Every year technology continues to improve and new trends evolve, bringing along benefits for businesses and event organisers. Staying on top of it all can be overwhelming at times, so we’ve put together a shortlist of the hottest trends to spice up your events in 2016.

Virtual Reality

You may have heard the news, Virtual Reality tech is improving and set to change the face of consumer interactions. For most businesses, this will mostly be hype that is out of reach for 2016. Let’s put this under ‘fun to watch’ and focus on some things you can start implementing sooner.

Mobile, Mobile, Mobile

A recent Nielson report (Nielson Mobile Ratings Report October 2015) revealed that over 15 million Australians now own a smartphone, with some 12 million owning a tablet device. Furthermore, it’s emerging that young adults are relying on their mobile as their primary device to access the internet. If your event team isn’t yet harnessing the power of mobile check-ins and ticket scanning, check out Eventbrite Neon to turn your iOS device into a mobile box office.

Video and Live Streaming

Video content is going from strength to strength, with the emergence of new apps that enable instant broadcasting. Linked to a Twitter account, Periscope is quickly gaining traction with marketers for its live-streaming capabilities. Event organisers and attendees themselves are now broadcasting live video of events and experiences to engage with their audience anywhere in the world. From interviews with keynote speakers to streaming presentations, there is a lot of opportunity for event organisers to utilise streaming.

Smarter Partnerships

Paid sponsorship has long been synonymous with events, but what about complementary partnerships? Offering products, services, or social reach to events that appeal to your audience is a cost effective way for new businesses to help promote themselves and for events to offer more to their attendees. A great example of this is Uber’s partnership with events of all sizes, offering the convenience of a free ride to attendees while gaining new riders and exposure. Want a slick deck to help you form these partnerships for your next event? Check out Sponseasy to create professional looking and trackable sponsorships decks that integrate with your Eventbrite ticketing page.  

Real Time Analytics

With the rise in technology, has come an increasing pressure to prove the all important return on investment. Eventbrite and Eventbrite Neon on mobile provides powerful data for your event in real time; allowing organisers to track ticket sales, see the ROI of marketing investments, and manage resources during your event such as security or gate staff.

Event Apps

Dedicated event apps for large scale events and conferences are giving attendees more information at their fingertips, while providing enormous benefits for organisers. Event apps such as the ones created by Eventbrite spectrum partner, DoubleDutch, allow organisers to track attendee behaviour and interests, leverage sponsorship opportunities, and create actionable reports of events.   

Health and Wellbeing

Wellbeing and mindfulness continues to be a hot trend that will impact events in 2016. In the 2015 Eventbrite Live Experiences Impact Survey, our study revealed that our hectic lifestyles are a key driver for Australia’s growing appetite to experience more live events. Almost half (48%) of respondents selected ‘achieving a better balance between work and fun’ as one of the reasons they plan to attend more live experiences, with 51% also saying they ‘want to achieve greater wellbeing’. Consider how you can improve the work/fun balance at your business events with activities, chill out zones, and healthy options for attendees when it comes to food. For decor, Pantone’s ‘Colour of the Year’ for 2016 is two shades of calming pink and blue, perfect for creating a calming environment.

RFID Technology

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a small electronic device that can be inserted into an attendee wristband and act as a unique identifier for that wristband; providing unprecedented analytics and control over the flow of events. RFID wristband technology is already in use at some major music festivals and large public events to monitor foot traffic, prevent ticket fraud, and even enhance attendee experiences with the inclusion of cashless payments and social media integration. RFID technology is set to become more accessible to SME’s as early as next year, with the goal of Australian event-goers seeing its benefits during the 2017 event and expo season. You can read more about RFID technology here.

Paperless Events

While the paperless offices we were all promised still don’t appear to be a reality when you look at your desk, technology has made it possible to reduce paper wastage at events. From mobile check-in and registration to virtual gift bags, there are simple solutions that can be implemented now to reduce your event’s impact on the environment.