2024's Top 7 Trends in Event Personalization for Unforgettable Experiences
Jul 16, 2024 Praggya Joshi
Personalization, the process to create a unique and tailored experience for customers is no longer a luxury only a few businesses can leverage. With the steady growth in data analysis and automation, it has become a necessity. That's why according to 90% of marketeers, personalization is a potential source for increased profitability. The events industry is no exception. Event personalization, powered by technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR), and data analysis have become more frequent than ever.
Personalizing event experiences enable attendees to navigate through the event according to their needs and aspirations, forging a deep bond with the brand. In exchange, they wish to return to more such future events, which increases brand loyalty, and ultimately, ROI.
Keep reading as we dive into the top 7 trends in event personalization you can leverage to boost your event experiences and attendee retention.
1. Sensory-rich Experiential Events
Sensory-rich experiential events are driven by technologies like AR and VR, interactive media, and employ gamification techniques. The result is the creation of an immersive environment that engages all the four senses of attendees. Experiential events engage more attendees and are a robust tool to build brand awareness. That's why over 60% of marketers plan to invest heavily in them this year.
One of the best examples is FX’s sensory activation. The organization created three interactive, sound-focused installations inspired by drama, comedy, and horror genres during its SOUNDFX campaign. The aim was to promote popular FX shows available on Hulu, making this experiential event a massive success.
2. AI-Driven Hyper-Personalization
We have already discussed the many AI-powered tools for event management and how the technology makes live events seamless. The implementation of deep learning, natural language processing (NLP), and computer vision through AI-based applications leads to highly personalized, efficient, and interactive experiences.
AI algorithms analyze vast amounts of attendee data for insights and facilitate real-time decision-making. In addition, by automating manual processes, they bring efficiency into the planner's lives.
A great example of AI-driven personalization is matchmaking for networking in corporate events. Networking holds immense significance for the majority of professionals who attend corporate events. AI-based matchmaking through an event mobile app brings like-minded attendees closer based on their shared ambitions and interests. The algorithms give the most relevant recommendations to guests according to their intent and purpose, thereby facilitating accurate matchmaking.
NLP-based applications like chatbots and virtual assistants offer another layer of personalization. Such apps offer meaningful, human-like, and precise answers to individual queries so that the attendees can navigate the event from the beginning to the end easily.
Want to take your event up a notch by delivering personalized networking opportunities through AI-powered matchmaking? Check out Eventcombo’s mobile event app.
3. Personalized Family-Friendly Events
According to event pros, family-oriented event experiences are here to stay and proliferate. This is because today, millennials make up a third of the adult population. This family-friendly crowd wants experiences that can be enjoyed with their loved ones. Moreover, these kinds of experiences support a sense of inclusivity and togetherness. It creates a winning situation for planners.
Some of the most popular ideas for business events that follow this personalization trends are, interactive workshops that offer hands-on learning experiences for everyone, captivating magic shows that illicit wonder, live performances, and storytelling sessions.
4. Personalized Hybrid Events
Hybrid events bring virtual and digital experiences together. By doing so, they serve varying attendee preferences and circumstances easily. That is why hybrid experiences have fast become one of the most preferred ways of hosting business events.
Hybrid events promote a sense of inclusivity which is being increasingly favored in the business world. Through in-person and virtual workshops and networking sessions, such mixed experiences promote company culture and values and make way for open dialogue.
The three most appealing hybrid event formats today are:
- The Studio Experience - The setting is more intimate, and it is ideal for a small group of virtual and in-person attendees. Check out how Inova Health Foundation mastered this kind of hybrid experience.
- Pre-recorded streams - Attendees gather in small in-person groups to watch a live or recorded stream of sessions or speeches. This approach opens the event to a wider variety of speakers.
- Simultaneous events - This format is most common for hybrid sales kick-offs. Every attendee, no matter where they are attending the event from, gets access to the same information at the same time.
5. Exclusive Event Experiences
Exclusivity is another major trend in event customization that is being leveraged by planners and marketers to enhance the experience. Happiness increases when people feel special. It's a psychological fact, which has started making more sense with the presence of increased data. Event planners drive attendance and participation in events with exclusive experiences.
This can be seen in the efforts to give exclusive access to areas or activities that are not available otherwise to the public, VIP packages, premium amenities, behind-the-scenes tours, and meet-and-greet opportunities. Exclusive experiences enable guests to invest both their time and emotions, resulting in a highly memorable event.
You can also create exclusive experiences by analyzing attendee data and finding what clicks with them. Use the reporting and analytics features in our event management platform to get started.
6. Sustainable Event Experiences
Sustainability has become more than a buzzword today. Increasingly, people are valuing businesses delivering services that do not harm the environment in any way. Also, more and more people are adopting a vegan lifestyle, which underscores the significance of curating eco-conscious experiences.
Personalizing event experiences according to this desire of the population has now become imperative for businesses. Climate Week NYC 2023, World ESG Summit 2023, and Sustainability LIVE London 2023 are some of the best examples of insightful eco-friendly events that happened recently.
7. Gamified Event Experiences
By 2025, the gamification market size is predicted to reach $30.7 billion! It shows that gamified events will be one of the biggest trends in the coming years. We have already talked about the power of games to skyrocket engagement in events.
Today, one of the major reasons for investing in this kind of experience is the rise of Gen Z. Gamification tools have become necessary to cater to this large demographic which has grown with constant exposure to the internet. This type of format gives them a sense of familiarity with their way of upbringing and makes them more willing to attend.
With the aid of Q&A sessions, memory challenges, leaderboards, and scavenger hunts, gamified events are creating new avenues for engagement and interaction. The event's ability to make attendees feel included and connect with brands is undeniable. The possibilities of gamifying events are endless when using our virtual or in-person event management platform.
Summing up
Event personalization helps you build amazing customer relationships and enhances brand awareness. The various trends shooting off from it make it evident that planners everywhere are trying their best to create exclusive experiences. It clearly shows that making the attendees feel valued and engaged is the foremost goal. You can also take a cue from them and reshape your planning according to the needs, interests, and demographics of your audience.
Tech plays a huge role both in event personalization and in helping you deliver seamless and well-coordinated experiences. It also allows you to assess your efforts at personalizing experiences afterward. All of this is possible with Eventcombo's all-in-one event management platform. Book a demo and see how it simplifies personalized event planning with ease.
