The first CAPSULE screens will likely be rolling out later this year at high-end luxury stores.

Why we care. Marketers are finding new ways to use screens in-store to help shoppers find what they want and alert them to discounts. They are also using hybrid events (a mix of in-store and virtual participation in a single event) to increase the wow factor for shoppers who choose to shop in-person instead of online.

The new CAPSULE technology is aimed at wider B2C adoption in this vein. Since 2014, ARHT has been supporting holographic presentations at live events and for internal use in mostly B2B use cases.

Shopping with holograms. Touchscreens in-store allow shoppers to select videos about specific products. The recorded demonstrations show a lifesize presenter with the product. Customers can also use the touchscreen to zoom in on the featured products.

“CAPSULE is the newest addition for the retail sector,” said Gorana Seeley, ARHT’s vice president, global retail. “Retailers have had a tough time bringing shoppers back into stores [after pandemic lockdowns].This technology bridges the online-offline gap for those customers. It gives them a reason to come back into stores. A hologram can’t be experienced on a phone or laptop.”

Connecting to digital experience. Marketers can connect the hologram in-store display to the customer’s digital experience. For instance, they can display a QR code on CAPSULE that takes the shopper to a promotion or an app.

“We can link to anything a customer would like,” said Seeley. “A QR code could take the customer to a coupon if they purchase a product that day. If not in-store, they can buy online.”

By connecting the in-store hologram experience to the digital experience, marketers can measure the ROI impact of the display.

The CAPSULE comes in one standard size. Marketers can fit the technology into their budgets by choosing either to purchase or lease the units, and by how many units they use.

Live demos. The CAPSULE also produces live holograms, just like previous ARHT technology.

Dig deeper: How event marketers can use hologram technology for live and hybrid experiences

This means that stores can host celebrity appearances and other live demonstrations via hologram. The hologram is produced in a “capture” studio in one location and then can be transmitted to multiple locations elsewhere.

This technology makes it possible for live product demonstrations for luxury products at the customer’s request. A high-end retailer could have CAPSULE units in multiple locations, and host live product demonstrations that are captured from a single location.

The technology can also be used by manufacturers to show hologram product demonstrations to retail buyers.

The post ARHT rolls out retail hologram experiences appeared first on MarTech.

Event marketing is where the sizzle and the steak come together in real time. Whether in person or virtual, it’s as live action as marketing gets. You need to be on top of everything all the time and long before the event begins. It’s a constantly changing field, with ever evolving technologies. Here’s the folks to follow to stay up-to-date on trends and informed on best practices.

David Adler

David is CEO and founder of BizBash, the event marketing news site he started in 2000. Before that he was V.P. of Corporate Communications for media companies Macmillan and Primedia. In 1975, when he was only 21, David launched Washington Dossier, a society magazine for the nation’s capital, selling it after a 15-year run.

• LinkedIn: David-Adler (31K followers)
• Twitter: DavidAdler (51.5K followers)

Rafat Ali

In 2007, Rafat founded Skift Meetings (formerly EventMB), the first blog for event professionals, offering education, innovation and inspiration through daily articles, industry reports, and webinars. Before that he was the founder and CEO of paidContent and ContentNext, which he sold to UK’s Guardian News and Media in 2008. 

• LinkedIn: RafataAli (477K followers)
• Twitter: Rafat (38K followers)

Will Curran

Will is founder and “chief event Einstein” of Endless Events, an event management company. He is creator of the #EventProfs community, an online community for event professionals. He is also host of the event industry podcasts, #EventIcons, Event Brew and Event Tech Podcast. 

• Organization: #EventProfs Community 
• Website: WillCurran.com
• LinkedIn: WillCurran (26K followers)
• Twitter: ItsWillCurran (6K followers)

Dahlia El Gazzar

A long-time event marketing pro who has held roles on the planner side as well as on the supplier side, Dahlia is founder and CEO of DAHLIA+Agency. Known in the events industry as the ‘go-to’ source for tech news, in 2021 she was named one of BizBash’s Most Influential Women in Event Tech. 

