There’s no question, virtual event platforms are booming right now. And as everyone continues to realize how cost effective and more convenient it is to attend online events, we can all expect them to stick around.
Now when it comes to deciding which of these platforms you and your company can use to host virtual events, there are several things to consider to ensure your audience (and you for that matter) gets the most bang for their virtual buck.
Event Platforms Must Offer A Diverse Event App Experience Fit For All Devices
For starters, with the growing trend toward all things mobile devices, you’ll want to be sure that your platform can provide a simple, intuitive event app with an array of event app features, no matter the device your attendees and vendors are using.
Having responsive web design means that your audience will be able to access your app anywhere, making them more likely to use it.
Recommended Reading: The Best Mobile Conference and Event Apps for Your 2021 Events
12 Event App Features That A Virtual Software Company Has To Offer Your Business and Your Audience
Event App Feature #1) Customizations That Highlight Your Brand as the Host
No one is doing exactly what you’re doing. Why would you want your app to look exactly like everyone else’s?
Having customizations that highlight your brand as the host is key to maintaining a level of expected quality, both in terms of content and experience. Customizing colors, logos, icons, navigation, and other features within the app creates a cohesive look for your brand,
Event App Feature #2) Social Media Features (Like, Comment, and Share) That Include A Central Feed
Social media components are fundamental to engaging audiences for successful online events.
The best event apps let attendees like, comment, share, react, and connect with others by posting their status, photos, and videos within a central feed. This makes it easy for attendees to have discussions and engage with each other through tools they already use on their own social media platforms. The best apps even provide matchmaking tools to make connecting easier.
With SpotMe’s participant matching feature, up to 2,500 users can be connected based on similar interests, fields and skills.
Event App Feature #3) A Virtual Lobby To Access Information about Speakers, Schedules, And Rooms
You’ll need a centralized space for your attendees to easily and quickly access up-to-date information about your event. The virtual lobby serves as a hub for attendees to learn about the overall event, including schedules, speakers, rooms to visit, and other features.
If there’s a last-minute change or alteration, attendees know they can always check back in to the lobby for the latest information.
Event App Feature #4) Searchable Attendee and Speaker Profiles
There will be attendees who come just for that one special speaker, or you’ll have attendees who are blown away by a speaker they’ve never heard before. Having searchable profiles and speaker information will make it easier for them to find exactly who they’re looking for.
You may also have attendees who make special connections with other attendees. Some event apps allow attendees and speakers to customize their profiles with photos and information that makes it easier for others to connect with them.
Event App Feature #5) Chat Features
Being able to communicate and network, whether formally or informally, is an important aspect of attending events. Having well-designed one-to-one and group chat features is integral to any app you decide to use.
Chat features can range from allowing attendees to directly interact with speakers during or after presentations, to communicating with technical support, or striking up discussions with other attendees.
Event App Feature #6) Mobile Attendance is As Positive An Experience as The Desktop Experience
Having an app that is just as approachable whether it’s on a desktop or a phone is important. Plenty of people are using phones and tablets in place of bigger, less flexible technology.
Inclusion is important so having an event app that works on mobile, desktop, or tablet can help you reach more people.
Event App Feature #7) Templates That Are Event Specific, Not One Size Fits All
Your event is unique so make sure that the app has various templates for different types of events. The type of template that you’ll use for a product launch is different than the one you’ll use for a conference.
Event app templates come with pre-configured navigation, designs, and content that make it easy to customize with your branding and get started.
Event App Feature #8) Polite Push Notifications For Personalized Reminders
You don’t want people to have to toggle between calendars, or worse, switch between devices to remember to check out an event.
If there’s a built in reminder tool, it’s one less obstacle for attendance. Even better if these notifications stem from an agenda tool included in the event app.
Event App Feature #9) UX Design That Utilizes Tags To Help Users Find Content And Event Sessions They’re Most Interested In
Quality User Experience (UX) means that your audience won’t spend time hunting for things that should be obvious. Well thought out design saves time and unwanted frustration.
The best apps will provide optimized UX no matter what type of event you need to build. This is where those templates can come in handy.
Event App Feature #10) Gamification Using Q&As, Polls, And Quizzes
Interactions such as Q&As, polls, quizzes, and surveys are fantastic ways to incentivize attendees to engage with your event. Other interactive features such as applause and even offering points for engagement can also help motivate attendees to use these features to the fullest.
This engagement also gives you real-time information on how successful your event is, what parts of the event are most valuable to your audience, as well as ways to improve the experience for attendees.
Not to mention, some friendly games can also take some of the pressure off when attendees are networking.
Event App Feature #11) Dark Mode
There are lots of benefits to using dark mode on apps. It reduces eye strain, has a number of other health benefits, and saves battery life. Plus, it just looks cool. Having dark mode as an option for users is an added bonus worth providing.
Event App Feature #12) Language Interpretation For International Events
We’ve heard it for years, and it’s more true every day — it’s a small world. Having an app that can provide language translation so that your attendees from all over the world can participate and engage is a smart option to increase attendance.
The most valuable event apps allow for live translations and interpreting at a much cheaper rate than traditional translation services.
If Your Audience Demands All Of The Above Features, It’s Time To Try The SpotMe Event App
Hosting an event that takes users beyond just joining a virtual room and into an interactive and dynamic experience stems from quality, work, and dedication. With an event app that gives you all of the features your attendees crave, you have every tool you need to build a successful event.
SpotMe’s features will ensure that your attendees have the type of experience that they’ll want to recreate again and again.
Reach out to us to learn more about SpotMe or click here for a demo and try SpotMe now.
