The Ultimate Guide to Mobile Apps for Events and Conferences

These days, most people prefer using their smartphones to go online. So, if you are using a virtual conference platform for your hybrid events, or even looking into an in-person events platform without a mobile app in mind, you’ll miss out on a large audience portion. A great way to bring in this audience is through mobile apps for events and conferences. 

These apps allow you, your exhibitors, and your visitors to access the event on the go. In addition, you can also do a large chunk of the setup using them. Therefore, you should include them with your virtual, hybrid, and even in-person events for the best results.

What are Mobile Apps for Events and Conferences?

You probably use mobile apps for a lot of purposes. From banking to surfing social media, there’s an app for everything. So, mobile apps for events and conferences are a natural development. These let hosts, exhibitors, and visitors access the event via their mobile devices. 

A mobile event app is usually customized according to the event, and people can download it to get access. Once they download it, they can just log in and participate in the event using their smartphones. In most cases, these apps have all the functionalities users could ask for, and are optimized to run and appear well on phones as well.  

The Benefits of Mobile Apps for Events and Conferences

There are many benefits of using mobile apps for events and conferences. These are not only good for you as hosts, but will also make life easier for your visitors. In addition, exhibitors and sponsors can also access a wide range of features relevant to them. Here are a few reasons why you must use these apps for your event. 

Optimize the Event for Mobile Devices

A mobile event app lets you optimize your event for mobile devices. The event experience looks quite different on desktop devices and mobile devices. So, a standard event designed for desktops won’t translate well to mobile devices. 

With a mobile app, the event is optimized in every way for these devices. From the visual experience to loading speeds, everything is designed keeping mobile users in mind. This means that your event will work well on both kinds of devices. 

Set Up Event Easily

You can set up various aspects of your event on the go. You can just discuss the details needed and see what needs to be done with your PM. In addition, you can alter chat settings, and control chat rooms for both booth reps and attendees. 

Furthermore, you can even get your app customized according to your own requirements. Then, you can collect registration data via app signups. 

Let Exhibitors Customize Booths

Not only you, but your exhibitors can also access the app. This way, they can set up and customize their booths according to their needs. This means that you don’t have to worry about booth setup. In addition, the exhibit booths are interactive for the user, so that they can get the documents, access product information, and chat with booth representatives using their smartphones. 

Instead, exhibitors can set up their booths and make any changes required. They can do this using their smartphones, so they won’t have to go through a whole chain of representatives to resolve their concerns. 

Send Out Push Notifications

People are used to receiving various notifications on their phones. Besides, they have more access to their phones than to their desktops. So, you can enable mobile notifications for event reminders, updates, and other announcements. 

These will let you keep your event participants in the loop. Furthermore, you can communicate any schedule updates or changes quickly this way. 

Get More Visitors

In the US, around half of all people who use the internet access it via mobile devices. So, if you reach out to them with a mobile event app, then you can increase your visitors quite significantly. This figure is even higher in Asia, at 63%. Therefore, it’s clear that you need to cater to mobile users. This way, you can get the high footfall you want at your event. 

Be Environmentally Friendly

An app will help you eliminate a considerable amount of paper and plastic collateral. You can issue e-tickets, share schedules, and showcase various brands on your mobile app. Resultantly, you won’t have to get lots of collateral printed. This will help you be environmentally friendly and also cut down on event costs.  

Create Networking Opportunities

When you have all your attendees on a mobile app, they can also find each other more easily. This opens up ample networking opportunities at the event. So, use features like profile search and matchmaking to enable this networking. 

Gather Data

More users mean more data. Furthemore, even if your event is hybrid or physical, a mobile app still lets you keep track of them. This way, you can collect valuable insights, keep in touch with the attendees in the future, and deliver effective campaigns. You can even build a community with these mobile app users, for future events and marketing purposes.

Create More Sponsorship Opportunities

A mobile event app lets you offer more branding space and sponsorship opportunities. This is because there are more white labeling options for various features. Furthermore, you can feature sponsor logos on various parts of your app, depending on the sponsorship packages. 

Encourage Communication

Your visitors and exhibitors will be able to interact more if you give them a mobile event app. Then, both in-person and virtual attendees can talk to each other via chat rooms and networking lounges. Therefore, an app really helps boost interaction and engagement at your event. 

How to Leverage Mobile Event Apps at Physical Events

If you’re going down the hybrid or physical event route, mobile apps are still very relevant. You can have all attendees register via your app. This way, you can keep track of them, and keep them updated. You can even involve them in fun engagement and gamification activities like a virtual photo booth.   

