Find inspiration on how digital signage can enhance any event, be it a conference, a trade show or a music gig. ScreenCloud has the latest trends and tips!

Events Industry: Resources, Tips and News | ScreenCloud

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Using Digital Screens To Drive Retail Sales

How ScreenCloud helped The Global FoodBanking Network to use screens during their event to support attendees, increase branding and raise awareness of charity initiatives. 

The Global FoodBanking Network is a non-profit organization that aims to alleviate hunger, by developing food banks in communities where they are needed and by supporting food banks where they exist. The Food Bank Leadership Institute (FBLI) is their annual event for 200 food bankers from more than 50 countries, held in London over three days in March. 

To use digital screens in place of traditional static signage and roller stands, to reduce cost and waste

To be able to share daily agendas with attendees, and make last minute changes easily

The ability to promote the event and raise awareness of the Global FoodBanking Network's purpose to attendees

Here, we speak to Anthony Kitchen, Director of Network Programs for The Global FoodBanking Network, on his experience using ScreenCloud digital signage.

We'd never used screens at our annual events before, we'd always used pull up stands and other printed materials. During our events we have a lot of moving parts, 200 delegates to move around, events happening in different spaces around the hotel and so it's been a combination of reasons to employ digital signage. Partly informational, so that the people attending the event can easily see where they need to be and when, and partly promoting our own brand. Making sure everyone can see our logo visibly and making it clear where the event is being held, which you don't always get the opportunity to do when you're in a hotel. 

We used three screens that the venue already owned, with Amazon Fire TV Sticks to power the screens, using the hotel WiFi. Despite having all of our attendees on the same WiFi network, this didn't affect the screens at all and everything ran smoothly during the event. 

The screens have been extremely effective we've utilised a number of the different apps available within ScreenCloud. The informational side has been very helpful and it's reduced the number of questions that our staff usually take while we're running around trying to organise things. The thing that's been most popular amongst the attendees has been the real time social media walls. Our attendees are very active, particularly on Twitter and having the screens during the coffee breaks revolving through the different tweets engages further dialogue and social media action and it's all part of building further awareness for the event.

We will absolutely use ScreenCloud again, certainly for events like this. You put the work in up front, rather than having to do it during the event when you've got a million other things to do. The scheduling works really well and you can let it play, it's one less thing to worry about. We've also now stumbled across other use cases, we're going to use it on the conference screens and in the lobby of our offices, to impress visitors coming in and for our own internal communications. 

THE GLOBAL FOODBANKING NETWORK - ScreenCloud helped us 'build awareness' for our international event

How The Global FoodBanking Network used ScreenCloud to power the digital signage screens at their event to direct event attendees, share live social media feeds and show agendas, reducing questions.

"The screens have been extremely effective we've utilised a number of the different apps available within ScreenCloud. The informational side has been very helpful and it's reduced the number of questions that our staff usually take while we're running around trying to organise things."

How the Global FoodBanking Network Used Event Digital Signage to Support Attendees and Reduce Support Staff Needed

When it comes to events, most of the apps out there are for use when you’re on the show floor. But what about the event organizers and planners who need mobile and iPad apps to help them before they get there? Below, we’ve rounded up the top event apps for 2018 that will help you to do all of the important bits like organize, focus and measure.

Asana is a desktop tool and mobile app that lets you manage projects easily, which is great in event planning where there’s so much to do. It’s best for sharing ideas between teams and when you have an idea, there are a ton of different ways you can organize it. From setting up lists, assigning tasks, setting deadlines and securing dates. 

Why it’s a top app: Asana is great for working in micro-detail and organizing all of the little tasks that might otherwise escape unnoticed, while still giving you the ability to step back and look at the bigger picture. Whether this is your full schedule, all of the tasks listed or a calendar of dates. Plus, it works across iOS devices like iPhones and iPads, Android devices and also Desktop so you can check in from wherever you are. 