• LinkedIn: DahliaElGazzar (21K followers)
• Twitter: DahliaElGazzar (5K followers)

Kate Patay

A Certified Professional in Catering and Events (CPCE), Kate is CSO of Patay Consulting and director of engagement for Terramar US. She is chair of Search Foundation, which provides financial help for event, meetings, and catering professionals in crisis. As if that wasn’t enough, Kate is also a Smart Meetings Style Maven and Ambassador for Meetings Mean Business. The most recent of her long list of awards are the Pacesetter Award from the Events Industry Council, the Event Solutions Spotlight Award and the NACE Icon Award.

• Website: KatePatay.com
• LinkedIn: KatePatay (13K followers)
• Instagram: KatePatay (7.5K followers)
• Twitter: KatePatay (1.6K followers)

Julius Solaris

Julius is an influential keynote speaker and entrepreneur in the event industry. Founder and CEO of Boldpush, a management consultancy agency for the event industry, Julius is an international keynote speaker in the event industry. He was editor-in-chief of EventMB (now Skift Meetings) for 14 years and last year was named  a Meetings Industry Influencer by Meetings and Conventions magazine. 

• Website: JuliusSolaris.com 
• LinkedIn: JuliusSolaris (27K followers)
• Twitter: ToJulius (19K followers)

More MarTech experts to follow:

• Marketing operations
• AI and marketing
• Email marketing
• B2B marketing
• Content marketing

The post MarTech’s event marketing experts to follow appeared first on MarTech.

First partner and first party. This is the first time Best Buy has partnered with a TV streaming platform. The deal has the company’s advertising business, Best Buy Ads, providing Roku with data it can use to target its marketing. 

Dig deeper: 2023 Predictions: Retail media networks

“We’re bringing together our entire business to build the future of entertainment and advertising — making the TV experience simpler, offering the right marketing, data, tech, and scale to drive real results, and helping win the entire streamer’s journey together with Best Buy,” Julian Mintz, co-head of U.S. brand sales for Roku Media, said in a statement.

Last year Roku formed a partnership deal with Walmart to test out shoppable streaming ads. Walmart ads on Roku let viewers purchase the product being shown by pressing a button on their remote. 

Roku City at SXSW. The two-day, in-person event puts people in a 3D version of Roku’s screensaver, Roku City, featuring Best Buy Home Theater Experience. It showcases the latest Roku devices available at Best Buy and upcoming original content on The Roku Channel.

Why we care. It will be interesting to see if this partnership can help two brands in a tough economic time. Roku must deal with tighter ad budgets and last month reported flat earnings for the fourth quarter 2022. Best Buy reported a 10% drop in revenue for that quarter and recently said it might close up to 30 stores this year.

The post Roku partners with Best Buy for first-party data appeared first on MarTech.

Sponsorship

• 19: World Cup tournament sponsors.
• $7.5 billion: Total revenues for event organizer FIFA.
• 7 and 69: Tournament and team sponsors contacted by Bloomberg News based in places where human rights criticism was widespread — the U.S., Canada and in Europe.
• 0: Tournament sponsors changing global advertising to reflect concerns for human rights.
• 20: Sponsors of national teams who expressed their commitment to human rights and declined to disclose if their marketing might change.
• 13: Sponsors of national teams who said they would change their marketing.
• 67: Percentage of soccer fans who think brands are more appealing when they participate in sports sponsorships versus 52% of the general population. (Nielsen)
• 59: Percentage of soccer fans worldwide who will buy a sponsor’s product over a rival’s equivalent versus 45% of the general population. (Nielsen)
• 56: Percentage of soccer fans worldwide likely to inform themselves about brands that sponsor sporting events versus 39% of the general population. (Nielsen)

Influence

• 1 in 2: Average number of people in 34 nations planning to watch who expect to buy World Cup merchandise. (Ipsos)
• 75, 73 and 68: Top 3 percentages, by nation (China, Indonesia and India), of those who expect to buy World Cup merchandise. (Ipsos)
• 0: Number of those nations with teams participating in the World Cup. (Ipsos)

Dig deeper: How Special Olympics is supporting digital health and strength

Audience and awareness

• 5 billion: Number of people who will watch some of the World Cup. (Nielsen)
• 95: Percentage of sports fans worldwide aware of the World Cup (Highest of any event). (Nielsen)
• 9: Percentage of Australian population unaware of the World Cup (Highest). (Ipsos)
• 62: Percentage of U.S. population unaware of the World Cup (Lowest). (Ipsos)
• United States: Location of the 2026 World Cup. 
• 3,587,538: All-time highest attendance at the World Cup, held in 1994 in the U.S.

