Event tech thought leaders share insights on partnering with tech providers to create personalized, immersive event experiences that deliver meaningful engagement.
This article is based on content included in the 2022 edition of the EventMB Virtual Event Tech Guide, a valuable resource for all event professionals who understand and appreciate the value of virtual event technology and want to be on the cutting edge. Download your free copy by clicking here.
Personalization Reigns Supreme
“Bring your brand, culture, and content to the forefront of your event, and let the technology fall into the background,” said Christina Torok, marketing product leader, Webex Events. Torok encourages the use of brand-aligned colors, iconography, content formats, and features that create unique experiences for event participants.
“Provide a personalized registration flow based on individual attendee attributes,” said Alon Alroy, co-founder and chief marketing officer of Bizzabo. Alroy is a strong advocate for taking a fully personalized approach using the power of data now at the disposal of event professionals.
Tech Providers Are Your Partners
Joe Schwinger, co-founder and chief product/innovation officer, MeetingPlay + Aventri encourages planners to include their event tech providers in the planning process from the start. “One of the benefits that came out of the pandemic is that all vendors were at the starting line together, making for a much more cohesive planning process. So, continue to invite your event tech provider at the starting line as opposed to later down the planning process. That will result in lower change orders, more efficiencies, more synergies, and ultimately a much better hybrid event,” said Schwinger.
“The right platform partner can share insights and ideas of what is possible,” said Cathy Song Novelli, chief marketing officer, Hubilo. She believes tech partners should be sources of inspiration, not just technical resources and know-how.
Immersive Experiences Are Impactful
“Driving real engagement at virtual events with truly immersive experiences is a continued challenge for the entire industry. So I was very happy to see the entire industry focus on greater engagement features last year. From metaverse/AR/VR integrations to more basic things like enabling GIF chat and more deeply integrated gamification leaderboards…. experiences are getting more compelling and engaging every day,” said Song Novelli.
Torok highlights that innovation has made delivering high profile, high production, immersive events simpler. Further, she sees event tech making it more accessible for event planners and marketers to host outstanding events without relying heavily on IT.
Meaningful Engagement is Key
According to Schwinger, when personalization is well delivered, it can lead to incredible engagement. “Think about your attendees and their core goals of logging into your virtual environment before you start designing a user journey. For example, some people will want to network virtually, and those who are there simply to consume content. Those are two different experiences, and the more you can personalize their journey, the better off your engagement will be.”
A great deal has been accomplished in the past year when it comes to humanizing virtual and hybrid experiences, said Alroy. “Broadly, the number one tip for hybrid event success is to have more meaningful engagement than the alternatives. This requires serious thought about what is meaningful engagement vs. what’s a gimmick.”
Download your free copy of the 2022 EventMB Virtual Event Tech Guide.