A lot of what event planners do today is online, but when it comes to capturing and filing expenses, you’re back to paper again. That’s why we love ExpenseIn for keeping track of paper receipts, filing them and submitting them to your accounts team for payment. Take photos of receipts on the go, where ExpenseIn’s own human team will pull out all of the important details and log them for you. Accounts department can make easy decisions to approve or query expenses and you’ll even get an email notification when they’ve been approved. 

Why it’s a top app: When you can submit expenses on the go, as you get receipts, it makes you far more likely to do it. This keeps you happy (because you get paid faster) and keeps your Accounts team happy (no more chasing for receipts). ExpenseIt works on iOS, Android and Windows so anyone can use it and at only £5 per user (or less for a bulk-buy) it’s a pretty affordable solution to bring your accounts process into the digital age. 

Get it on:  iOS, Android, Windows, Fire OS and Desktop. 

Todoist is an awesome, simple app that lets you setup to do lists, tag them by label and tick them off as you do them - with a UX that makes it feel seriously gratifying. Thanks to its mobile app you can add tasks as you think of them and assign them to members of your team while you’re on the go. Just picture it like a modern-day pensieve for your thoughts!

Why it’s a top app: Todoist has everything you might want to stay organized. Add tasks easily, tag them by project and add in deadines. When the deadline gets close, Todoist can send you a notification reminder or will flag the task as a priority. You can tick off tasks as you do them and they collect in your archive, plus you get rewards for reaching daily targets. Everything syncs between desktop and the mobile app so you’re always up to date with what you need to get done. 

Get it on: iOS, Windows, Android and even on your wearables! See all of the apps listed here.

Events are all about meeting people face-to-face right? This is where an app like Pathable comes in handy. It’s made to get you connecting to your event attendees more effectively. So whether you want to create a community forum around a speaker session, make meetings with attendees or give everyone an easy way to see the floor plan, Pathable could be the app for you. 

Why it’s a top app: Most event apps are all about the attendees, which is great, but it means organizers are the ones that end up trawling through spreadsheets and trying to manipulate data. Pathable brings the two together: your attendees choose what to do, you get to see it. This makes all of the crucial bits of an event such as tracking and following the attendee journey, much easier.

Get it on: iOS and Android but organizers will need to set up through Desktop first. 

If you struggle to stay focused on one task at a time (and who doesn’t?) Forest is a nifty app that could really help. How? By letting you plant a tree each time you start a task. Each time you break focus or open Facebook, Bam, it kills your tree. 

Why it’s a top app: If studies are believed to be true, we can only really focus on one task at a time. But that doesn’t stop us from constantly picking up our phone to check Facebook and Instagram, or getting distracted by emails and Slack. Forest helps train the brain to stay on one task at a time and in a cute way too. The more you stay focused, the more trees you get to add to your Forest and who doesn’t want that?

Need an easy way to extend the life of your event and make people really connect with what you’re saying? Sounds like you need ScreenCloud. For all of your digital signage screens at an event or venue, ScreenCloud makes it easy for you to get content up and showing to your entire audience. This could be social media displays (get ready to trend on Twitter), your sessions schedules, speaker bios or even safety and emergency notices. 

Why it’s a top app: The winning formula is that it’s super simple. You get an App Store where you can add apps you already know and love like Twitter, Facebook and News channels. You can schedule content and organize playlists, so only the right stuff plays at the right time. And you can manage all of your screens from within one account. This makes it easy to change displays, add new information or get your sponsors showing on different screens around your venue. 

Get it on: iOS, Google Play and a ton of other devices listed here. 

In most industries we expect cheap and easy-to-setup SaaS tools that streamline the way we work as standard. In events, many tools are aimed at Enterprise level, which means they can get expensive. This is why we like Planning Pod. You can use it to manage up to 5 events for as little as $34 per month. This gives you everything from your event website, to attendee management, lead tracking and the ability to take and manage payments.

Why it’s a top app: Planning Pod means that anyone, of any size, can set up and run an event without incurring huge software costs. You get a 30-day trial to see if the tool’s for you and you can sign-up without sales calls. Just what we like at ScreenCloud.

