Historically, the events industry has had a very big impact on the environment. I think many of us can look back in shame at the amount of waste that was generated by the events we planned and organized. But, thanks to sustainability movements from within the space, planners are now more focused on reducing our events’ impact on the environment.

According to a recent survey by Guidebook, an event app builder, 70% of planners said that going green was an integral part of their events strategy. One of the simplest ways event planners can go green is by leveraging mobile technology.

What are Mobile Event Apps?

Mobile event apps are pieces of software that allow event planners to customize an app for their event. And the best part is, most are easy drag-and-drop builders so you don’t need to know any fancy coding. The end result is a branded piece of software that provides your attendees with all of the information they need such as:

Schedules
Maps
Agendas
Exhibitor information
Speaker bios
And more

Attendees simply download the app you’ve created onto their phone to access what they need. Mobile event apps are typically used in conjunction with other event planning software.

How Do Mobile Apps Help the Environment Exactly?

Our mobile devices have changed the way we do just about everything, from communicating with others to engaging with our immediate surroundings and navigating events. Simply put, modern technology makes scheduling, sharing and networking far more efficient than ever before.

But when you think about the fact that mobile event apps greatly reduce the need for paper usage, you begin to understand how they can be tremendously beneficial to the environment. If you have been wanting to reduce your carbon footprint by going paperless, then leveraging a mobile app is the way to go.

As an added bonus, going green by printing less tends to help you save money. So if you are also looking for ways to reduce costs, a mobile app can help you there as well.

Mobile Apps Increase Attendee Engagement

Besides reducing your carbon footprint and saving you a lot of money on print collateral, mobile event apps also increase attendee engagement. Finding ways to engage your audience has always been important, but even more so now with many planners organizing virtual and hybrid events. Mobile apps allow planners to use quizzes, chat, messaging, personalized agendas and gaming to engage attendees every step of the way.

Features to Look for in Mobile Event Apps

Whether you’re hosting a virtual, in-person, or hybrid event, look for an event app that offers the following key features:

Exceptional Customer Support

Even the simplest apps can feel overwhelming when you’re just getting started. Look for an app that offers 24/7 support and quick response times. You will best be served by using an app that will help you on the actual event day to ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible.

Useful Insights

At the end of each event, you’ll want a tool that can help you easily determine how your attendees felt about your event. The days of emailing surveys and hoping you get any kind of real response are over. Event apps let you take control of data analytics so you can mine those actionable insights.

Elevated Security Measures

Speaking of data, you are responsible for keeping your attendee data safe from prying eyes. Choose a mobile app partner who has tight IT security in place. Always check for standards and certifications.

Custom Branding Options

Your brand is your company’s calling card. When designing a hybrid or virtual app, you’ll want to be certain your platform allows seamless branding. Your event app should match what customers see on your own personal website and social media pages.

Chat Functionality

Chat features are one of the best ways to increase meaningful engagement and attendee networking. Choose an app that facilitates free and natural communication throughout your event.

7 Event Mobile Apps to Consider

There are a lot of event mobile apps on the market, with new ones popping up every day it seems. We’ve researched and also asked our own clients what apps they love to come up with the top 7 event mobile apps for 2023:

SpotMe

SpotMe offers:

Custom branding Agendas
Event analytics
Software integrations
Enterprise-level security
Q&As
Surveys
24/7 customer support
Social media-like interface
Video streaming
Breakout rooms
Networking options

Whova

Whova offers:

Attendee bios with social profile links
Effortless setup and branding
Mobile agendas
Interactive maps
Document sharing
Push notifications

Airmeet

Airmeet offers:

Event registration
Live chat
Analytics & reports
Speaker access & control
Virtual lobby
Digital agendas
1:1 networking

Bizzabo

Bizzabo offers:

Event creation
User registration process
Payment processing
Mobile check-in
Agendas and schedules

PheedLoop

Pheedloop offers:

Live streaming
Sales optimized registration/ticketing
Surveys
Gamification
Monetization systems

EventBase

EventBase offers:

Attendee engagement
Revenue generation tools
Full-screen commercials
Branded placements

Guidebook

Guidebook offers:

Social media promotion
Attendee and speaker management
Ticketing
Gamification
Surveys and feedback
Reporting analytics
Event calendar

The Wrap

With a constant need for attendee engagement and a new requirement for sustainable event strategies, why wouldn’t you use an event mobile app in 2023 and beyond?

Need help planning your next event? From trade shows to SKOs and incentive travel programs, we help you create memorable events that also boost your ROI.