Planning to watch

• 79: Percentage of Argentinian population planning to watch (Highest in world). (Ipsos)
• 24: Percentage of U.S. population planning to watch (lowest). (Ipsos)

Watching at work

• 57: Average percentage of 34 nations’ population who say they will watch at work. (Ipsos)
• 82: Percentage of Indonesian population who say they will watch at work (Highest). (Ipsos)
• 22: Percentage of Japanese population who say they will watch at work (Lowest). (Ipsos)

Skipping school or work

• 31: Average percentage of 34 nations’ population who say they will miss school or work to watch. (Ipsos)
• 63: Percentage of India’s population who say they will miss school or work to watch (Highest). (Ipsos)
• 14: Percentage of Japan’s population who say they will miss school or work to watch (Lowest). (Ipsos)

Popularity with key demographic

• 25: Percentage of U.S. gamers interested in the World Cup versus 18% of the overall population. (YouGov)
• 49: Percentage of British gamers interested in the World Cup versus 41% of the overall population. (YouGov)
• 51: Percentage of German gamers interested in the World Cup versus 45 % of the overall population. (YouGov)

U.S. sports fans in particular

• 37: Percentage of U.S. sports fans not planning to watch any World Cup games. (Alton Solon)
• 26: Percentage of U.S. sports fans willing to pay to watch the World Cup coverage, more than almost every European country surveyed. (Alton Solon)
• 29: Amount in dollars U.S. fans would pay. (Alton Solon)

The post 33 World Cup marketing statistics you need to know appeared first on MarTech.

As a popular events operating system for global brands, Bizzabo has a front seat to the rebound in live events this year. The number of events hosted through their platform increased more than sevenfold in September 2022, compared to back in January. For 2023, a Bizzabo survey found that 85% of event organizers were planning at least three events over the next year, and 35% planned to host at least 10.

Dig deeper: Marketers likely to return to in-person events in 2023

More about the badge. The SmartBadge is worn in a similar way to other event badges or security tags. But these badges light up remotely, in multiple colors. So, there is the capability for organizers to be creative with how they get attendees to participate, especially in large groups.

On the back end, the SmartBadges produce digital heatmaps in near real-time, so organizers can visualize patterns in engagement and traffic throughout the event.

Privacy. No personal information is stored on the SmartBadge. The badges are also reusable. Event organizers simply collect the badges and return them to Bizzabo, where they are reset and recycled.

Content and optimized networking. The SmartBadge triggers relevant content for attendees and enables seamless check-in and other interactions. For instance, while wearing the SmartBadge, attendees can get information from exhibitors and exchange contact info with other attendees with a single click.

Behavioral data. Even without personal information stored on the SmartBadge device, event organizers can glean rich data as attendees move through the space. They can see what event attractions are a hit, and make in-the-moment adjustments.

Exhibitors at these events can also capture and access leads in a painless way for attendees, as they are passively tracked through the hardware.

“Marketers discovered the value of detailed, real-time data insights when they pivoted to virtual events,” said Eran Ben-Shushan, CEO and cofounder of Bizzabo, in a company release. “With the introduction of Klik Experiential, we’re inviting organizers to build on what they learned from virtual events to make the new era of in-person events even brighter.”

Why we care. Many retailers have raised the bar for in-store experiences by implementing some form of augmented mobile experience, especially with the pandemic’s increased demand for contactless service. So it makes sense that in-person events would look to move their experience in a similar direction.

