Virtual-powered events gave the industry back its life when the pandemic first hit. As a result, and with the return of in-person events, the flexibility and reach of virtual combined with in-person gatherings founded the rise of hybrid—a concept that seemed prepared to gain steam as the primary strategy to dominate 2022.
The ongoing pandemic, however, seems to have other plans. As the cooler months of fall and winter loom, and COVID conquers the Greek alphabet, event flexibility—in plans, platforms, and participation options—will be the real key for events of the future.
That’s where Swoogo comes in. As an event platform that meets the needs of any event, whether it’s in-person, hybrid or virtual, Swoogo is well-versed in the art of the pivot—that’s why the Swoogo platform lets you change your mind in just a couple of clicks.
The Pivot
As we continue to navigate the waves of the pandemic, there may be moments that feel like the beginning, with in-person rollbacks and a dependency on virtual to keep people meeting, learning, and celebrating. How can we apply all that we’ve learned so far? With careful planning, you won’t have to cancel any event—you’ll be able to transition effortlessly so that your attendees are engaged and your sponsors satisfied.
Flexible plans require inflexible planning. To stay prepared, there are decisions to make, like how will you charge to ensure you can pivot back to virtual? How will you refund? Do you have virtual technology in place? Do your sponsors and sessions have virtual homes at the ready? Have you decided on, if not purchased, virtual engagement tools?
The Platform
A platform that can help you manage hotel blocks and just as easily spin up virtual meeting rooms is key. Swoogo does all that and more. Here are some key features to look for when shopping for event management solutions:
- Customization: From your landing pages and emails to your registration flow and URL, custom capabilities are a must. With Swoogo, you have the option to implement your own code, utilize one of the platform’s custom themes, or simply drag and drop as you build. This includes giving your sponsors dedicated pages complete with video, images, downloadable content, and plenty of room for links.
- Registration: Swoogo’s application of conditional logic within the registration feature has no limits, meaning you can target all the right visitors and personalize the experience any way you want.
- Customer Support: Who wants to deal with technical complications during an event? The obvious answer is no one. When choosing a platform, make sure it offers customer support to familiarize you with the software and help troubleshoot issues. As of 2020, Swoogo’s software support team earned itself a 98.7% satisfaction rating by ensuring all support tickets sent to the support team are responded to and triaged within 15 minutes, and tickets tagged 'urgent' are handled in five minutes or less. This type of quick-response support especially comes in handy when you need to make quick decisions around flipping your event type or anything day-of the event.
- Integration: Finding a platform that works with your favorite tools will make your life, and event planning, all that much easier. Swoogo offers 30-plus, free integrations, works with any video provider, and includes outbound webhooks and REST API, which allows planners to connect all the tools they need integrations and works with any video provider, plus the platform has an open API, which allows planners to connect all the tools they need.
- Marketing: Offering customized emails, automation, and analytics, and reporting, you can maximize your marketing efforts before, during, and after the event.
- Standout Features: A key component to virtual events nowadays is having wow-factor features that make the attendee and event organizer remember the experience. Swoogo, for example, focuses on offering engagement-friendly features such as 1:1 chat and breakout meetings. With their fully brandable event hub, they give your virtual events the spotlight they deserve.
The Future is Here
No matter how uncertain the future is, events will go on. Whether the event is in-person, hybrid, or virtual, it’s more important than ever to have a single platform that will suit all your needs, so that you can transition at a moment’s notice with ease, while still delivering a memorable event—which is what Swoogo is here for.
To learn more about Swoogo, click here.
