Tips for Creating the Best Brand Experience for your Event App

May 17, 2018

Jay Tokosch

Jay Tokosch is the CEO of Core-Apps, a technology provider and mobile software company for the trade show and events industry.

This is the third in a series of articles by Core-apps about Event Tech Trends

Event organizers know the event app landscape continues to evolve. From changes in the Apple App Store to a continuous flood of startups, products and services penetrating the marketplace. Event organizers have no shortage of options to get an app out there, but one element of event app creation that should be consistent regardless of the platform is the user experience and the creative execution. 

Here are some tips event organizers should consider as they work with their app team on the best possible UX (user-experience) and UI (user-interface) and why that matters for the entire branded experience. 

Pump the brakes...what’s the difference?

User Experience: The practice and discipline of crafting a strategic workflow for any digital product like a website, landing page, app or even a kiosk. It has very little to do with the actual visual layer of the product. In fact, some of the best UX designers, are not visual designers at all. They’re practitioners of a multi-disciplined effort to best organize content for both ease of use and influence. User Experience design comes before user interface design, as the experience influences the look and feel of the visual interface. Form follows function!

User Interface: This is the visual layer of any digital product. It’s where the look and feel, branding selections, colors and fonts are put together, to bring the User Experience, and content, to life. You might call this the “make it pretty” part of the process. 

Here’s how these two disciplines can work together to create the best possible event app for your audience. 

BRANDING

How does your brand fit?

Your event app is an extension of your brand and your show. Slapping a logo on a template rarely translates to reflecting the brand strategy your organization has so carefully developed. Here are some things to consider about branding, as you craft your event app strategy:

  • Do you have a brand style guide? If so, share it with your event app developers. They will be grateful that you did! 
  • From icon selection to images and video, there are many multimedia options that you can add to your app, but ensuring these components work together should be the goal. 
  • Getting found. Consider your app store presence – this may seem like a minor detail but it’s actually one of the entry points of your event app experience. Your brand can be present from the title you select to get found in the App Store, to the images you display in the preview. Also, consider a dedicated landing page experience to promote your event app on your website. This should be clear and concise and sync with the rest of your event collateral. 

CONTENT

What types of content will your audience most connect with? 

  • First Timers: Consider adding a First Timers section right in your app. We know that having a good first experience at an event goes a long way in getting an attendee to the next one. Consider how your event app can help support that first timer user journey.  
  • Special Features: Audio Tours, Treasure Hunts, Networking and more. Your special functionality should fit with your show and audience. For example, if you suspect your audience is not using social media, don’t make that a key feature.

USABILITY

Creating a path for the best way for your unique audience to interact with your event app.

  • Your event app should be second nature to use, in fact, it should be invisible! It’s there to help guide your users, not interrupt and distract them. Make sure the kind of user flow you’re putting together enhances their journey with your event versus distracts them.
  • Your most digitally sophisticated attendees are the ones using your app. Make sure they’re seeing the value in using it by providing instant gratification like alerts, targeted messages and for expos, powerful mapping and routing.
  • Are your attendees older or less tech-savvy? Make the event app easy to use by including a tutorial that dynamically walks your users through how to use the app. 

PROMOTION:

  • Promoting the App:The more users you have, the better. Seems simple, but having a game plan to promote your app on the front end will help drive users and engagement. This will help you show the value for the sponsors that invested in the app and further expose your overall digital brand activation efforts.
  • Sponsorship: Providing guidance to exhibitors in terms of the best type of promotional ads to put together for your event app is also something to consider. If your show is highlighting a certain destination or annual initiative, consider baking that type of event-specific content into your exhibitor’s in-app promotion. It only furthers the relevancy of the show and brings exhibitors into the fold of the brand. 

ANALYTICS

Creating a data-driven ecosystem to support the metrics that matter to you most.

  • Decide in advance what metrics will make the most sense to tell the story of your ROI before you start creating your app. That way the analytics outcome is baked into the build. 
  • What other data sources are you using that can show a more complete picture of your audience’s digital journey with your brand? Consider how you can use one of the many tools available to shape an analytics reporting dashboard that showcases brand touchpoints like the app and beyond.

Overall, your event is an often overlooked touchpoint for extending your brand experience. Consider talking with your supplier about the best ways to customize your event app experience for your users, your organization and your brand. 

 

Don’t miss any event news! Sign up for any (or all) of our e-newsletters HERE and engage with us on TwitterFacebookLinkedIn & Instagram! 

Add new comment

Partner Voices
Here at Mandalay Bay, venues are inviting and innovative. As one of the most iconic names on the Las Vegas Strip, the Mandalay Bay Convention Center has recently undergone an exciting upgrade. This renowned venue now offers everything your business needs, with a refreshed convention space designed to inspire productivity and creativity, as well as an impressive selection of world-class restaurants and amenities. If you're searching for a venue that is both inviting and innovative, Mandalay Bay is the place to be. Mandalay Bay is committed to investing in a new wave of enhancements, not only in the convention space but also throughout the entire resort. With new restaurant openings and remodels, spectacular entertainment, and updated rooms, Mandalay Bay promises to deliver new and exciting experiences to its guests until 2024. To create a truly effective conference venue, Mandalay Bay has carefully considered what businesses require. The right technology, capacity, and inspiration are essential to take ideas to the next level. The refreshed Mandalay Bay Convention Center has been designed with your business in mind. Every room is equipped with newly-upgraded technology, enhancing our ability to support bandwidth demand and overall data capabilities. Additionally, the addition of 10 new digital walls provides bigger and more dynamic ways to display customized content messages. Mandalay Bay offers world-class conference space and service. The venue options range from ballrooms to ample pre-function spaces, catering to teams of any size while accommodating multiple large groups simultaneously. Our certified planners work collaboratively with you to understand your specific event requirements, anticipating your business needs and offering the best-fit solutions. In addition to providing exceptional conference facilities, Mandalay Bay is also dedicated to sustainability. We strive to give our guests an unforgettable experience while minimizing our impact on the environment. As part of our sustainable energy efforts, you'll find refillable water stations throughout the property, eliminating the need for single-use plastic bottles and reducing unnecessary plastic usage. Mandalay Bay is proud to offer an upgraded and enhanced experience for businesses seeking a venue that combines innovation, convenience, and sustainability. Whether you're hosting a conference, meeting, or other business event, Mandalay Bay's refreshed convention space, world-class service, and commitment to sustainability make it the ideal choice. Come and discover the new wave of experiences awaiting you at Mandalay Bay on the Las Vegas Strip. Wherever your organization is going, getting there starts with being here.