Technology For Events

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Permalink Reply by Stephen Nold on August 11, 2007 at 23:39

Ok - I will bite since technology is my topic and as a new American invited to join I feel some obligation to demonstrate wit intertwined with community loyalty. I recently returned from the SISO 2007 Executive Conference where I attended an interesting keynote presentation called "Best Practices on the Web". It seemed to be more about the advancement of Web 2.0.

I am very curious to hear thoughts on the impact of web 2.0 specifically for the meetings industry. How will these new tools impact tradeshows and conferences? Anyone involved in the current deployment of tools that are shaping the future?

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Permalink Reply by Arran Coole on August 23, 2007 at 10:59

As far as we can see web 2.0 is about 2 things: User generated content and 'social networking'. In terms of UGC this isn’t new - exhibitors have been uploading content with ASP for 10 years and for exhibitions is very successful in generating lots of traffic and repeat visits to the website. Forums on the other hand struggle on exhibition websites for a variety of reasons - firstly people are afraid to ask questions or provide answers in front of all of their peers and to have that post on the internet for years to come. Also forums need a lot of people to make them work - a coalition of forum providers recently estimated that a website needs 100,000 visitors a month to have a successful forum, but only after seeding the forum with engaging questions and encouraging people to respond. The forum on this social network has only a few posts - which is expected, also a lot of the posters are from technology backgrounds. The other thing about forums is the time involved in policing the forum. Unless the organiser completely lets go of control and lets everyone post what they like it can be a nightmare in terms of administration - checking posts several times a time, deleting and editing posts, responding to people complaining that their post didn't go live etc.
ASP does do forums, however I recommend using a poll to ask the audience first - if you don't get a 1,000 yes answers - don't bother - again for every 100 people who view a forum only 1 will post.

Visitor generated content like photo uploads will be very interesting too - watch this space. On the other hand social networking is going to be a momentary interest with only a few places surviving. A lot of people tend to log-in add a few friends and never come back leaving a host of 'dead' entries. Will people spend time each week updating their profiles on myspace, facebook, linkedIn and then vertical business portals (i.e. exhibition websites)? Time will tell. Will social networking create communities - I doubt it, I think they are a reflection of a community not the creator of it. ASP tends to allow visitors, exhibitors at all to talk with each other in private - now that does work, it's up to them to meet up at the show after that.

The internet connects people - the event marketers job is to ensure they meet face to face at the exhibition itself.

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