Get it on: View details of how to access Planning Pod on your smartphone here. 

What event apps are you looking to employ in 2018? Let us know, we’d love to hear about any we’ve missed @screencloud. 

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Not too long from now the ScreenCloud team will be heading out to attend Digital Signage Expo 2018 in Las Vegas. Now we have a rather unique viewpoint as we’ve attended DSE as a visitor, a very small exhibitor (one man and his laptop to be exact), before returning this year in full ScreenCloud force.

What does this mean for you? That we have all of the insider tricks and tips, on how to make the most of your time at the show as a DSE visitor. 

If you haven’t already booked your ticket for DSE, you’ve possibly missed the early bird price that the organizers offer. After this, you’ll pay slightly more for a ticket (for example $1795 for a conference pass instead of $1495) but hopefully, it will be worth it for all of the rich education you’ll receive.

If you aren’t interested in the conference programme you can grab an exhibit hall pass and see all of the exhibitors in action for around $100 (this hall pass is free with the early bird offer although this offer expires around March 2nd). 

If you’re a NFP or are attending in a group, you can contact the DSE organizers to ask for a discount. 

Now we know what you’re thinking. Las Vegas is expensive. Particularly when one of the biggest trade shows in the world wings its way over there.  

Luckily, DSE partners with a whole bunch of registered hotel where you can get special show rates that start at $99 per night and go up to $299 per night. 

If there’s another hotel you have your eye on, one of the ways you can save a little money is by joining a “gaming” club. This immediately gives you access to a discounted room rate. For example, on signing up to the Wynn Insider club you immediately get a 15% discount on any rooms booked at the Wynn so it’s definitely worth checking out before you book.

Also look out for hotels that are connected to the Las Vegas Monorail as this public transport service takes you direct to the Las Vegas Convention Center where DSE is held, saving you on taxi fares.

Lastly, Vegas Caesars properties offer a 10% discount to teachers, students and first responders (firefighters, police officers etc.) so make sure to show your badge to get a discount if you fall within any of those categories. 

The airport in Las Vegas is Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS) if you’re travelling from outside the US. However if you find that last-minute flights are out of your budget zone, you could fly into LA, Phoenix or Denver and get a connecting flight or transfer to Vegas for between 1-3 hours. Just ensure you leave yourself enough time for transfers, delays and varying road conditions. 

From LA you could also potentially take a bus to Vegas for around $100.  

For your general knowledge, Las Vegas McCarran has two main terminals: Terminal 1 which services some domestic carriers for internal US flights and Terminal 3 which is for both international and domestic flights. 

The official address of the Las Vegas Convention Center (where the show is held) is:

The DSE exhibition hall opening times are 10.00am - 5.00pm Wednesday and Thursday, although the conference schedule may differ outside of this so check your sessions. 

The Las Vegas Monorail is probably the cheapest way to get the center (other than walking) as it’s connected to the convention center. For about $12 you can get a 24-hour day pass that will allow you to go back and forth to the center as well as to explore the rest of the city. A single ticket is also only around $5 if you want to make just the one trip.

The Monorail is open at the times below. 

If you’re travelling outside of this you may want to grab an Uber (and a Red Bull). 

The thing about tradeshows is: there’s a lot of walking. And the LVCC is huge (2 million square feet in the exhibiting space alone). So the first thing you’re going to want to pack is a comfy pair of shoes. Sure you can get changed for your evening activities, but when it comes to walking around the show, it’s time to pull out the wear-all-day shoes. 

The weather in Vegas in March during the show can range from as low as 9°, up to a sunny 23°. This can make it a little unpredictable so it’s best to pack for cooler evenings and sunnier days, to make sure you’re covered. Some hotel pools won’t be open in March so check beforehand if you’re planning to swim. You should also take lots of sunscreen - even in the winter the sun still shines in Vegas and it can be really easy to get really burnt. 

The air conditioning in trade show centers (plus travelling and those post-show drinks) can make you feel a little dehydrated so pack lots of moisturizer, lip balm and ensure you carry water with you at all times.