Enable Mobile App Check-In

Track attendee data with mobile app check-ins. When someone registers for your event online, then assign them a unique QR code. Then, use a QR code scanner at the entrance of the event to keep track of your visitors. This will help you gather useful visitor data. 

Include Leaderboard Contests

Gamify event interactions with a leaderboard. Include a checklist in the leaderboard contest for various kinds of engagement activities, both virtual and physical. Have users go through this checklist and have representatives and attendants verify their achievements to earn them points. 

Run a Virtual Photo Booth

You can host a virtual photo booth and have people submit their selfies via your mobile event app. This can work for both virtual and physical attendees. Then, everyone can vote on the pictures, and the picture with the most votes can win a prize. This will promote physical and online interaction at your event. 

Incorporate Social Media Sharing

Let users share various aspects of the event by adding social media buttons to your mobile apps for events and conferences. Then, both physical and digital visitors can share content and promote the event. This will also spread the word without much extra effort on your part. You can encourage them to share pictures or videos of the in-person parts of the event as well, for more exposure and marketing.  

Enable Contact Information Sharing

With a mobile event app, you can let attendees and exhibitors share their contact details with each other. This is possible with QR codes, chat rooms, and other such in-app options. At the physical event itself, attendees can scan each other’s codes to see user profiles and contact details. 

How Can You Get Your Own Mobile App for Events and Conferences?

You may think you have to invest in app development resources to get your own mobile apps for events and conferences. However, that is not the case. If you sign up with a good event hosting platform, they’ll give you an app within their package. Then, you can discuss customization, color schemes, and features with the team. It’s as simple as that!

How Much Will it Cost?

Mobile apps for events and conferences are not as expensive as you’d think. Now, most event platforms offer these within their event packages. After that, you can customize your app, and see what additions you need. Depending on the features you choose, you can easily get great options within your budget. 

Once you’ve customized your mobile apps for events and conferences, they’re free to download for all your attendees and participants. Then, everyone will be able to access the suite of features you choose. 

What Features Should You Include in Your App?

There are a number of features which make mobile event apps well worth it. You should include as many of these as you can to offer your participants the best experience possible. 

Easy Event Check-In

Whether you have a virtual, physical, or hybrid event, it’s important to know how many people registered and checked in. These check-in features help you track these numbers.

• Contactless on-site check-in with scannable codes
• Self check-in option for attendees
• Trackable attendance rates

In-Event & Virtual Attendee Networking

You can keep track of your attendees and also give them the opportunity to network with each other. Your mobile event app will have multiple networking features, such as:

• Customer user profile
• Contact cards
• Search & filter functions
• Contact information sharing via QR code

Customizable Virtual Exhibit Booths

Your exhibitors can access their booths via mobile apps for events and conferences, and customize them as needed. This is possible with the following features. 

• Exhibitor list on view for attendees
• Booth building capabilities for exhibitors via app
• Ability to share files & documents with attendees 

Webinars On the Go

One of the best aspects about a mobile event app is the ability to view and arrange webinars on the go. Here’s how you can use webinar features optimally with the mobile app. 

• Live streaming for attendees on the go
• Pre-recorded webinar sharing with virtual & in-person attendees
• Ability to add sessions to attendee calendars

Downloadable Digital Resources

Go green with digital resources! This will not only be good for the environment, but will also cut down on costs. Here are a few ways you can utilize downloadable digital content. 

• Share digital collateral on the app
• Share multimedia resources, e.g, videos, presentations, & brochures
• Allow attendees to save files to swag bag
• Allow attendees to download resources

Powerful Post-Event Analytics

Your benefits don’t end after the event! Continue to reap the advantages of your mobile event app with comprehensive post-event analytics. Enjoy features such as: 

• Viewing attendee registrations & login metrics
• Track webinar attendance, booth metrics, chat, & more
• See how many times your content was saved & downloaded

Key Takeaways

So, a mobile apps for events and conferences are the way to go in this era of smartphones. Therefore, you need to make sure you utilize it as well as possible. This is because your own customized app will allow you to enjoy benefits like:

• Event customization on the go
• Webinars viewable on smartphones
• Attendee networking
• Easy attendee check-in
• Booth customization

vFairs offers our own custom mobile event app, and it’s perfect for in-person, virtual and hybrid events alike. Learn more with this quick video!