10 Mistakes Organisers Make When Choosing an Event App

10 Mistakes Organisers Make When Choosing an Event App

Many organisers focus on the right name, branding, speakers, and content for their event at the expense of the event app. Choosing an event app simply to tick off a checklist will do more harm than good. The event app determines engagement quality, sponsor and exhibitor satisfaction, and post-event analytics. Below are ten mistakes organisers make when choosing an event app;

Choosing based on price alone:

• While it is financially sensible to work within your budget, choosing the cheapest option can cost you more in the long run. You end up paying for add-ons or switching event apps mid-cycle. Instead, assess the value of your options and choose the one that best meets your event's needs. Besides, the right app will pay for itself through the ROI it generates.

Failing to check scalability:

• Many event organisers erroneously assume that an app that supported their 100-person workshop will meet the demands of a 5000-attendee multiday conference. Scalability is important when choosing an event app. This saves you the cost of retraining your team every year because you won't outgrow the technology.

Not considering user experience:

• some event organisers are more focused on the backend capabilities than the user experience. They forget that if attendees struggle to navigate the app, they will simply abandon it, which defeats the purpose of an event app. Check for intuitive, clean user interfaces, AI-powered integration, and more when choosing an event app; they make all the difference in the attendee experience.

Forgetting exhibitor & sponsor ROI:

• An app that doesn’t help you prove value to your exhibitors and sponsors is setting you up for failure in the long run. Many organisers choose apps with no space for ads or banners, notifications, lead-capture tools, etc., and wonder why they lose partnerships. Exhibitors and sponsors want measurable exposure, and the app you choose must provide this.

Forgetting integration checks:

• An app that doesn’t support third-party integrations will cost you more time and money, as you will be forced to import and export data and pay for additional software manually. Besides, poor integration creates many bottlenecks, and you don't want that. Instead, choose an app that seamlessly integrates with CRMs, badge printers, and marketing tools. 

Not checking data analytics capability:

• The quality of post-event analytics determines whether your sponsor and exhibitor partnerships continue and whether improvements can be made for future events. If you don't have the right picture, you rely on guesswork, which costs you energy, time, and money. However, if you choose the right app, you’ll be able to justify ROI and improve future events.

Ignoring engagement tools:

• ‍Engagement is the backbone of your attendee experience. An event app that only lists schedules and speakers misses the point. Engagement tools such as live Q&A sessions, polls, community feeds, leaderboards, and surveys turn passive audiences into loyal communities. Without these tools, your event experience will be dry and unimpactful.

Choosing complex technology:

• Hard-to-navigate apps don’t guarantee better success rates. If it’s not simple to use, it’s a burden you don’t need. The efficiency of an app isn’t in the number of its features but in how well it delivers a personalised experience to every user. Your team shouldn’t be overwhelmed by complicated dashboards when they can instead focus on monitoring the event. 

Lack of strong customer support:

• Every app requires support to be fully maximised. Some organisers overlook customer support until challenges arise during the event, leaving no one to turn to. This shouldn't be you. Before settling for an app, ask about response times and onboarding assistance. If it's not reliable, go for another option.

Choosing a one-day event app:

• Some event apps aren't designed to provide support throughout the entire event lifecycle. Many organisers realise this too late when they want post-event continuity. To avoid this, look for event apps that function more as a year-round community platform rather than only supporting the event during the set dates. 

Conclusion

An event app is the digital backbone of your event. If it’s wrong, everything else goes wrong. Choosing the wrong event app limits engagement, monetisation and post-event analytics. Choosing the right one amplifies attendee satisfaction, revenue and post-event continuity. And this is exactly what the Eventify app delivers. If you are looking for the right event app, look no further! Eventify has all you need and more; download and start enjoying the app today. Request a free demo here.