The latest Event Tech Insight report from Event Tech Live and Bizzabo provides a sprawling look at the events industry, weaving a narrative of data and expert opinions. There are a few surprises when it comes to event tech adoption. The report mentions a bit of backlash against some event tech that was born of the pandemic and a growing interest in how AI will alter the event landscape. Could the power of networking, matchmaking and meeting programs be getting a little tired, asks the study? Networking apps showed a notable drop in usage from the previous year, with a -37% change with those using the technologies. On the flip side, there was an increase of 37% in use of interactive technology compared to year-on-year usage, indicating event professionals are seeking tools like polling, note-takers and interactive questions to boost interaction.

Elsewhere, a study from EventCube, an all-in-one events platform, is more bullish about virtual events. They’ve compiled a list of compelling statistics in defense of virtual events. Here is the Virtual Events section of their very comprehensive list (though some of the data is from 2021 -- the height of the pandemic years). 

• 92.1% of organizers rate their online experiences as successful (Anyroad)​​.
• 79% say virtual events provided new opportunities; 66% note greater ROI than physical events (LinkedIn)​​.
• 90% believe large-scale events will be hybrid or virtual in two years (Kaltura)​​.
• 82% plan similar or more virtual events in the next 12 months (Forrester)​​.
• 25% run virtual-only strategies, two-thirds use hybrid (Kaltura)​​.
• Top benefits include increased registration, greater ROI, and better engagement (Kaltura)​​.
• Virtual events are seen as pandemic-proof and cost-effective (LinkedIn)​​.
• The global market for virtual events is projected to grow at 23.7% CAGR from 2021-2028 (Grand View Research)​​.
• 76% see attendee diversification as key to success (Forrester)​​.
  

Yes, virtual events will continue to play an important role in the event mix, but expect more mergers and acquisitions as the sector continues it's post-pandemic right-sizing. Cisco layoffs this week impacted their virtual events team, Socio. Brandlive scooped up the virtual and live events company, Notify. Expect more, but expect virtual events to be much more elaborate, community-driven, e-commerce focused and interactive. 

An Event Bible 

Thanks to Michelle Bruno for the hot tip about Eventible. Built to help potential exhibitors and attendees find the best events to participate in, Eventible sorts events by category and offers a score based on user reviews and input. It’s still a little sparsely populated, with many of the biggest events omitted. That said, it could provide an invaluable resource to those looking to maximize both their dollars and their time. 

Slide Teller

Calypso Studios is working on an app to let the sight-impaired gain access to slides and presentations at events and conferences. The app can read PowerPoints and other presentation materials, and then deliver the content via mobile phone and headset. Ultimately, AI will be able to do a lot of the interpretation.

Matter

I love squirreling away newsletters, blogs, LinkedIn messages and more. I’ve tried storing my finds with Microsoft One Note, Evernote, Pocket, and others, all with mixed results. Matter collects the newsletters, blogs, social media and other detritus that are clogging up your e-mail inbox and puts them in place. The site features curated lists from other users, and as a bonus it can be installed as a Chrome extension.

• Google’s pushing the cloud and AI hard in its 3-day Google Cloud Next ’24 event taking place both virtual and in Las Vegas this week. (April 9-12).
• Paddy Cosgrove is back as the head of WebSummit. If you recall, Cosgrove was ousted after making harsh remarks about Israeli actions following the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7th. Cosgrove didn’t offer much color on the politics behind his return, but vowed to focus on building strong communities at the show. 
• Mozilla, a not-for-profit foundation most known for its web browser that’s long been at the forefront of discussions of privacy and veracity on the web, was the sponsor of The Washington Post Futurist Summit last week. This summary on the Mozilla blog outlines all the things that should be keeping us up at night, from election misinformation to deep fakes to the future of TikTok. Worth watching.