While digital interactions at live events generate more data than plain old handshakes, they also eliminate the need for so many flyers and brochures. Going paperless means better sustainability.

Dig deeper: How to mine data from digital events

The post Bizzabo introduces Klik Experiential for in-person events appeared first on MarTech.

• Make a list of all the DEP capabilities you currently have, those that you would like to have and those that you can’t live without. This last category is critical, and will help you avoid making a costly mistake. If you find that one vendor doesn’t offer this “must-have” capability, it’s obviously not a fit.
• Take your list of capabilities and then do some research. Speak to your marketing peers to find out who is using which DEP and why.
• Narrow your list down to those vendors that meet your criteria. Submit your list of the DEP capabilities you’ve identified, and set a timeframe for them to reply.
• Decide whether or not you need to engage in a formal RFI/RFP process. This is an individual preference. However, be sure to give the same list of capabilities to each vendor to facilitate comparison.

The most effective RFPs only request relevant information and provide ample information about your brand and its DEP needs. It should reflect high-level strategic goals and KPIs. Mention your company’s most important KPIs and explain how you will evaluate the success of your DEP efforts. Include details about timelines and the existing martech systems you have deployed.

Dig deeper: How to mine data from digital events

From the RFP responses, you should be able to narrow your list down to three or four solutions that you’ll want to demo.

Set up demos with those vendors within a relatively short time frame after receiving the RFP responses to help make relevant comparisons. Make sure that all potential internal users are on the demo call, and pay attention to the following:

• How easy is the tool to use?
• Does the vendor seem to understand our business and our needs?
• Are they showing us our “must-have” features?

Other questions to ask each digital events platform vendor, depending on your business model, include:

Agenda creation, management and registration:

• How does the agenda creation process work, and how flexible is it? Will it allow us to create and manage the types of events we do now?
• What type of machine learning and/or artificial intelligence does the tool use for suggesting content for users, and how would we facilitate that?
• Can the tool match event attendees to their roles in a buying group and their correct accounts in our CRM?
• Does the tool show where registrants came from (channel or campaign) and how they interact with the agenda pre-registration?
• Can the DEP maintain a single account for an individual across multiple events, so we can continue to accrue intent data over time?
• Does the tool allow sponsors, exhibitors and speakers to log in and manage their own content (bio and headshot for speakers, sponsor portal contents for exhibitors)?

Download the MarTech Intelligence Report: Enterprise Digital Events Platforms: A Marketer’s Guide

Content creation, editing and engagement features:

• How many simultaneous attendees can attend an event without compromising video quality? How does something being live versus pre-recorded affect this equation?
• Can we do video editing and augmentation within the platform itself, or do we need to use a different tool or tools?
• What additional engagement features (gamification, quizzes, polls, etc.) are offered within the context of a session?
• What types of content (PDFs, live video, recorded video, interactive audio or video) can be offered within virtual exhibitor booths to maximize engagement in that environment?
• How does the platform facilitate networking between attendees, speakers and sponsors?

Analytics, reporting and integration:

• Does the tool provide real-time analytics?
• Does the tool provide summary and/or detailed views of different personas and insights?
• What metrics are gathered to gauge user engagement and intent? How detailed are these reports? (For example, can I see whether a person watched a session to the end or whether they stopped after the first two minutes?)
• Does the tool help us gather relevant data for ourselves and our partners while complying with relevant privacy regulations?
• Are native integrations with our CRM and/or marketing automation platform available, so we can utilize historical data?
• If not, is an API available for custom system integrations?

Training and customer support:

• How much training will we need to use the software, and what kind of training is available?
• What level of customer support is offered, and when is it available (i.e., 24/7 vs. 8/5)?
• What is the turnaround time for support queries/tickets?
• Are professional services or support available for our transition to the DEP?
• What new features are under consideration?
• What’s the long-term product roadmap and launch dates?

The post 30 questions to ask a digital events platform vendor appeared first on MarTech.

This spurred demand for digital events platforms (DEP) that could hopefully deliver the value once created at in-person events. Although in-person events are taking place, virtual events will remain an important channel. They cam engage geographically disparate audiences in a far more cost-effective way than in-person events.

