Will tech play a central role at your next event?

Despite our increasingly digital world, according to our latest Pulse Report, technology remains a highly discretionary spend, with 42% of organisers having zero budget for gadgets and gizmos.

For those who do spend on technology, the average budget per event is £3,535. However, it ranges significantly between organiser types (professional event organisers spend almost double the average at £6,524).

The survey also found that 22% of organisers plan on increasing their technology spend in 2016 (read more about predicted event spend in 2016).

Here we run down the top 10 technologies being evaluated by event organisers in the UK, and take a deeper look at exactly how event planners will be spending their technology budgets, whether they be big or small.

Related: Quiz – What tech do you need to stretch your event budget?

1. Social media

Social media is still big news – it is the number one area that event organisers will be investing in this year. A whopping 95% of professional event organisers and SMBs running their own events state they will definitely or might use social media technology at their events in 2016.

Displaying a live social media ‘wall’ and creating a hashtag for your event is a relatively low cost way to encourage attendee engagement, hence why even charities and non-profits, which have the smallest tech budget of all the organiser types (£1,262 per event) will be incorporating it into their events – 91% said they will or might use social media tech this year. It also remains a priority for freelance event organisers and medium-to-large businesses, at 88% and 90% respectively.

Related: 6 ways to get attendees more engaged with social media

2. Mobile event apps

Mobile event apps will be the second most invested in tech in 2016. Perhaps surprisingly, the group most likely to be using apps at their events are the SMBs (90% definitely will or might be allocated some of their average £4,947 tech budget to apps), while 82% of professional event organisers also plan on incorporating apps into their events.

Charities and non-profits are the least likely to spend on mobile event apps, but even so, 64% said they would be looking at the technology.

Related: 4 mobile event apps to enhance the conference experience

3. Big data or analytics software

Organisers are cottoning on to the fact they can use big data to make their events more successful than ever. Analytics can help them track all the key components of their events’ performance and maximise sales and leads.

It figures then that this tech is of most interest to the larger companies, 54% of which state they will or might spend some of their average £3,455 tech budget on big data in 2016. However, only 35% of charities and non-profits say the same, and this is one of the sectors that could benefit most from this kind of intel in terms of maximising donations.

Related: See how to use Use Marketing Analytics And Eventbrite Reports To Improve Your Event ROI

4. iBeacon or bluetooth

iBeacon technology offers organisers the opportunity to really personalise the event experience for delegates, delivering tailored content and offers to their smartphones as they move around the venue.

Professional event organisers are the group recognising the most potential with this technology – 37% say they definitely will or might use at their events in 2016.

A further 33% of medium-to-large businesses will look at iBeacon tech this year, in contrast to 25% of small-to-medium businesses.

Related: Event tech in action –iBeacons at SAP’s Sapphire Now

5. Wearable tech

With the arrival of the Apple Watch and Fitbits, wearable tech has been on everybody’s lips (well, more like their wrists), but will we be seeing more of it at events this year? Professional event organisers are certainly thinking about it – 57% say they will or might use wearables at their events.

The least likely to use this tech are the charity or non-profit event organisers – it’s on the radar for only 20%.

Related: Wristy business – The next breakthrough in wearable event technology

6. 3D projection mapping

Virtually anything can be transformed into a canvass with 3D projection mapping and it has been used to great effect by many big brands over the last few years. But has the technology had its day?

According to our survey it remains fairly popular with professional event organisers; 44% of whom will look to work with it in 2016. Interest amongst other organiser types is of less note, ranging from 17-25%.

Related: How tech transformed events

7. drones

Drones are a great way to capture aerial footage of events, both indoors and out. Again, this idea is of most interest to professional event organisers – 48% of them plan to either definitely or maybe use drones at their events.

Drones are of least interest to freelance event planners; only 14% of them are considering the technology this year.

Related: 35 experts predict the event trends that will shape your 2016

8. Virtual reality

VR has got to be one of the most exciting new technologies with wide ranging possibilities for the events industry, but it might not be ready to break into the mainstream yet.

According to our research, it’s only the 8^th most likely tech to be used at events this year. 36% of professional organisers say they will or might make use of VR, but only 19% of SMBs, 17% of medium to large businesses and 16% of charities will do the same.

Related: How UNICEF is using VR at events to transport people to humanitarian crises

9. RFID

RFID payment technology can make queues at events a thing of the past, enhance the attendee experience, and collect rich data for organisers.

Again, it’s professional organisers who are leading the way when it comes to adopting this promising technology, with 32% most likely to consider utilising at one of their upcoming events.

Related: The event organiser’s guide to RFID technology

10. Holograms

Hologram technology has come on in leaps and bounds and it is now perfectly plausible to have speakers or performers appearing virtually at your events. Who will be amongst the first delving into this futuristic world?

Professional event organisers are most likely to dip their toes in the water, with 37% either committed or looking into hologram tech in 2016. Least likely are charity and non-profit organisers and SMBs, only 12% of whom are considering holograms. Overall this was the technology least likely to be adopted in the next 12 months.

Conclusion

While we might not be that likely to see some of the more exciting technologies at events this year, attendees will enjoy greater engagement through social media and event apps, and more personalisation through big data and iBeacons.

To understand further how tech will be used at events of the future, don’t miss Event Tech Talks, part of London Technology Week.

The event, being held KPMG’s new Huckletree site in Finsbury Square, London on Tuesday 21 June, will look at developments in social media technology and VR for events, as well as debating whether tech is an enhancement or distraction at events.