Year on year, adoption and Mobile Event App Usage Rates are Soaring in the Mobile Event App industry! This is great news for leaders in the mobile event app industry, as well as much welcomed news for event managers, exhibitors, sponsors, and attendees. However, while adoption and downloads are important, it’s the usage that ultimately leads to return on investment for all stakeholders involved.

So, I ask, are your attendees REALLY using your Mobile App?

According to our statistics, the answer is a resounding YES! We’re seeing significantly more year-on-year app take-up, content views and handout downloads – along with increased networking between participants at each event. In addition, by using state-of-the-art mapping and routing tools, time saved navigating around events is at an all-time high. Organisations are employing more effective communication strategies and gaining useful information from tools like iBeacons, Geofencing, targeted alerts, and live audience response systems within the App.

In fact, at the recently completed PCMA Convening Leaders in Vancouver, Canada, there were 6,000+ downloads of the Mobile app – with 3,826 attendees at the live event. That’s Over 130% Download Rate! However, even more impressive was the usage. Statistics detailed Bookmarked Sessions at over 38,000. That is more than 10 sessions per attendee that they added to their individual schedules!

To what do we attribute these high rates of usage?

1. Increased Awareness of the Organisation’s App

In some cases, events are in their 2nd or 3rd year of deploying a Mobile Event App. Attendees may have seen, but not used the App in prior years. As the reach grows along with the number of users, so does their interest in the content being delivered. In addition to this, event organisations have become increasingly more proficient at marketing event tech tools. Awareness is at an all-time high through use of prominent event signage, the use of QR codes, email marketing, social media marketing and employing innovative strategies that include “how to” videos. The lesson here is to start with an Event App sooner rather than later, and to promote it everywhere you can . . .

2.  Ease of Use

Is your Mobile Event App easy to use?

Is it intuitive – especially for first timers?

What is your App provider doing to promote usage?

Mobile Event Apps began winning technology awards several years ago and in addition, they’ve continued to innovate, adapt to new ideas, and become extremely user friendly. Key advancements, such as Contextual Help within the App, have gone a long way toward making navigation and usage commonplace at your Event.

Put yourself in the position of a first time user – what is your organisation and your event app provider doing to make life easy?

3. Event Organisers and Meeting Planners are Embracing Apps as Part of their Strategy

Organisations have communication strategies, as well as emergency action plans. They have growth & revenue objectives, and target markets. Today, it’s all about new products and culture. Mobile Event Apps that are properly deployed work in conjunction with all of these important corporate initiatives. Your Mobile App provider should be able to consult best practices and share techniques that deliver results, including developing your app into a year-round tool for delivering strategic communication and content to your members and participants . .

4. Increased Comfort with the Technology

Mobile Apps are everywhere! And yet, we’re still in the development phase of this tool and its capabilities. While the phrase “people use what they know and don’t use what they don’t know” still rings true, more and more meeting participants use an app at some point in their daily lives. We’re definitely helped by millennials and those that are eager to deploy new technologies, but we’re also getting there as an event community as well. It’s ok to step out of your comfort zone.

5. Organisations Aren’t Providing Alternatives

Organisations are forgoing the option to hand out printed copies of the full agenda. During live sessions, physical handouts aren’t being passed around. With a strategic decision to stop printing, organisations are saving money and practicing sustainability. They have moved to full implementation of the Mobile App. Yes, it is time to “cut the cord” on some of those traditional practices.

The world has changed and if you don’t demand technology at your events I can guarantee that your attendees will. If you haven’t deployed an event app at your events or are considering the use of event technology but just aren’t certain that it the right approach, talk to your event technology consultant, industry colleagues or you app developer and ask for case studies or testimonials from those who have dared to jump in.