Introduction
For businesses, mobile applications for events have become essential products to enhance participant experience, bolster brand image, and facilitate the management of online events. Event management has never been easier, although organising a successful event is a complex process that requires meticulous planning and flawless execution.
Increasingly, companies are searching for platforms under the term "event app," but how exactly do you design an event application?
To assist you with this task, we present a solution with a 10-step guide to creating an event application and how such an app can influence event management, with a special mention for the Imagina app.
In this 10-step guide, we will explain how to create and optimise your own event application solution to ensure an exceptional user experience.
Follow these tips to make your event unforgettable!
Step 1: Analyse needs
Before diving into the creation of your mobile event app, it is crucial to start with a thorough analysis of your organisation's needs. This step will help you determine essential features and define the scope of your project in order to stand out from other companies.
Here are some key elements to consider during the needs analysis:
Who is the target audience for the event?
As event organisers, you should know that all companies have different target audiences. Identify the profile of your participants and their expectations regarding the mobile app. Consider their level of familiarity with mobile technologies, software, and features that would be most useful to them during the event.
What are the objectives of the event?
Reflect on the specific goals of your event and how an app can support them. For example, if your event aims to promote networking, your application should include features that facilitate interactions among participants.
What features should be integrated into the event app?
Evaluate your organising team's imperatives, challenges, and the main need that the event app could address to determine the app's content. This may include managing invitations, communicating with participants, or collecting data (while ensuring the protection of confidential data in compliance with GDPR) for post-event analysis.
Step 2: Define the event's objective
Before creating your event application, clarify the main goal of your event (e.g., product sales) and ensure that all stakeholders are on the same page. This will help you better understand management and target the app's features to optimise its utility, guiding the functionalities and elements of your application to align with your participants' and organisation's aspirations.
Step 3: Choose the date and venue
Selecting the date and venue for the event is crucial to the success of your event, the mobile application, and the user experience. For better management and maximised participation, anticipate scheduling conflicts, allow enough time for preparation, choose a suitable location for the proposed activities (capacity, accessibility, facilities), consider the geographical location (transport, airports, accommodation), and integrate venue information into the app (interactive map, transport, accommodation).
Step 4: Prepare a budget
Proper management and preparation of a detailed budget is essential to ensure the success of your event and the associated mobile application. A well-planned budget will help you manage your expenses and allocate the necessary resources to different aspects of your project.
Here are some tips for preparing a budget for your event and mobile application:
List the costs
Identify all costs associated with organising the event and developing the mobile application. This may include infrastructure rental fees, catering costs, marketing expenses, speaker fees, app development costs, and maintenance expenses.
Estimate the development costs of the app
Evaluate the costs associated with developing your mobile event application. This will depend on the complexity of the app, the number of features, the chosen development platform, and the resources needed to create and maintain the application.
Allocate a budget for promotion
Do not underestimate the importance of promoting your event and app. Allocate part of your budget for marketing expenses, including online advertising, emails, and printed materials.
Estimate revenues
If your event generates revenue, for example, through ticket sales, sponsorships, or on-site sales, include these estimates in your budget to determine the total funding available.
Step 5: Choose the features of the app
Depending on the apps, the choice of features varies. However, your mobile event application should be guided by the event's objectives and the desires of your participants. There are plenty of possibilities for any type of event by integrating relevant and useful features for management; for example, you can provide a quality user experience and encourage app adoption.
Here are some tips for choosing the features of your event app:
Programme and agenda
Include a detailed programme of the event with information on schedules, venue locations, speakers, sponsors, and session descriptions. Allow participants to customise and manage their own agendas and receive notifications for the sessions they wish to attend.
Site map and navigation
Integrate an interactive site map with information about the locations of rooms, booths, and points of interest. Also, offer navigation features to help participants easily move around the event venue.
Networking and interaction
Provide networking tools to facilitate connections among participants and the creation of new contacts while respecting GDPR, such as user profiles, discussion forums, and private messaging features.
Q&A and live polling
Enable participants to ask questions and take part in real-time polling during sessions and workshops. The presence of polling or Q&A will encourage participant engagement and facilitate feedback collection.
Notifications and updates
Use push notifications to inform participants of event updates, programme changes, and important announcements.
Practical information
Provide practical information about the event, such as transport options, accommodation recommendations, access conditions, and health guidelines.
Social media integration
Integrate such channels to encourage content sharing and promote the event, particularly with sponsors. This creates proximity with clients and new contacts. Allow participants to connect to their social media accounts, post messages, and share photos directly from the app.
Step 6: Design the user interface
The user interface (UI) of your mobile event app plays a crucial role in the user experience and the app's adoption. It should cater to both event organisers and clients. A well-designed interface should be attractive and easy to use while providing quick and easy access to key features.
