15 Things to Include in Your Event App

by Guest Author (Annmarie Hoskins)

September 20, 2019

Looking for an easy way to upgrade your event in 2019? Integrate technology! Today, almost every attendee has a smartphone, so it’s time to use that to your advantage. From push notifications to digital schedules, opportunities for communicating with attendees are almost endless—all while reducing your event’s carbon footprint!

More: Plan Seamlessly with These Tech Solutions

In order to create an effective, user-friendly event app, there are a few things you’ll want to be sure to include:

User-Friendly User Interface: Incorporate an activity feed into your home screen to help create a more personalized user experience and facilitate increased interaction with content, people and solutions.
Session and Event Schedules: Of course, one of the most useful items you can provide is an event schedule. Eliminate paper waste by creating digital schedules that are conveniently available within the app.
Interactive Maps: Navigating large venues can be tricky, especially if an event is spread across multiple floors. Make life a little easier for your attendees by creating an interactive map to help them find their way to their next session or exhibitor.
Exclusive App Content: Incentivize attendees to download your app by creating valuable content and exclusive experiences that can only be found in the app.
Supplemental Session Materials: Take your workshops and educational sessions one step further by providing downloadable materials such as worksheets and case studies.
Social Q&A and Live Polling: Allow attendees to participate in round tables and panels by submitting their questions and votes via Q&A and Live Polling features.
Sponsor Ads: Attract sponsors by offering them the option to advertise directly to attendees within the app.
Exhibitor Information: You spend months rounding up the perfect exhibitors for your event, so make sure your attendees know who’s there and where to find them!
Networking Channels: Features such as attendee lists, direct messaging and matchmaking allow users to initiate conversations and forge meaningful connections.
Social Media Feeds: Create a custom social feed for your event and allow users to upload photos and updates to share their experience.
Private Meeting Scheduling: Attendees come to network, so let them! Scheduling features allow users to view calendars, request meetings and book meeting spaces, eliminating the hassle of never-ending email chains.
Push Notifications: Easily communicate with your attendees with targeted broadcasts and alerts. Send messages to help direct traffic or update users on last-minute schedule or location changes.
Digital Content Library: From speaker presentations and on-demand videos to exhibitor sales materials and whitepapers, put together a library of useful content.
Games: Gamification of mobile apps blends psychology and technology to create fun, competitive experiences that drive engagement, loyalty and brand recall.
Interactive Feedback: At the end of the event (or the end of each day) ask attendees to fill out a brief survey to get valuable feedback on their experience.