The Impact of Event Technology On Event Metrics

June 3, 2019

Attend any major B2B or B2C event today and you might think you were heading onto a Hollywood set, with bright lights, lively audio, captivating video and where interactivity abounds. 

On the horizon and already on display at some leading-edge trade shows and conventions are new trends such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and advanced online ticketing and registration. These existing and emerging event technologies are paving the way for more successful events and overall enhanced experiences for event planners, exhibitors and attendees. 

Where the real Hollywood magic, however, is taking place is behind the scenes in how event marketers and exhibitors are using technology to achieve primary goals relating to their branding, social media and data capture for measuring key event metrics. Event metrics have become an important goal for both planners and exhibitors, according to industry research.

Event Goals, Technology and Data

A Bizzabo survey found that 50 percent of marketers use events primarily for lead generation/sales and community building. Event marketers have a similar goal based on a finding from the CMO Council and E2MA, which reported that 64 percent of event marketers said that trade shows and events are most often used as sources of new prospects and business opportunities. Clearly, to achieve the goal, data must be captured relating to new prospects, business opportunities and brand awareness. 

Bizzabo noted that 86 percent of event marketers believe that technology can have a positive impact on the success of their events which, as previously noted, requires event branding, social media, and data capture goals for them and their exhibitors. 

A related finding of Bizzabo showed that the majority of over-performing organizations (i.e., those able to demonstrate an event ROI of 25 percent or higher attributed to their willingness to invest in event technology) plan to increase their event technology spend. Other relevant research includes:

  • 44% of event marketers want event technology that provides analytics such as number of booth visits, length of stay, etc. (CMO Council and E2MA);
  • 54% of marketers believe events are great opportunities for positioning their brands (CMO Council and E2MA); 
  • The top five metrics marketers believe best quantify an event’s value are: new referrals and introductions, quality and quantity of leads, deal closures, the value of sales, and new up-sell and cross-sell opportunities. (CMO Council and E2MA); 
  • 70% of top companies and brands ranked social marketing related to event programs as “extremely” or “very important.” (Freeman XP & EMI); and
  • 88% of companies use social media to increase awareness before an event; 63% of companies use social media to drive attendance before an event, and 73% of companies use social media to promote specific events and features during the event. (Freeman XP & EMI)

Using event technology, event marketers and exhibitors can measure how effective an event was in meeting their branding, social media and lead capture objectives.

Event Technology Capturing Data for Metric Measures

Let’s look at some of the metrics event planners and marketers are measuring relating to their event goals.

For branding:

  • Web site traffic increases
  • Social media likes, followers and engagement increases
  • Twitter wall tweet numbers
  • Number of exhibit booth visitor increases
  • Number of news clips generated from the event 

For gathering market intelligence:

  • Number of survey respondents
  • Survey respondent demographics (age of a survey respondent, job function/title, existing customer, prospect, etc.)

For product demonstrations:

  • Number of people who viewed a live demonstration
  • Number of people who viewed a video demonstration and requested additional information be sent to them
  • Number of people who viewed a demonstration and completed an online contact us form
  • Number of people who viewed a demonstration and placed an order
  • Number of people who learned about products and then went on social media and posted about them

Most event marketers and exhibitors are familiar with event registration software that facilitates an easy registration process, whether online or at the venue in manned or self-serve interactive kiosks. Registration is just one of the features of this software, which also captures market data on attendee demographics and generates real-time reports that help event marketers better manage their events, including assisting with post-event follow-up.

Using lead retrieval software, event marketers and exhibitors can capture data, qualify prospects, distribute leads among sales representatives and even measure lead-to-sale conversions, sale closure rates and other valuable return on investment metrics such as dollar value of sale and number of products sold.

Mobile apps are a great way to support branding goals and gather market intelligence. Among the features offered by event apps are real-time push notifications, interactive games and online surveys. The latter can support branding, market intelligence and sales goals by gaining data that can then be applied to create targeted marketing messages to help drive people to an exhibit or presentation. Additionally, these apps have back-end reporting and analytics capabilities that integrate with leading CRM systems, a feature that can be helpful in quantifying and qualifying leads as well as justifying the event investment.