Download the MarTech Intelligence Report: Enterprise Digital Events Platforms: A Marketer’s Guide

DEPs enable event marketers and organizers to plan, deliver and measure the results of digital event experiences that serve geographically distributed audiences live or on-demand presentations.

Though functionality differs from platform to platform, digital events platformss help organizers and brands by offering functionality such as:

• Digital registration and payment processing
• Agenda creation and management
• Video-based content delivery
• Interactive engagement elements
• Virtual “exhibition” components and resource libraries
• Analytics and reporting
• Integrations with existing martech systems

Is a digital events platform right for you?

To come to a decision about DEP software, it’s critical to understand your event planning processes, know how to measure success and be able to identify where you are looking for improvements.

Deciding whether or not your company needs a DEP calls for the same evaluative steps involved in any software adoption, including a comprehensive self-assessment of your organization’s business needs, staff capabilities, management support and financial resources.

Dig deeper: How to mine data from digital events

The important questions to explore will differ depending on your use case, but the following examples may help spark some ideas.

For all companies:

• Have we identified our goals for digital events? Will DEP software enable us to achieve these goals more effectively?
• Can we invest in organizational training? Digital events are part of a business strategy and not just a software investment. It’s critical that all internal stakeholders understand the goals behind the initiative and learn how to execute the strategy through the adoption of any DEP that your organization might license. Many software vendors offer an array of add-on
• professional services to help with strategy goals, in addition to onboarding and training on their products. Training must be comprehensive, consistent and continuous to ensure you make the most of your investment.
• Have we established KPIs and put a system in place for tracking, measuring and reporting results? Once you’ve established your goals and communicated them throughout the sales and marketing organizations, you’ll need to decide on the metrics that are most important to your efforts and monitor your progress in achieving them. Remember to set clear expectations, incentivize staffers who embrace the tool, and experiment with new ways to drive better results.

For companies hosting customer- and prospect-focused events:

• Can sales and marketing agree on the next steps to take with a client or prospect based on behavioral and intent data gathered at events?
• Do we have C-suite buy-in? With a clear mandate from the top of the organization, both marketing and sales leaders will remain accountable for results and ensure that their respective organizations will collaborate as necessary.
• Who will own or manage the DEP? Marketing and sales must be closely aligned for any DEP strategy to be successful. As such, both organizations need to understand their responsibilities and be accountable for fulfilling them.

 For event organizers seeking revenue from sponsors or attendees:

• Are we currently able to provide our attendees and sponsors with the type of experiences they’ve come to expect? If not, what DEP features would help us attract more qualified attendees and sponsors?
• What data would we like to collect for ourselves and for sponsors? How could we do that with a DEP? Would it improve the quality of the data to help us provide more value and renew sponsor contracts? Would a platform help us comply with privacy restrictions?

The post How to decide if you need a digital events platform appeared first on MarTech.

“Online events tend to draw larger audiences than in-person events — at least that’s our experience — and they’re less expensive and time consuming to produce and attend,” said Marc Sirkin, Third Door Media’s EVP product and technology, at The MarTech Conference. (Third Door Media is the parent company of the conference and this publication.)

“A marketer at a services and consulting firm told me they didn’t think about how to play to the unique strengths of online events, about the specific intent signals that they could gather, and the actions they can get,” said Sirkin. “It just never occurred to them.”

Dig deeper: What is a digital events platform and how can it help you?

Here’s how marketers can mine valuable insights when they play to the strengths of online events.

Finding the right data from online events

There are a number of touchpoints at an online event, each providing an opportunity for marketers to gain insights from attendees.

Registration. When attendees register, they can provide firmographic and demographic data. The event host can also ask custom questions during registration. For instance, does this attendee have the authority to make purchase decisions? Are they in the market for the product or service that you’re selling?

“The art here I believe is not asking for too much, but getting what you need and what is useful to understand your audience,” said Sirkin.

Third-party data. The data that comes in from this specific online event can also be filled out by a third-party data firm.

