While we’re still doing our best to salvage 2020 in terms of business events and making connections via various online events and platforms, we are still hoping that 2021 will be a pandemic-free year for us to return to live events.

In the past few months, in particular, technology and digitalization have both been pivotal in digital networking and enabling companies to stay connected with other industry experts, customers, and their audience.

In the same spirit of innovation and growth, we can see 2021 as the year when even more advanced tech solutions will rise to the surface.

As we look forward to months of live events and restoring some semblance of normal, let’s see what tech novelties and trends will help shape live events of 2021 for your business and your network community.

1. Analytics and Risk Assessment

Data will redefine how companies deal with events, and brands will more than ever rely on business intelligence to create live events that will resonate with their target demographic.

From the marketing campaigns to the registration process, all the way to post-event surveys and traffic, your data will define future events and help adapt the current live event based on the information you can collect.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning will also be of great help to recognize and reduce the risk for every live event that you organize.

2. Elevated customization

Trends are here to help companies exceed, not just meet standards and expectations. Technology in particular will enable businesses to create authentic experiences during live events to build visitor engagement and later on traction in their community.

To achieve better customization, businesses will typically collaborate with professionals in order to tailor-make the right tech-based experience.

To create tech-supported, authentic events, brands will rely on technical rental solutions for live occasions that include audio and video equipment, advanced lighting, and staging.

This will allow companies to focus on the content of their events and build their marketing around the event, while the tech and the experience will be tailored by experts.

3. Utilizing VR and AR

In addition to making your events customized to your needs and tailored to audience expectations, businesses will utilize more VR and AR solutions in 2021 and beyond, as well.

This means that an entirely new level of interaction can be achieved for brands and their customers, as they’ll be able to get a more in-depth glimpse into your product or service.

Both augmented reality and virtual reality will find various purposes in live events, especially because companies will use their own mobile apps, and they’ll send out personalized content to each attendee.

4. Sustainable Practices

Every business can go that extra mile in promoting greener efforts and choosing to take steps to preserve the environment. Many have yet to master this art when organizing their next event, which is precisely what will steal the spotlight in 2021.

As more people become aware of the peril of our planet, companies are looking for creative ways to transform their events. In fact, for many companies considering their first trade show, they’ll factor in the idea of sustainability as one of the most vital concepts.

• Facial recognition technology will make sign-ins redundant in that traditional, print-out format.
• Instead of paper flyers, businesses can send out digital newsletters and personalized offers based on each attendees’ preferences.
• Instead of all things plastic, brands can collaborate with eco-friendly catering companies.
• Resource management will be smarter and tech-supported to reduce waste.

5. Live Streaming for More Engagement

We can expect that recovering from the pandemic will last well into 2021, and we can expect companies as well as individuals to be reluctant, reasonably so, when attending events.

You’ll find many still interested in online versions of events, which is precisely why live streaming events will help companies stay relevant to all of their audience members.

Abiding by the recommended guidelines will most likely spill over into the upcoming year, so ensuring that the right measures are followed by enabling digital event visits can be extremely helpful to preserve your reputation.

Plus, live streaming is becoming all the more popular for international events with a diverse audience.

Conclusion:

We may need to adapt to the new idea of normalcy, but we certainly have the means to do so, even in the world of live business events. With the right tech at our disposal, we can look forward to successful, sustainable, and highly personalized event experiences across various industries.

Learning from these arising tech trends will help your business stay at the forefront of your niche and allow you to create engaging, inspiring events that you will be able to use to grow your presence and your reputation over time.

Author Bio:

Mike Johnston is an avid blogging enthusiast and experienced freelance writer. He’s a regular contributor to numerous online publications, where he writes about business, finance, management, and technology.

The post Top 5 Tech Trends for Organizing Live Business Events in 2021 appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Digital marketing is a fast-moving industry. To remain competitive and grow profitably, marketers need to be vigilant and innovative. They need to update with technology trends and to apply them in making their brand stand out.

Moreover, today’s audience has become a lot smarter, choosing to ignore conventional marketing strategies that have worked well a few years back. They skip TV ads, unsubscribe from email lists, some refuse to open emails, and most detest websites that have pop-ups.

Marketers need to step up now more than ever. But it’s still important to understand buyer behavior – who they are, what they need, where they hang out.

