If you’re considering integrating mobile functionality into your next digital event, it pays to develop a customized digital event mobile application. There are several reasons why mobile apps can add big value by enabling a richer experience for your attendees. Companies are still uncovering new possibilities for including mobile interactivity along with their digital events (and hybrid events).

Mobile Digital Events? You’ll Need an App for That!

Digital events are one of the fastest-growing forms of marketing, since they enable organizations to bring together their most important audiences online without the restrictions of geography or physical space. The traditional idea of a digital event involves an online gathering hosted on a digital events platform with attendees logging in to the event from remote locations. However, with the recent advances in mobile technology, it is increasingly possible for digital event platform providers to make use of powerful tools for a mobile component of the digital event.

Here are three ways that mobile applications can add value for your next digital event:

  • Mobile integration with hybrid events: Hybrid events offer the best of both worlds – in-person connections plus online functionality. If you are planning a hybrid event, or even a traditional “in-person only” event, it is worth developing a mobile application to give people a chance to integrate the “real world” experience with the online digital event platform. I’ve written before about mobile applications for digital events and how the best mobile strategies complement the digital event, rather than simply replicate the event. Mobile apps for digital events can serve as a bridge between in-person and online activities – for example, if you’re attending a trade show, a mobile app might allow you to take a photo of a trade show booth and store that company’s information automatically for a later follow-up. In this way, mobile apps should enhance the experience, save time and speed up the higher-value interactions with buyers and sellers.
  • Use of location-based services: One use of mobile apps for events is to encourage users to “check in” at multiple booths or locations. Mobile apps can fully integrate the “real life” location and sense of place with the online content and information delivery. A hybrid event doesn’t have to be two separate streams of content with “in person” presentations or booths running parallel to online digital event platforms or mobile applications.
  • Access to data from any location: Many organizations are still becoming aware of the amazing possibilities of mobile applications for digital events. When every attendee at your event has a computer and Internet connection in their pocket, this opens up amazing opportunities to deliver content, solicit feedback and engage the emotions of your audience. Digital event platforms like Social27 can take your digital event beyond the “obvious” and create rich interactive experiences that go wherever your audience may be – whether it’s in an auditorium, walking through a trade show expo, checking in from the airport on their way to the event, or downloading the key points and highlights from the event after they are back at the office sitting at their desks.

Why a mobile app?

Many companies ask if they should invest in developing a mobile app for digital events. After all, if the digital event is already online, why not just rely on the Web browser experience to deliver the content? Why spend more money building a separate mobile app?

There are a few reasons why mobile apps add value, beyond simply offering a mobile version of the digital event’s website.

One of the lessons we’ve learned from working with clients on mobile digital events is that mobile devices (iPhones, smartphones, iPads and tablet PCs) can deliver a richer and more satisfying experience with a customized application. The website experience is often not enough because web browsers cannot deliver content in as streamlined or effective of a fashion for mobile devices. Websites designed to be viewed from a 17-inch laptop screen will not look as good (or function as well) on a smartphone.

In addition to the simple matters of visibility and usability, mobile devices offer amazing capabilities for location-based searches, interactivity and easy social networking integration that are best utilized with a customized mobile app. If you want to maximize the digital event experience for your attendees, simply offering them a mobile website might feel like a pale imitation. Instead, it’s best to give them a customized mobile app that enables them to do everything they want to do from their smartphones.

Join the conversation. Agree with me? Good. Disagree? Even Better! Tell me why…

What are the most ingenious and surprising mobile apps you’ve seen at a digital event? What are some ways that mobile apps have added value to your recent events?

Host your own digital event:

Interested in hosting your own digital event? Social27 has been enabling organizations across all industries and sizes to host their own engaging digital events since 2010.

The Social27 Digital Events platform brings the best of content streaming, networking with rich profiles, virtual sponsor pavilions, lead generation, gamification with points and badges, AI chatbot support and deep analytics powered by machine learning.