“You can always use third-party data services to augment and enhance that data and then connect it to your CRM to get a fuller picture of your attendees,” Sirkin said.

Event activity data. Some of the best intent signals come from how the attendees navigate at the event.

“Did they watch your session live or on demand, or both?” asked Sirkin. “Some platforms even provide timestamps so you can know if someone watched during off hours, for example, or over the weekend.”

And bigger, picture — did they even attend the event, or did they simply register?

Additional links. At an online session, the event host or sponsor might also have the opportunity to add additional resources alongside the presentation.

What attendees click on from these resources can further establish their intent. They can also help educate the attendee and provide more calls to action. If they are highly interested, they might even sign up for a meeting or a demo.

“A marketing director from a services firm told me that from her perspective, when someone asks a quality question or takes a specific action like downloading a white paper, that’s the person of interest and [you should] take action accordingly,” said Sirkin. “And after all, she said, most people don’t ask questions in the first place.”

Dig deeper: Why we care about virtual events?

Organizing the data from online events

The data that comes from online events is a rich source of information.

“You could build specific ABM triggers, for example, that are more personalized than your average drip campaign,” said Sirkin.

Marketers can build scoring models based on the different actions that attendees took at the event. That way, you’ll be able to place which prospects are further along in the funnel.

Who were the prospects who asked questions, either in a comment field during a session or in a survey? Who followed your company on social media within 24 hours after the event? These are all strong signals that become actionable when they are compared with all the other actions taken at the event.

Download the MarTech Intelligence Report: Enterprise Digital Events Platforms: A Marketer’s Guide

Also, establish a formal lead review process with key stakeholders ahead of the event, instead of getting overwhelmed after the event with all the data that comes in. This means coordinating your efforts between marketing and sales.

“A B2B software provider told me after an event sales will typically grab the leads that they want according to whatever that criteria is, and the rest of those leads get dumped into a drip campaign,” said Sirkin. “Engaging them in a kind of generic drip campaign — does that make sense, or is there a kind of a missing part of the process here, almost like a mid-engagement funnel that you could create?”

Once marketing and sales are organized, the data that comes in from an online event will be even more valuable. The trick is to know where to look to discover and mine the data. Then, have a plan in place to take action based on that data.

See this presentation from The MarTech Conference by registering (for free).

The post How to mine data from digital events appeared first on MarTech.

Relationships between businesses and their suppliers trended digital in recent years, but until the pandemic, in-person meetings and events played a central role in engaging with customers.

Download the MarTech Intelligence Report: Enterprise Digital Events Platforms: A Marketer’s Guide

Event marketing, a mainstay of the B2B world, was profoundly impacted by this shift as brands sought alternatives to sponsoring and exhibiting at trade shows organized by professional content creators or to their own events for customers and prospects.

Digital events platform (DEP) companies that delivered those digital experiences saw a sudden surge in demand for their offerings. Customers clamored for features and solutions that delivered the value once created at in-person events.

While it’s difficult to quantify the value of in-person events to B2B marketing, anecdotal evidence suggests they are one of the few times event sponsors or organizers are able to engage multiple people within a B2B buying group in real-time, providing a unique opportunity.

Nearly a third (31%) of event marketers surveyed in 2018 said live events were their single most effective marketing channel, beating out content marketing, email marketing and many other categories, according to a study released by event management software company Bizzabo.

Although in-person events are taking place, most experts agree virtual events will remain an important channel. They cite digital events’ ability to engage geographically disparate audiences in a far more cost-effective way than in-person events.

This continued interest in digital events is spurring spending on event management software globally to grow from $6.56 billion in 2022 to $11.75 billion in 2026, a compound annual growth rate of 15.7%, according to the Business Research Company.

What is a digital events platform?

Digital events platforms enable event marketers and organizers to plan, deliver and measure the results of digital event experiences that serve geographically distributed audiences live or on-demand presentations.

Features of DEPs include agenda and registration management, delivery of video-based programming, interactivity for audiences and sponsors, and analytics to understand engagement and inform follow-up activities.

