Like other industries, the event planning sector has been severely affected by significant changes, most of which were unprecedented in the last two years. The global pandemic that hit from the end of 2019 to 2022 shifted how businesses, schools, hospitals, establishments, offices, and even events operate.
Fortunately, progress has been made. After a temporary halt in public and private event organization, people are starting to celebrate weddings, promotions, and other small and big milestones through gatherings.
Despite the changes and new restrictions for public safety, the event industry looks optimistic as a whole. Social events Townsville and many other places are making a comeback. Organizers don’t see the shifts in how events are planned and held as obstacles, but rather new facets that shape event planning for its betterment.
For event planners, this begins with keeping up with the new industry standards.
As the first quarter goes in full swing, here are the top trends to look out for in event planning this year.
- More Hybrid Events Will Happen
One of the significant changes caused by recent global events was a greater acceptance of hybrid events. These refer to a mix of physical and online activities in a gathering.
In a hybrid event, attendees who can and are willing to be physically present can appear in person. Meanwhile, those who are away or prefer to be present virtually can attend through live streaming or conferencing platforms.
This takes extra planning for event planners as they’ll have to prepare for both. They must have good Internet and streaming technology to include virtual participants in the actual event. Going the hybrid route, however, also makes it easier for people who simply can’t take part in a physical setting to stay connected with what’s happening. Being in the loop gets easier.
- Social Responsibility Will Play A Bigger Role
Events used to only draw crowds, make announcements, increase sales, or build hype. But those days may have already run their course.
Nowadays, more events have become attuned to cause-based marketing. This means more events are held to support charitable causes and tackle social and political causes like climate change, income disparity, racism, and discrimination of all kinds.
The recent pandemic could explain this massive shift. At that time, many consumers had to re-evaluate their individual lifestyle choices. As organizers caught on to this new expansion of social consciousness, they began to cater to groups that aim to build social responsibility. This allows them to participate in these same causes while also getting more opportunities to promote.
- Social Media Will Serve As The Main Marketing Tool
There’s no denying the power of social media. If anything, it continues to reign supreme in terms of its power, reach, and visibility. Individuals and businesses that want to stay relevant do their best to be active on it, recognizing its ability as an effective promotional tool.
With this, more events are also leveraging social media. More and more organizers are using targeted ads to gain traction for gatherings in their line-up. If you end up seeing announcements for a show related to some of your interests, that’s the point. Today, many attendees also base their decisions on what they see online.
Overall, these factors make social media the biggest platform for marketing in the post-pandemic world.
- Event Management Platforms Will Only Grow In Popularity
Managing and planning events can be done more efficiently thanks to these handy programs. Instead of each member of the event planning team using their own app, planner, scheduling, or task management system, everyone uses a centralized platform to get projects done in full collaboration.
Their proven ability to increase efficiency and success rates makes event management platforms an essential tool for today’s organizers.
Though there are many options on the market, your checklist of the ideal one depends ultimately on your need. It doesn’t need a wide range of features, just enough to allow you and your team to achieve your clients’ visions for their events.
Catch Up On The Latest Changes
The continue growing in the event organization industry, you should prepare for what lies ahead. Some obstacles continue to plague the industry as the world struggles to get back in top shape. But if you can keep up with trends and plan accordingly, your business can continue on its path to helping people and entities come together in big functions.
Begin assessing what you currently have and build on what needs to be improved. There’s no better time to start than now.
