Implementing Augmented Reality in events management requires planning and technology integration to ensure that it enhances the event experience. It can significantly elevate engagement, interaction, and overall satisfaction for attendees, exhibitors, and organizers.
Why you should make AR a priority?
In 2023, Augmented Reality upsurged with a valuation of USD 42.85 Billion. Every industry is actively seeking the benefits of it to stay ahead of the curve of development. Over 1 Billion people use this technology to make their lives effortless and technologically advanced.
Now, since a huge chunk of the population around the globe is an active user of it, event managers identified the opportunity and updated themselves with Augmented Reality technology which has helped their events get recognized in a competitive landscape
The art and music industry was quick to adapt to the developing industry standards and instantaneously took over the AR facility for their live events.
How is Augmented Reality Used in Events?
Augmented Reality for events in event management includes leveraging this technology to enhance multiple aspects of events such as conferences, trade shows, product launches, and more.
Effective Navigation control
Event managers often use AR to make navigation simple. Big events always deal with complaints about navigation. It is easy to lose one’s way in a crowded place and fail to locate venues. It can get overcrowded and the accessibility of booths and shows reduces. Navigation in huge event areas is often confusing and unreliable. Using this technology to guide the attendees will help attendees to save on time and cognitive load. It can help event managers organize this mess for an effortless customer experience.
Organized Structure
Reduction in navigation confusion will help reduce the crowd in the lane, giving way to an organized flow of events. Additionally, setting up personalized AR booths instead of personnel will increase efficiency. In exhibitions, event managers can also seek to provide virtual information points.
AR summits can replace traditional information desks with virtual points where attendees can access schedules, speaker bios, and event updates through dedicated interfaces.
Interactive Booths for Attendee Engagement
It can help event managers enhance consumer engagement by going beyond the traditional methods of displays. The venue manager can use AR to create interactive experiences at their booths. This will enable the visitors to take virtual tours of the product, experience interactive content, and even view product demonstrations. This can be achieved without the physical setup of the products by only using smartphones or AR glasses.
Enhancing Presentations and Workshops
AR facilitates enhanced presentations and workshops that are interactive and immersive for the event and meetings. It transforms traditional presentations into 3D models, animations, or data visualizations which can be further projected on screens. This provides an unparalleled experience to the attendees which is enchanting and simplifies complex information. It also reduces the cognitive load on the attendees making the event an effortless experience. For example, a medical conference might use this technology to showcase virtual anatomy models during a surgical techniques workshop.
Gamification
Event organizers can incorporate AR-based games with sponsors and exhibitors. It will encourage attendees in tech events to participate in these games or scavenger hunts and will increase the interaction with sponsors and exhibitors.
These games and interactive activities add a fun and engaging dimension to events. Organizers can create scavenger hunts, trivia challenges, or virtual tours using it. These activities encourage attendee participation, and interaction with sponsors and exhibitors, and increase overall event enjoyment.
Should you use WebAR or Appbased?
WebAR makes events accessible and efficient with quick run time. The attendees don’t have enough time to download an app and then experience the AR. Therefore, WebAR comparatively increases visitor engagement by keeping the process quick and effective.
What are the events that use Augmented Reality?
AR organizes events like ComiCon, concerts, festivals, orientations, tradeshows, etc.. It provides an interactive and organized facility at the venue so that the event can proceed smoothly.
Showrooms
Showrooms are the places that foster heavy machinery and frequent interactions with the attendees. Using AR, showrooms can replace heavy machinery with 3D models of the products. BMW is already using this technology in its showrooms.
These showrooms reduce the cost of setting up the physical models without compromising on the experience of the visitors.
Education and Conferences
Augmented reality conferences are a good way to invite as many attendees as possible so that everyone can seek education and information. Conferences held in auditoriums and classrooms are limited and can accommodate only a certain number of students. However, with conferences, meetings, and live events any number of students can join remotely without missing out on information or experience.
Trade shows and fairs
Trade fairs are huge events for businesses to expand and grow connections. In these important corporate events, the priority is to provide relevant information to the attendees to save time and energy. Navigation plays a vital role in this process. Augmented Reality trade shows can provide real-time navigation within event venues. This will reduce the confusion and enhance the overall attendee experience.
Additionally, it provides interactive information and demonstration by giving the models a 3D touch.
Cultural and artistic fairs
Cultural events are bustling places. It can be made fun by introducing an immersive experience of AR into it. Event managers can also incorporate games to increase customer engagement with the sponsors and exhibitors.
The visitors can use apps to find their way to different sessions, booths, or facilities so that they can explore events that are relevant to them.
Sports events
Sports use AR to increase engagement with the sponsors through ads. Ads are another major area that employs it to engage people during events. Coca-Cola for example installed a huge XR ad during the 2018 FIFA World Cup which attracted a lot of interest from the people. It increased sports awareness among young fans by providing them with real-time experience of football.
Conclusion
The rise in popularity and quality of this technology has leveraged seamless event organization and experience. It is transforming event management by enhancing visitors’ engagement. Navigation control, personalized experiences, and the comfort of virtual attendance are expanding the paradigm of event management.
A continuous improvement in the quality of the technology has motivated event organizers to have unprecedented opportunities to create memorable and impactful experiences for their attendees. AR-oriented organizations can unlock new possibilities for innovation and engagement in the dynamic field of event management.
Learn more about AR or better, book a demo with PlugXR Platform to experience the innovative technology.