The strengths and weaknesses of a particular platform may be affected by the purpose for which it was created. For example, one platform may have been originally developed for in-person events, while another started with digital events as its focus.

Both may have added features to their products to accommodate additional users’ needs — the first adding capabilities for digital events and the second adding those for in-person — they may (or may not) still be strongest in the area of their original focus.

The rise of hybrid and its accompanying challenges

COVID is transitioning from pandemic to endemic in many parts of the world. In-person events are returning, but, in many cases, organizers are choosing to keep a digital element. Called hybrid events, these involve some attendees participating in person while others enjoy a digital experience. In these cases, in-person attendees’ experiences can be augmented with DEP functionality that facilitates engagement before, during and after the main program, and adds the ability to view sessions on-demand.

It’s important to note, however, that hybrid events pose special challenges for event organizers. Creating an engaging digital experience requires far more than setting up a static camera in front of a stage at an in-person event.

“…For an individual(s) to commit time and sometimes with a fee, the content better be compelling and not be just a ‘televised’ event version of your stage, participants and presentations,” wrote event consultant Bob Mitchell in a LinkedIn post. “With the rare exception of a Hamilton on Disney+, there’s a reason why live Broadway shows videotaped and then shown on a screen never has [sic] been really successful — much is lost in the translation to a different medium.”

Live streaming video, whether in conjunction with an in-person show or digital-only, poses technical and operational challenges that organizers must be equipped to handle, both from a staffing and an equipment perspective.

It’s the data, stupid.

Digital events and their hybrid counterparts are, and are likely to continue to be, linchpins of B2B marketing. Organizers, sponsors, and audiences are now familiar with their benefits: convenience, effectiveness, relatively low cost, and the ability to gather speakers and audiences from all over the world.

But it’s the intent data produced by digital event participants that set them apart from their IRL counterparts. These data are a byproduct of attendee participation in digital events. Intelligence gleaned from this information can be used in different ways by exhibitors and organizers, depending on the business model of the event.

For example:

• What sessions did they attend?
  • Indicates interest in a topic or product/service.
• How much of the sessions do they actually watch? If the content can be timeshifted, when do they watch it?
  • Demonstrates the level of interest. Is the participant casually flipping through, or are they very interested?
• Do they ask questions? If so, what questions?
  • Questions may offer clues that enable a marketing or sales organization to judge intent.
• How did they respond to polls, quizzes and other interactive elements?
  • Indicates engagement, and could indicate BANT (budget, authority, need, timing) if questions are written to do so.
• What on-demand experiences do attendees engage with? What do they download or share with their colleagues?
  • Looking for additional resources is also an indication of engagement.

Essential elements of digital events

Digital event organizers typically use a variety of applications to create the user experience. These applications may be included in DEPs, or be assembled using point solutions to create a digital event stack. Here are some essential components of either construction.

Agenda management

Organizers of digital events typically begin by developing an agenda. Depending on the type of event, the agenda may cover a fraction of a day or multiple days. Assuming there’s a real-time component, the agenda may feature multiple session “tracks” that run concurrently, allowing attendees to choose between sessions to customize their experiences.

In some cases, attendees, too, manage agendas, creating their own calendar of sessions they intend to attend, either starting from scratch or a suggested itinerary created by the event organizer.

Agenda planning may incorporate email reminders or notifications that remind participants of the content they want to consume. An attendee’s personalized agenda may serve as the doorway to the sessions as they take place and may provide access to on-demand replays or additional features that augment the main experience.

Event marketing

The agenda also serves as an important marketing tool, attracting attendees and enticing them to register for the event. In addition to paid media placements, organizers employ email lists gathered at previous events or through other means. Once a visitor views the agenda, organizers may ask them to provide their email address to receive additional information or, perhaps, a discount on registration (if there is a fee to attend the event).

Organizers may also communicate with registrants via email as the date of the event approaches — an especially important tactic if registration is free, because someone who hasn’t made a financial commitment is more likely to be a no-show.