You may also want to take extra battery packs for your phone or laptop which you can usually find outlets for at the show (just remember your travel plugs!).

LVCC does have free public WiFi but with so many people at the show, the lines could get busy. 

If you have a little time to explore Vegas outside of your DSE experience, you won’t be bored. There’s everything from sightseeing at the top of the Stratosphere, to fountain displays at the Bellagio and photo opportunities at the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign.

Hotel food courts can be found in almost every hotel and are a cheap way to stock up on everything from pizza, to middle eastern cuisine. If you fancy more of a delicate dining experience there are restaurants in pretty much every hotel. Check out Tripadvisor’s great guide to find something you fancy. 

It’s also important to know that you cannot hail taxis on the Las Vegas strip. It’s illegal for them to stop there, so grab a cab from your hotel or book an Uber instead. 

Also, many of the routes between hotels may seem short but this is a Vegas mirage and things are often much further apart than they first may seem. The strip is four miles long in its entirety and after a day at DSE, that’s a lot of walking. 

If you fancy telling us what you thought of our travel tips (or you want a free digital signage content health check) pop over and see the ScreenCloud team. We’ll be exhibiting at booth #2166 ready to say hello!

Where to stay for Digital Signage Expo, how to make the most of the show and all of the essential tips and ideas for an awesome DSE 2018.

As we head to our second DSE we’re sharing our tips for visitors to ensure you have the best show experience yet.

So You’re Visiting Digital Signage Expo

Events are fun and as well as a change of scenery from offices and  online communications, they also pose huge potential for showing off  your stuff to possible customers. Event organizers are also increasing  the pace at which they adapt new technology in order to create a better  show. The last few events we’ve been to? Seriously savvy when it came to  the technology on offer. 

As well as exhibitors who are keen to add digital signage,  social media feeds and AV displays to their booths, technology is also a  huge part of the organization process. As an organizer, you want there  to be a huge buzz from visitors and exhibitors attending the show.  Technology such as digital signage not only helps improve communication  and ‘the tech effect’ inside the show but it also increases reach  outside of the venue walls. 

When it comes to setting up a digital signage network inside your event, here’s everything you need to know.

Want to hear something great? Digital signage doesn’t need a big  budget! Signage is effectively the art of getting content up onto  screens which means you can use any screens you like.

Perhaps you have some TVs left over from a previous conference or  event, or your AV supplier is willing to contra you some to use. If you  have Android TVs you’re ready to go, simply by downloading your digital  signage solution ScreenCloud from Google Play.  If you don’t have an Android TV then you can make your regular TV smart  by adding a media dongle instead, which you can buy for around $20. 

For a little more, you can get a purpose built digital signage ready media player like our ScreenCloud OS device, the Station P1 Pro. The Station P1 Pro is commercially built with an aluminum chassis to easily dissipate heat and comes with more security and faster deployment options. For more help, use our hardware selector if you need help deciding what to buy. 

Of course if you have a huge budget for fancy tech such as an LED  wall or seamless video screen, you could use this for your digital  signage display as well or mix it up and use both types!

Now down to the software. Just like its buddy the hardware, you don’t  have to break the bank or get in specialist IT teams to manage your  digital signage software. We’re firm believers that digital signage  belongs with marketing. 

This is why we’ve made our digital signage system as simple as  possible so that you can have your software setup in minutes. Here’s how  it works in a few simple steps:

Where you download from will depend which hardware you are using but  here are some of the app stores where you can find the ScreenCloud app  hanging out:

Google Play (from your Android TV, tablet or Chromecast with Google TV)

Amazon App Store (if you’re using the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K or another Amazon product)

Once you’ve downloaded your ScreenCloud app of choice, you’ll see a pairing code that looks like the below.

To use this, head to our website https://screen.cloud/  and set up your free account. You get 14 days for free following which,  you’ll only pay $20 per month, per screen. No contract or commitment if  you decide to switch off access once your event has ended.

