We’ve been providing event apps and RFID systems for long enough now to have developed the best strategy for making sure as many people download and access your app. It’s the first step towards ensuring attendee engagement in your event, so it’s important to get it right.
Here are our top tips for increasing event app uptake:
Emails, emails, emails
Often the only communication attendees take note of before an event; do not underestimate the power of a good email. Ensure attendees are told about the app and told often. Information should be included in ALL event communications as well as some standalone e-shots about solely about the event app. A final push on the morning of the event should reel in the laggards.
Prime Location
The next place that attendees will interact with your event is the website. Your app should occupy a prominent website position; its own page and tab/drop down on the navigation bar. If you have the functionality and want to really ram home the point, you may wish to feature a welcome pop-up message that visitors have to click past before entering the website.
Create an event hashtag AND LISTEN
Keep the hashtag simple #EventName2014 is perfect, or an obvious abbreviation. Once you’ve done so, set up a listener in Hootsuite or Tweetdeck to keep track of mentions and engage with people speaking about your event – send them a link to sign up for/download your app with the minimum of fuss.
We’re all lazy, make it simple
Ensure adoption is as easy as possible by removing unnecessary steps, pages, obstacles and clicks. Visitors should be able to go from a communication to download/sign-up in as close to 3 clicks as possible. Every extra click causes a drop-off in sign up, and if your process has more layers than an onion, don’t surprised if they dwindle to nothing.
Everyone’s a winner
Incentivise – Offer exclusive content, entry to a competition or discounted event registration by signing up for the app. We find adding exclusive content the most successful tactic here, videos and whitepapers pique people’s interest and draw people to your event app.
Signpost it
Literally. All event signs and queue points – registration, signposts, badges/lanyards and phone charging areas – should have a footer referring to the app.
“For exclusive content and event information, download the event app by searching for Event Name 2014 in the app store.” Easy peasy.
Encourage a community
Don’t think of your event app as just a digital version of the programme. With features such as an event newsfeed and messaging, your event app is a community hub and you should cultivate this before, during and after the event so that attendees feel that it is the place to go for information on not just the event but the topics it covers.
Face to face on the day
Be sure to brief event staff, speakers and exhibitors about how great your app is and why people should download it – they are the main influencers at your event. Registration staff in particular should understand the features of the app. If you have a keynote speaker that everyone will listen to at the beginning of the day then the master of ceremony should direct people to the app before introducing the speaker on stage.
Provide on-site help
Where Noodle Live differs from most other event app providers is that we provide on-site support. Our dedicated staff help delegates quickly overcome any problems they’re having accessing the app. These are usually issues that are easy to rectify, such as a forgotten password or being unsure of where to download the app from but providing a fast fix means these people don’t drop out of using the app.
Continue to push people after it afterwards
The event is over but your app is far from redundant. You should still refer to it in communications as it will form a fantastic resource for attendees, even if they didn’t use the app during the event itself. PDFs, videos and the event newsfeed will provide a rich documentation of the event and contacts can still be made after the event.
So there we have it, now you have the knowledge to make you expert event app professionals just like us!
If you feel you’d like to know some more about the jungle that is event technology, why not sign up for one of our free Event Tech Clinic workshops? We’ll even deliver it in the comfort of your own office! Have a look at the Event Tech Clinic page for more details.
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About Noodle Live
Noodle Live is an event technology company based in London. We provide easy to use mobile apps, audience response apps and RFID technology for events and conferences, as well as offering free Event Tech Clinic workshops to event professionals and organisers.
For more information check out our video or visit www.noodlelive.com
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This post was written by Thom Feeney, Marketing Manager at Noodle Live