Here are 6 of the important technology trends that are revolutionizing marketing:

1. Predictive Analytics

Consumers have so many choices available to them that competition for their attention and purchase is fierce among marketers and businesses. Companies are now required to be competitive and use the smartest marketing strategies out there.

Predictive analytics can be applied in marketing and it works similar to the scientific method – with the hypothesis and testing if it’s right or wrong. The data can be used for different customer segments and determine the best way to reach out to them and optimize the campaigns to get the best possible outcomes.

As stated in a SAS report, “Predictive analytics is the use of data, statistical algorithms, and machine learning techniques to identify the likelihood of future outcomes based on historical data.

The goal is to go beyond knowing what has happened to provide the best assessment of what will happen in the future”.

The use of predictive analytics in marketing has become viable as computers have become more powerful. As compared to 30 years ago when it was still a backward-looking tactic

There are 5 predictive analytics applications today that marketers may use to up their game, here they are:

• Targeting the right customers at the right time with the right content
• Pushing marketing strategies based on predictive analytics insights
• Bringing the right product or services to the market
• Qualify and prioritize leads
• Predictive modeling for customer behavior
• Implementing email marketing campaigns guided by predictive analytics insights

With much data available, marketers can make use of them to advance their marketing campaigns through predictive analytics.

2. Voice Search

This was introduced by Google in 2011. Back then it was more novel but with the improvement in speech recognition, it has become a common tool in search marketing.

This SEO update has changed the game in search marketing with the rise of voice search, the recent BERT update, and the increasing complexity of the Google algorithm.

As of 2020 statistics show that around 27% of the online global population uses voice search on mobile. A report from comscore.com, states that more than 50% of smartphone users have used voice search in 2020.

There are several more stats that are worth mentioning about the widespread use of this technology. It just goes to show that this tech is worth including in marketing strategies. 

3. AI (Artificial Intelligence)

Applications for this technology span different types of marketing strategies. In SEO (Search Engine Optimization) AI has simplified spreadsheets and reports. Real-time analysis powered by AI lets marketers make quick adjustments to optimize their websites, and campaigns to take over their competitors.

AI technology in LED and LCD screens enables screens to be digital photo frames, TVs, video-calling hubs, etc. AI and machine learning can also improve image quality on the screen.

4. Compelling Video

Leveraging video marketing is one of the strong trends in 2020. Around 92% of marketers surveyed use video as part of their marketing campaigns. The video promotes the product or service in a more digestible, simple, and memorable way. It is strategic as it offers value to the customer upfront which makes it easier for them to decide to make a purchase.

5. Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Reality

Enterprising and forward-thinking Adidas with digital marketing agency Somewhere Else used this VR in 2018 to promote TERREX, an Adidas line of outdoor apparel. Using a VR headset and 2 sensory remote controls this immersive technology lets customers experience a product before they buy it.

In this case, it lets them have an idea of how they would feel once they use the apparel in the great outdoors, all in the safety of the retail outlet, kiosk. This marketing campaign is successful in attracting and converting customers into buyers because of the immersive brand experience provided by the kiosk solution.

6. Chatbots

Chatbots that we know of, were introduced in 2016 made possible with the first wave of AI (Artificial Intelligence). As explained by Mark Zuckerberg, AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP) merged with human help. This makes it seem that talking to a messenger bot is like talking to a real person.

It is a tool that uses automated messaging software along with AI to converse with people. I can understand questions, give answers, provide options, and do tasks for the user.

For businesses, it can free up time for the social media marketer or admin by answering common questions. It can also increase revenue by improving the customer experience as chatbots can provide quick responses to users.

This lowers the chances of frustration on the part of the customer. It will keep on answering queries until it faces questions that only a live agent can handle.

Basically, chatbots can handle simple tasks and it depends on how good the chatbot creator is at anticipating questions. They don’t completely replace humans but they give the user an alternative way to communicate with the business.

Quality content is still king in marketing but applying trends in technology can make it more customized to potential customers, build trust, increase engagement, simplify and delight them.

Following and including technology trends in marketing makes campaigns cooler and it shows people that you gave much thought to how you relate to them – how you show them your services and what you can do for them.

Conclusion:

The future of marketing is better with tech. With every year seeing more new technological developments emerge that can be used to take advantage of some existing gaps in digital marketing. Adopting these new technologies in marketing campaigns may disrupt the convention but change is essential for businesses to thrive.

The post 6 Tech Trends That Will Influence Your Marketing Strategies appeared first on Tech Research Online.