Registration and payment processing

Registration is one of the key elements of producing a successful digital event. Organizers gather contact information and answers to questions that indicate intent to purchase. Attendee accounts may be created in registration, unless it was created and stored from a previous event.

Organizers may also collect payments from attendees during registration, while providing speakers, staff and others with methods to register free or at discounted rates.

Video production

The “gold standard” for digital events is video content, whether live streamed or pre-recorded, watched live or on-demand.

Live events, such as the digital part of a hybrid conference, are the most technically challenging and require staffers to switch between cameras and views — close-ups of one of several speakers, for instance, or a full-screen view of a slide deck or video.

Pre-recorded content is easier to manage as it can be created and edited over time using multiple types of software to achieve the desired result. However, post-production adds to the time required to create presentations.

Brand and sponsor portals

The equivalent of a trade show booth is the sponsor portal, which is especially important when the business model is reliant on sponsorship. When that’s the case, organizers enable sponsors to create a branded microsite where attendees can gather information about the sponsors’ offerings and provide those businesses with intent data to facilitate an effective follow-up.

Data collection, analysis and activation

All of these attendee interactions generate data that can be leveraged in various ways, e.g., to suggest related content or experiences or facilitate 1:1 or group networking opportunities. Data that signals intent can be used to draw conclusions about the next best step to move a prospect toward a purchase decision.

Organizers can determine what content resonated best and use that knowledge in planning the next event.

Attendee engagement features

Event elements that allow attendees to interact, whether with presenters, sponsors or one another, are key to delivering a satisfactory experience. These can involve quizzes or game like elements users can call up pre- or post-session or on-demand. In a real-time setting, attendees can be encouraged to submit questions for the speakers or respond to polls related to the topic being discussed.

For events in certain categories, organizers might even provide more immersive content, such as a virtual walk-through or product demonstration.

Download the MarTech Intelligence Report: Enterprise Digital Events Platforms: A Marketer’s Guide

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This week, Samsung honors Climate Week NYC with metaverse, as well as in-person, community-building activations. Environmentalists and consumer electronics fans will be engaged on Discord, in real life at Samsung’s New York flagship store, called Samsung 837, as well as at the brand’s metaverse hub, Samsung 837X, located in Decentraland.

Earlier this month, Samsung launched a metaverse scavenger hunt and NFT drop during a weeklong sales event.

Climate Week NYC is in its 14th year and is organized by the nonprofit Climate Group.

Metaverse fashion show with a twist. On September 20, Samsung livestreamed a fashion show that occurred in real life at the Samsung 837 location in New York and could be viewed in the metaverse, at the Samsung 837X virtual site in Decentraland.

Additionally, one of the physical designs seen on the runway in New York was also available as a digital wearable that users in Decentraland could show off on their avatars. This “digital twin” was designed by Gabrielle Mendoza, while the physical design was created by Andrew Burgess for the real-life show.

Other events are scheduled throughout the week, concluding on September 25.

Responsible recycling. Behind the runway glamor are Samsung’s stated pillars for environmental responsibility. Incorporated in the real-life clothing designs, and reflected in their metaverse digital translations, are the four pillars of Samsung’s recycling initiative — e-waste, paper, plastic and metal.

Since 2012, Samsung’s recycling program has collected and recycled 1.2 billion pounds of e-waste, the equivalent of 50 laptops or 500 smartphones every minute, according to the company.

With this first fashion show using the #RecycleUp hashtag, the company is creating a platform for eco-minded influencers and designers.

Why we care. If the metaverse is more than a fad or a catchphrase – and the weight behind the big brands who are activating suggests it’s much more – then marketers need to build metaverse momentum.

That’s Samsung’s aim by planning out a series of engagements that invite users to return for a number of reasons. Those reasons, just drawn from this month’s activations, include virtual events, wearables, NFT-based discounts on actual merchandise and climate action. The excitement spurred by scavenger hunts also gamifies the experience and keeps consumers moving through multiple channels – Discord, Decentraland, social media, ecommerce and even brick-and-mortar stores.

Dig deeper: Acura shows us how to use the metaverse and NFTs to sell cars

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