We live in a world of instant gratification, where consumers want targeted information, and they want it fast.

This trend permeates almost every aspect of our lives. Consider our social media accounts – Facebook displays ads in users’ news feeds based on their recent Google searches, and recommendations on who to follow constantly pop up on Twitter.

We consume personalized content on a daily basis (even if we don’t realize it), so it comes as no surprise that the trend is also coming into play at live events. People increasingly expect the events they attend to include carefully curated content programs that are tailored to their wants and needs. 

Pre-lanning the Content for Maximum Effectiveness

To ensure they have a much better shot at delivering relevant and useful content, many event organizers analyze the registration information that attendees provide in the lead-up to the big day. By taking this strategic approach, event organizers are able to develop content that is more relevant to their audience.

Look at who the attendees are–their job titles, industry (if the event is not industry specific), where they are based and even age. Secondly, consider what it is that they want to get out of the event.

Before the event kicks off, assign someone to measure the effectiveness of different sessions over the course of the event, by analyzing things such as how many people are going to a particular breakout, or their engagement levels when responding to live surveys.  It will help you to determine which sessions were well received, and which ones were not so popular, so you can make improvements for next time.

Changing Up the Program

Many brands are opting to reduce the focus on general ‘one size fits all’ sessions and instead create a multitude of more focused breakout sessions or workshops.

Smaller, more intimate sessions often delve into specifically-requested topics, or attendees might be invited to vote on, or suggest particular topics that they would like to discuss.

This approach encourages delegates to openly share their thoughts and ideas, which can then be recorded with the help of graphic facilitation on a whiteboard or similar. When content is recorded in this way, it can be shared with attendees’ post-event, acting as a memento of their event experience.

Content That Extends Beyond the Physical 

With technology becoming more and more advanced, opportunities to tune into an event’s people are content program remotely are on the rise.

This means event professionals need to create content that will engage not only people in the room, but those who are tuning in from afar. 

Be sure to provide a platform where both audiences can interact, and employ tools such as second screen technology, so that both audiences can engage with, and respond to the content at hand in real time, while delivering deep insights into what delegates are most interested in.

Content, as they say, is king. However, audiences’ content needs are changing, and now is the time for event organizers and their clients to embrace the multitude of tools available to them, to continue to deliver tailored and therefore interesting and engaging content at events.