Here are some tips for designing the user interface of your event app:
Visual consistency with branding
Ensure that the appearance of your app is consistent with the visual identity of your event and organisation. Use the same type of colours and graphic elements to create a unified and professional atmosphere. The content should also align with the company and sponsors.
Clarity and simplicity
Design a clear and simple interface with menus and icons that are easily understood for quick onboarding. Avoid cluttering the screen with too much information or features and opt for a clean and minimalist approach.
Intuitive navigation
Organise your app's features logically and intuitively, facilitating category-based navigation with different sections. Use menus, tabs, or navigation bars to allow clients to quickly find what they are looking for.
Accessibility
Consider the needs of users with specific accessibility requirements, such as visually impaired or hard-of-hearing individuals. Promote the use of readable fonts, sufficient colour contrasts, and text alternatives for non-text elements. Also, plan for content to be available in another language, such as English or others.
Adaptability
Ensure that your user interface is suitable for different types of devices and screen sizes. Use responsive design techniques to guarantee that your app functions correctly regardless of format, smartphones, tablets, and screens of various resolutions. Also, consider which download platforms your app is available on, such as the Apple Store for iPhone and Google Play for Android.
Step 7: Develop the event application
Developing the mobile event app involves choosing the platform (native or web mobile), selecting the development team, using suitable tools and techniques, adhering to best practices, regularly testing and debugging, and planning for maintenance and updates.
These steps ensure a quality application that meets participants' needs and contributes to the event's success. Entrust the app's development to an experienced team of professionals. They will guide you in choosing the appropriate systems and ensure optimal integration of the Imagina web app.
Step 8: Test the application
Before launching your application, it is crucial to test it to ensure it functions correctly and without bugs. Organise testing sessions with clients to gather their feedback and adjust your application accordingly.
This includes conducting functional, compatibility, performance, accessibility, security, and user tests to guarantee proper functioning, compatibility, security, and an optimal user experience. Identifying issues (e.g., ticket purchase problems, networking issues...) and improving the app while working closely with the development team will ensure the app's and the event's success.
Step 9: Promote the application
Once your app is finalised, it's time to promote it to your target audience. Use all available communication channels to announce the app's launch and encourage downloads. This step ensures visibility and adoption of the mobile event app among potential clients.
Key strategies include promotion on the event website, emails and newsletters, social media, printed materials, partnerships and sponsors, online advertising, on-site communication, and incentives and rewards. Effective promotion is crucial to maximise the app's impact on user experience and the event's success.
Step 10: Ensure Follow-Up and analysis of your mobile application
This aims to evaluate the use of the mobile event app and its impact. After the event, ensure that you track your app's performance and analyse the collected data to derive useful insights for your future events. Use the analytics tools integrated into the Imagina app to gain valuable insights into participant engagement and your app's effectiveness. Tips for effective follow-up include collecting data, participant feedback, analysing data, creating reports and visualisations, and sharing results. This step allows for evaluating the app's success, identifying areas for improvement, and gathering valuable information for future events, ensuring an optimal experience and the event's success.
Conclusion
By following this 10-step guide to creating a mobile event application, you will be able to provide an exceptional experience and maximise participant engagement. From defining objectives to ensuring rigorous follow-up and analysis, each step contributes to the success of your app project and the event itself.
Remember that listening to your target audience's needs and considering their preferences is essential for providing an app that meets their expectations.
Keep in mind the importance of having responsive and quality customer support to address all client inquiries while adhering to GDPR principles.
With this guide, you are now ready to embark on creating your own mobile event application and provide an unforgettable experience for your participants.
FAQ
What is the Imagina app?
Among event applications, Imagina is a platform that offers innovative features to optimise the management and organisation of events such as conferences, trade shows, concerts, festivals, or brand events.
Are you an organiser looking for a solution to create your own event app while maintaining full control and management?
Don’t wait any longer; opt for the Imagina solution now!
We will assign you a qualified project manager to successfully carry out your event from A to Z.
Why choose the Imagina app for my events?
The Imagina app offers a comprehensive range of features designed for various types of activities, to facilitate event organisation and enhance participant experience. It is fully customisable and can be tailored to your event's specific needs.
Imagina provides very present customer support throughout your project and event with its team and the project manager assigned to you.
Feel free to check our reviews on Google to help you make your choice.
How do I integrate the Imagina app into my event application?
The integration of the Imagina app can be carried out by a team of professional developers, who will guide you in choosing the appropriate systems and ensure optimal integration.
What is the cost of using the Imagina app for an event?
The cost of using the Imagina app depends on the number of participants and the features you require.
Contact the Imagina team to receive a personalised quote based on your needs.
How can I promote my event application to my target audience?
To stand out from other companies, use all communication channels at your disposal to promote your application, such as email, websites, media partnerships, and press relations.