Once signed up, you’ll see a page that asks you to ‘add screen’. Hit  that, enter your pairing code and that’s it! For multiple screens you  can simply repeat the process, adding all of your event screens to the  same account to be managed anytime, from anywhere. 

How to setup a digital signage content strategy for your event

Now on to the most important bit. Your digital signage content and  marketing strategy. Despite the months, sometimes years, of hard work  that goes into them, events often feel like a fleeting moment.

Making a big impression on everyone involved is key and digital  signage can help. Firstly, because screens attract attention. We  naturally turn to screens as sources of information, showing us  highlights, images and useful content that we want to see. Secondly,  they anchor every important part of your event into one easy-to-view,  accessible network. From keynote speaker times, to social feeds and  press announcements.

Here are some of our insider tips on how you can use content throughout your event digital signage network. 

Creating content that matters to your event audience

Digital signage is a canvas you can use to provide information that  your audience really cares about. We all love seeing our face or work up  on the big screen, so there’s that element. Secondly, you can share the  content of your exhibitors or visitors. Helping to give them additional  exposure, encourage social activity and raise awareness of event  initiatives and sub-campaigns. 

Ever held an event or been to one and wished that the audience were  more interactive? Digital signage is a low-key, yet effective way to  gain that additional level of interaction on top of the event itself.  Whether this is through a rich social media wall, the sharing of images  from exhibitors and trade show partners, or using the screen to  facilitate a competition or gamification element. 

The way digital signs garner attention makes for a great digital  noticeboard. Unlike static signs and room schedules which become out of  date almost as soon as they’re printed, digital signs can be kept fresh  at all times. In an event setting where schedules, rules and notices  change by the minute, your content suddenly becomes super easy to manage  and distribute. 

Your event delegates will turn to social media to ask for help, give  feedback and share their experiences without much encouragement. Events  have naturally become a place where social interactions mirror physical  ones and why not capitalize on this with a digital signage social media  feed?

Some of the social media apps we offer that make adding social media feeds to your event networks easy include:

SocialHub - beautiful social media dashboards combining all of your most important feeds into one, visually-pleasing display.

Strea.ma - a great app for creating a social media dashboard that looks great and works even better.

TINT - the guys  at TINT are big fans of user generated content which is an essential  part of making your event span far outside of the event walls, to online  and beyond.

Gallery for Instagram  - create image galleries from your event, top moments showreels and  allow everyone to see what’s going on across all areas of the show.

Follow Us - a  great way to alert everyone to the event hashtag, event handle and any  other feeds that you’d like them to participate with.

As well as providing event organizers with a powerful network for  sharing information, digital signage screens also offer great exposure.  Wouldn’t your exhibitors enjoy more ways to reach their audience? To  make connections with visitors that they may have missed on the  tradeshow floor? How about your key sponsor, would you like to be able  to reward them in the way of some additional airtime or a chance to  interview their key thought leader?

Digital signage offers a wealth of options for your sponsorship and  advertising strategies. Allowing your visitors to see relevant, exciting  information while exhibitors and partners gain exposure to the right  people at the right time.

Our powerful scheduling and playlist tools  mean that you can set content up to run alongside your day. Perhaps in  the morning you have introductory messaging to welcome guests and give  them everything they need to know for the day ahead. Then later, you add  in social feeds as these start to become populated as well as evening  events, notices and messages from your key sponsors.

Getting started with a great digital signage event network

Digital signage at its root is basic: screens and content. But its  possibilities are endless. Within an event or tradeshow digital signage  can help make visitors and exhibitors more involved, provide information  and increase social media interaction and general engagement.

Set yours up today in minutes at https://screen.cloud

A simple guide to setting up digital signage screens and networks within tradeshows, expos and events, including social media walls and noticeboards.

The combinations of digital signage and events are endless! Here’s how to bring the two together.

How to Setup a Digital Signage Network for your Event

Social media’s great and for brands, it allows them to really get  involved with their customers. You know what’s even better? Social media  that everyone can see. It’s why some of our top ScreenCloud Signage  apps are for Twitter and Facebook - everyone wants a piece of the social  media action.

