Event management platforms incorporate many tools to streamline the event planning process, offering features that address multiple aspects of event management within a single product. Event management platforms can be used to manage events of any size, but they are more commonly used for large, complex events such as conferences, festivals, trade shows, and meetings of professional organizations. Products in this category manage all aspects of an event from beginning to end. This includes but is not limited to creating an event website, collecting registrations and selling tickets, managing the guest list, building an agenda, promoting the event online, engaging attendees, and reporting on key performance indicators (KPIs) for an event. These platforms often offer features such as built-in email marketing, customizable event pages, and event-related surveys, which can help streamline and improve the process of organizing any event.
Event management platforms typically offer a combination of event registration & ticketing software, event planning software, and event marketing software. Today, most event management platforms are deployed in the cloud, allowing event organizers and attendees to easily access event information online. As a result, some platforms may also provide tools such as mobile event apps, audience response software, or event networking and matchmaking software.
Traditionally, event management platforms are designed to manage live and in-person events. Depending on the provider, on-site capabilities may include technology for on-site registration, badge printing, event check-in, session tracking, and lead retrieval apps. Some event management platforms also provide features of virtual event platforms, enabling event organizers to adapt events into virtual or hybrid formats.
To qualify for inclusion in the Event Management Platform category, a product must:
Enable the creation of a branded, event-specific landing page or event website
Provide customizable forms for attendee registration and allow users to manage attendee lists
Include or integrate with payment processing tools
Offer event marketing features, such as email marketing, social media marketing, or other means of event promotion
Include features for the planning and management of on-site events, such as on-site check-in, badge printing, lead retrieval, and floor plans
Report on event metrics such as attendance, engagement, and ROI via built-in analytics or dashboards
