We’ve talked a lot about how the events industry has changed rapidly due to the advancements in technology and the Covid-19 pandemic. Now that it’s standard to host in-person events, virtual events, or a hybrid combination of the two, event planners rely on technology more than ever in order to streamline the event management process.
Many of our customers in the events industry utilize iPads, and for good reason. They’re an ideal tool for event management and execution since they offer a compact, happy medium between a small iPhone and a larger MacBook. The 2020 iPad Pro in particular offers an excellent display, high-end processors, and the new Apple M1 chip that users are raving about. Plus, there are numerous iPad apps that are changing the way the events industry works. From innovative VR and AR options to software that streamlines the entire event process from early planning to post-event analysis, we’re outlining a few apps that we often recommend to our clients. Without further ado, here are some of our favorite iPad apps that are changing the events industry for the better.
We certainly can’t create a list of events apps and leave Zoom off the list. As well all know, this app rose to prominence because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Before the 2020, a “Zoom call” may not have meant anything to the average person, but now, most people understand what that means — and most have likely taken part in one.
The Zoom application allowed event planners to help people stay connected during the quarantine days of the pandemic. There were Zoom parties, Zoom webinars, and Zoom meetings. For event planners who needed an easy, streamlined, safe way to host small, remote gatherings, it was the answer. Zoom offers both free and paid plans, and it’s an intuitive, streamlined way to host an event.
In a similar vein, Zoom also offers OnZoom, a tool that is marketed toward events professionals as a way to host “online experiences that are easily monetized and scalable to new audiences.” They have a library of sorts where event planners can add an event if it’s open to the public. The app also offers event series options, the ability to list and sell tickets through the app, and help with event promotion. The app highlights an event management feature that allows users to track sales, income, engagement, and more. The cousin to regular Zoom, OnZoom is an ideal solution for event professionals, especially those who are already comfortable to working with the Zoom platform and technology.
SocialTables is a really smart app. Unlike some of the other event planning options, it’s not a social network platform. Rather, it’s a piece of software that helps event managers stay organized throughout the entire event process, from early stages until post-event data gathering. They offer solutions like diagrams and seating, sales software, and interactive floor plans. We like that Social Tables makes it easy to collaborate with your team — the app provides space for real-time collaboration as well as file storage to keep things as streamlined as possible.
Eventbrite is one of the most well-known event apps, as it’s also a social network of sorts. Users can enter in their location to browse through events in the area, which is super helpful for promotion purposes.
One of the smart things about Eventbrite is that in addition to making promotion easy, they provide an easy platform for event managers to plan and execute the event. For example, you can create customizable event pages, email campaigns, and managing ticketing through the app. They also provide “real-time insights into how your events are performing.” This is of course useful so that you can measure user engagement and drive the event in the way that is most appropriate to your current audience (not to mention for future planning purposes). All of this to say: Eventbrite is popular for a reason. It offers lots of benefits for event managers, and it’s a well-known, intuitive option for events of any size.
LiDAR Apps
One of the fun things about the 2020 iPad Pro is the fact that it includes LiDAR technology. We discussed this in more detail here, but essentially, this technology uses light to measure a room. It can create an “picture” of what something might look like in the space in the future.
As you might imagine, this could be really disruptive for the events industry. Imagine using your phone to scan a room and then being able to see a physical representation of what the room would look like with a specific seating plan or a specific stage setup. The possibilities with this technology are virtually endless.
The iPad Pro 2020 is the first iPad to offer this technology, so it’s still pretty new for the general user. There are some apps that allow you to experience this technology, including RoomScan. While this app is only for space planning, it may come in handy with regard to envisioning the potential for an event space. MagicPlan is another option that might help with this. Like RoomScan, it is used primarily by contractors and designers, but it allows you to automatically measure a room and create plans for it with ease.
At eTech, we think that VR and AR technology may be the way of the future for many industries. For the events industry in particular, VR and AR technology offers ways for users to connect, even in remote environments. For hybrid or virtual events, VR technology can be an interactive way to engage event participants. Users can “meet” each other, virtually view a concert, participate in games or team-building activities, and more.
Like LiDAR, VR and AR offers event planners the ability to envision event sets for planning purposes. The AllSeated app, for example, offers virtual walkthroughs and floorplans for event planners, but they boast benefits for event attendees, too, since they allow users to “experience” the event using VR viewing. For smaller events where attendees can utilize VR headsets, this can be an engaging, memorable way to host.
An iPad is an ideal tool for event planning and management, and the cutting-edge apps that are readily available can make that process more streamlined than ever. We’re looking forward to watching event planners continue to use these tools for events of all types and sizes.
eTech Rentals is a national technology solutions provider located in Southern California specializing in rental technology integration. eTech is committed to long-standing client relationships and consistent, reliable local service, trusted by expert event planners, film and entertainment production companies, and businesses in California and nationwide.
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