When it comes to a live event, social media is a big piece of the  day. It gives your event attendees a voice, is accessible for anyone  with a smartphone (i.e. everyone) and it tells the wider world outside  of your event exactly why they should be there.

So how easy is it to create a live social media wall for your event and what do you need to consider?

Now of course there are many apps and digital signage solutions that  allow you to take a Twitter feed and throw it up onto a wall. Yet as  we’ve learned, this is only half of the story. First, you have to know  how to set it up for the best success - should you put your handle, a  Twitter search phrase, a hashtag? After all, at a live event you only  have one shot to get it right. Secondly, what happens on the day if your  hashtag gets used elsewhere, or you get some online trolling right at  the crucial moment? Social media can be risky and mitigating any chances  of a bad experience is important. Lastly, what if your attendees don’t  use Twitter - is there another option that will get more people talking?

The company that has considered all of the questions that are  essential to ask when you want to create a successful social media wall.  The secret is that they don’t just show social media posts on the wall,  they also give you ways to have complete control over your social wall  content.

Here are what we think are the top highlights for anyone looking to create a live social media wall:

Review all social media posts before they go to your wall

It’s a risky little game to send social media content directly to a  live wall without checking it first right? Almost like handing the keys  to your brand over to someone you don’t know. That’s why SocialWall Pro  have two key features called Manual Moderation and Automatic Filters.  Manual Moderation does what it says on the tin - a quick yes or no to  every post before it gets shown on your social media wall. If that’s a  little labor intensive you could set up Automatic Filters instead, to  ban undesirable words or even prioritize key people you know will tweet  or share great stuff.

SocialWall Pro service some of the biggest events and occasions in  the world - Mobile World Congress and the Australian Open to name but a  few! So they get what it’s like to want to squeeze every drop of  goodness out of the social media activity that goes on in the moment.  Their special tagging feature allows you to create and tag categories  such as tweets, Instagram pictures and Facebook updates so that they can  be sorted and reviewed later. So say you see four great questions from  users, sent as tweets, that you want to use. Pop them under a “question’  tag and during a Q&A you can easily pull them up onto the screen  for everyone to see.

When you’re in the moment of an event and your fingers are flexing  it’s so easy to accidentally approve a message that’s not quite right.  That’s why SocialWall Pro also includes a message review tool, so you  can add, remove or edit messages anytime you like - even after they’ve  already been sent. You can also speed up or slow down the message flow  to get just the right speed.

Now comes our favorite feature. The curation tool that lets you grab  the tweets that fall just outside of the initial criteria. So say a key  speaker tweets a great note from the event, yet forgets to add your  hashtag. You can simply nip in, grab the tweet and add it to your wall.  Or if you see a great Facebook post that reacts to something happening  in the moment, you can push it through to your feed to add to the  conversation. This makes managing content in the moment a whole lot  easier and ensures you create a feed that’s full of the most interesting  content possible.

Setting up SocialWall Pro with ScreenCloud

Connecting SocialWall Pro and ScreenCloud couldn’t be simpler:

Visit SocialWall Pro and use the free templates or your own custom design to create and set up your social media wall.

Grab the URL of your live social media wall.

Visit ScreenCloud Signage and use the “Add Web Site” button to add SocialWall Pro to your playlist and schedules.

We know you’re going to love it, but for questions or feedback give us a shout on support@screen.cloud.

How to set up a social media wall with SocialWall Pro app to share tweets, Instagram and Facebook posts to your digital screen and moderate content.

Introducing SocialWall Pro app - your new best buddy for sharing and moderating content.

Moderation and Control for Your Event’s Social Media Wall

Events contribute a huge amount to the Western world’s GDP  but can often be the biggest industry no one’s ever heard of. For those  working in events, event planning is a seriously rewarding yet frenetic  job role that can involve a ton of logistics, reporting, people  management and planning to get it done well. Since the Internet of  Things (IoT) has been affecting all industries (including events and  tradeshows), we’ve been excited to see not only what the future tradeshow will look like, but how the physical event space will change as a result.

