource management
- Sustainability
- Scalability and flexibility
- Enhance networking
Emerging Trends in Technology in Events for 2025
As we move into 2025 we will see even further technological impacts in the events industry.
From ever advancing AI tools for real-time analysis to micro LED transparent glass for immersive experiences.
So no more headsets, this glass can be used to completely transform an event space and include multiple people in the experience at once.
Then there is Ai Powered extended reality, this allows adaptive environments which respond to your guest’s interactions, allowing for more personalised and immersive experiences.
Technology in events will see such features as digital avatars who can greet guests, hold conversations and guide them on your product, event space or any other aspect of your event.
Depending on the type of event you are managing, technology advancements means you will have a vast expanse of invisible management technologies and entertainment at your fingertips.
Sustainability
Sustainability in events will be at the forefront in 2025, meaning that event planners need to get on top of their sustainable event reduction plans. Governments in the future will make it compulsory that all industries report on their sustainability.
As a sustainable event agency, we can help with innovative technology that measures your baseline data and turns it into actionable insights, as well as unique report apps and tracking devices so you can see all your analytics in one place.
Discover more here.
Want To Find Out More About The Technology We Can Incorporate Into Your Event?
As an established events agency, we can implement a wide range of technology into your events.
Whether that be through immersive reality, event apps, the Metaverse or by any other means, we can certainly help.
Get in contact today to discuss your event needs and see how we can help you!
Our Services:
- Event Technology
- Event Apps
- Hybrid Events
- Immersive Reality
- Metaverse Events
- Video Production and Projection
- Virtual Events
- Technology Entertainment
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