Like mobile apps, audience response systems are another event technology that support market intelligence gathering. These systems enable event marketers and exhibitors to interact and engage with attendees as well as get their feedback on different subjects.

Institutional branding and product marketing are facilitated with today’s dynamic LED, 4K, video walls and touch screen displays. Large QLED displays deliver maximum color volume and brightness to project a brand and its offerings in the most captivating way, drawing attendees into the booth and keeping them there to learn more about a brand and its products. 

Touch screen displays allow attendees to access brand presentations, product demonstrations, and other valuable information. Some of the products have built-in media players that deliver an outstanding interactive experience. There are even touch tables that are ideal for holding booth visitors’ attention for longer periods of time with engaging, interactive digital content. Super-sized (i.e., 80”) interactive display systems offer capacitive multi-touch technology that is extremely intuitive and responsive, making these systems especially suitable for presentations

These are just some of the event technologies that support event marketing and metrics or event benchmarking objectives. Other technologies that can also help event marketers and exhibitors achieve greater ROI include LED panels, interactive kiosks and charging stations, and video walls that can be used to create Twitter walls. 

If you’re not already taking advantage of today’s event technology to gather metrics, capture leads, build your brand and increase your event ROI, there’s no time like the present!

 

Don’t miss any event-related news: Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter HERE and engage with us on TwitterFacebookLinkedIn and Instagram!

Add new comment

Partner Voices
HERE, hosting responsible meetings and caring for our communities are top priorities. Through its 'Focused on What Matters: Embracing Humanity and Protecting the Planet' philosophy, MGM Resorts commits to creating a more sustainable future, while striving to make an impact in the lives of employees, guests, and the communities in which it operates. Water Stewardship Efforts MGM Resorts understands the importance of using water efficiently, especially in the desert destination of Las Vegas. Conserving water has always been part of the mission, but MGM Resorts has expanded its ambition into water stewardship. In 2022, MGM Resorts President and CEO Bill Hornbuckle signed the CEO Water Mandate—a UN Global Compact initiative mobilizing business leaders to advance water stewardship. MGM Resorts International was the first gaming company to take this important step. MGM Resorts replaced 200,000 square feet of real grass with drought-tolerant landscaping in Las Vegas. MGM Resorts pledges to reduce water withdrawal intensity by 33% by 2025 and by 35% by 2030. From 2007-2021, use of more than 5.6 billion gallons of water was avoided because of conservation efforts. Caring for One Another MGM Resorts’ Food Donations Program collects and preserves unserved food from conventions held at MGM Resorts properties, then safely donates to food insecure people in the community. Since the program’s launch in 2016, more than 3.7 million meals toward a 2025 goal of 5 million meals have been donated into the community. Donations include: Unserved perishable prepared foods from events Perishable unprepared food from MGM Resorts’ kitchens Nonperishable food items from minibars and warehouses The collaboration with Southern Nevada’s primary food bank, Three Square, has developed the infrastructure needed to safely collect, transport, and store food from MGM Resorts properties in Las Vegas, reducing food waste while serving the community. Fostering Diversity and Inclusion To MGM Resorts, a diverse and talented workforce is essential to success. By cultivating innovative strategies that consider multiple perspectives and viewpoints, the company creates an inclusive workplace culture that benefits its employees and community. MGM Resorts takes pride in being a welcoming home for veterans, individuals with disabilities, people from diverse backgrounds, LGBTQ+ community members, and more. This commitment to inclusion is reflected in the company's recruitment and hiring practices and its social responsibility initiatives. From the workplace to the community, MGM Resorts' commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion remains unwavering, and its efforts continue to create a more equitable and sustainable world for all. MGM Resorts understands its responsibility to contribute to the social and economic progress of the communities in which it operates. HERE, we embrace humanity.