In this article, we look at the benefits and effect of IoT and the  connected event space on the event planner and how it might make their  lives easier (or harder) as a result.

Today’s events and tradeshows are usually held in the same type of  spaces; conference venues, tradeshow halls, hotels and so on that are  practised in hosting events. The reason is obvious; when you have just  one day or a few days to make your event a success you need a venue that  is geared up to perform.

These venues have seating, lighting, power and space that all lends  itself easily to events, regardless of audience or format. Yet with the  rise of IoT, we foresee many spaces becoming more adaptable and fluid to  event planners.

Not only will traditional spaces become more fluid, with aspects such  as lighting, sound and heating all controllable, but non-traditional  event spaces may become more accessible too.

Think of an office where every element is controlled by an iPad; from  lighting to security sensors, to doors, digital screens and more.  Outside of office hours, this becomes not just a static office but a  great place to host an event. The event planner doesn’t need to worry  about how they will adapt the space because the space is “on” and ready  to adapt for them.

Event delegates are already led by smartphones which help them to  navigate a tradeshow floor. As they become even more connected by other  smart devices such as smart glasses, smart watches and even items of  clothing, they become the ultimate connected visitor.

The connected visitor is not only more trackable (providing a  detailed level of analytics on where they went and what they saw) but  this also allows the event to adapt as a result. If you know that  delegate one is interested in new IT solutions, you can adapt each  screen they walk past to change its content as a result. If you know  that delegate two likes decaff coffee, you can trigger the machine to  know this as they swipe their watch.

A more personalized experience is often a better one and the  connected visitor can be catered to much more easily in the event space  of the future.

During an event, planners have a huge list of items they need to be  able to manage. From delegates, to exhibitors, sponsors and staff  members, as well as the venue itself. In the event space of the future,  less management will be needed from event staff as spaces monitor and  control their own amenities.

Air conditioning and heating systems can be adjusted automatically  depending on how many people enter a room at one time. Fridges and food  areas can be automatically restocked when running low, or digital menu  boards adapted as a result. Lighting can change based on natural  circadian rhythms and digital screen content can ensure absolute  relevance as it adapts to audience and time of day.

As venues become living, breathing spaces equipped with sensors,  smartphones, wearables and smart badges, organizers will have the  ability to track individual delegates around a show space. Whether this  is per person tracking (which could cause security concerns) or tracking  via anonymous connection, it would give more insights than have ever  before been possible.

Organizers could learn which areas have the highest footfall, the  busiest times of day, areas that are missed out completely and the  longest dwell time. This would help the event to adapt and plan for  future shows, where the space can be optimized for a higher level of  success.

Better analytics and services for exhibitors

As well as refined analytics on the show itself that tell exhibitors  exact footfall, time spent at show and the profile of its visitors, the  event space of the future can offer data on an individual exhibitor  booth. Smart sensors placed around the booth will allow organizers and  exhibitors to track who visited the booth, how long for and even where  they stood.

This will allow exhibitors to map visitor journeys and to track the  visitor in an unobtrusive way. Most tradeshows today rely on a scanning  of a badge as a visitor enters the doors. In the event space of the  future, IoT-led booths will ensure that each second of the show is  visible and trackable.

Exhibitors will also benefit from IoT-enabled booths that adapt and  change as needed. This could include lighting, sound, heating and  digital screen content that changes dependent on who and how many people  are on the booth at any one time.

Of course, with any new technology it’s not all easy riding and  everyone’s lives getting easier. With all of the ease that IoT brings,  there are also elements which will make the event planner’s life harder.  Data and security being just two of them.

Tracking every inch of a visitor’s journey could be viewed as  intrusive and how that data might be used in the future must be  communicated and agreed. Some visitors will undoubtedly want to opt out  of being tracked which could skew data and provide an unfair  representation of the show.

Similarly, when every inch of a tradeshow is trackable, security must  be considered. Like any area that uses a series of smart devices,  thought must be given to what might happen if those devices were  virtually broken into. Concerns over both physical and cyber security  would need to be widely considered before the event space of the future  becomes a reality.

How IoT will change event spaces, making smarter venues, more delegate tracking and easier exhibiting for brands and how this will effect the event planner.

Smarter venues, connected delegates and data-fuelled exhibitors: all in the IoT-enabled event space of the future.

Event Planning in the Event Space of the Future

From the planning to the execution, fighting with budget constraints to nailing the guest-list, there is so much that goes into an event. And by the end of it, there is one main question on the organizer’s lips: how did it go?

It might be hard at the time to see the success of an event and gauge guests’ reactions. Asking for feedback afterwards can sometimes be tainted with time. Which is why adding a digital signage strategy – namely, a social media wall – can help you do this in real-time. And to quash any immediate fears over moderation, you can find our handy guide on moderation and control here.

To read more on the importance of user-generated content (and how apps like Taggbox can help create UGC campaigns and experiences), click here. 

Any screen can be turned into a smart screen capable of digital signage and social media walls. All it takes is choosing the right hardware and a compatible screen (see our full guide on screens and hardware here).

If you have an Android TV then you already have everything you need to set up a social media wall. If you have a smart TV that isn’t Android, you can simply download ScreenCloud from the appropriate app store - no media device required.

Any regular TV enabled with a smart device

If your TV isn’t “smart” (that is, has its own internet connectivity), then you can make it so by plugging in a small, cheap media device that helps it get online. If you’re looking for the best media player to invest in on a budget, check out this guide. If you are looking for a great, commercial grade media player for digital signage, check out the Station P1 Pro, our own custom media player. Alternatively, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K and the Chromecast with Google TV are both great options that are incredibly cheap and easy to get hold of.  

Of course, if you’re looking for something larger than a TV screen you may want to go down the route of a videowall or LED screen that also have “smart” capabilities.

The ScreenCloud Player can be downloaded directly onto your TV from the appropriate app store (depending on your screen). WIth a centralized CMS, it means that you can make updates on the go throughout the night if you need. Or, schedule content to show at a particular time, leaving you to enjoy those canapés.

Not to toot our own horn, but some of the key benefits of using ScreenCloud are:

A simple CMS where you can add and edit content yourself, from any location

Complimentary apps - with seven dedicated to social media walls alone

You can download ScreenCloud from a number of different app stores depending on which device you are using:

ScreenCloud Android Player - download ScreenCloud from the Google Play Store to run on any Android device including Android TVs and Android tablets.

A guide to the hardware and cloud-based software to get a social media wall running at any event, including social media apps, scheduling and playlists.

Everyone loves a good event. But they can be so much more than the free canapés.

Events Industry

Unleashing the Hidden Dashboard

Digital Signage for QSR Restaurants

Digital Signage for Restaurants & Hotels

Using Digital Screens To Drive Retail Sales

How the Global FoodBanking Network Used Event Digital Signage to Support Attendees and Reduce Support Staff Needed

Top Event Apps for 2018

So You’re Visiting Digital Signage Expo

How to Setup a Digital Signage Network for your Event

Moderation and Control for Your Event’s Social Media Wall

Event Planning in the Event Space of the Future

5 Steps To Setting Up a Social Media Wall for Your Event

How to Make More of the Walls in Your Venue

5 Areas of IoT to Consider in the Connected Event Space

Events Industry

Unleashing the Hidden Dashboard

Digital Signage for QSR Restaurants

Digital Signage for Restaurants & Hotels

Using Digital Screens To Drive Retail Sales

How the Global FoodBanking Network Used Event Digital Signage to Support Attendees and Reduce Support Staff Needed

Top Event Apps for 2018

So You’re Visiting Digital Signage Expo

How to Setup a Digital Signage Network for your Event

Moderation and Control for Your Event’s Social Media Wall

Event Planning in the Event Space of the Future

5 Steps To Setting Up a Social Media Wall for Your Event

How to Make More of the Walls in Your Venue

5 Areas of IoT to Consider in the Connected Event Space

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