The events industry is moving fast. With new technologies, changing audience expectations, and a strong focus on hybrid experiences, 2025 is shaping up to be another year of transformation for conferences, expos, festivals, and corporate gatherings alike.

Whether you're managing a multi-day trade show or planning an internal company summit, staying ahead of the latest trends in events can make the difference between a memorable occasion - or one that totally misses the mark...

Over recent years, there is one tool that’s been quietly powering many of these innovations: Digital signage.

Flexible, real-time, and scalable, digital signage is increasingly becoming a central part of the event tech stack. Platforms like ScreenCloud, which runs on any screen or player, give organisers the agility to keep pace with modern event demands without locking into proprietary systems or costly infrastructure.

Lets dig into the trends and the future of events management to help you pull off your best show yet...

Hybrid formats have become the new norm, allowing event organisers to cater to both in-person and virtual attendees. This dual approach expands reach, increases flexibility for participants, and ensures that events remain accessible regardless of geographic or logistical barriers. For event managers, it also opens up new streams of engagement data and post-event content opportunities.

Digital signage tip: Use screens to guide in-person attendees while synchronising content with livestreams or breakout rooms. ScreenCloud makes it easy to update schedules, speaker intros, or sponsor shout-outs in real time, both on site and online.

Networking is one of the most valuable aspects of attending events. AI-driven matchmaking tools now help attendees connect more effectively, using behavioural data and stated interests to suggest meaningful connections. And you can expect this to become even more prevalent in the event world of the future.

While we might not be using this for dating, per se, it's a great way to find the people we want to speak to and ensure we get the most out of our event experience. In fact, good matchmaking improves attendee satisfaction and delivers more ROI for exhibitors.

Digital signage tip: Pair matchmaking apps with digital signage that displays meeting points, suggested connections, or live QR codes linking to attendee profiles. Real-time updates on networking spaces can help participants find each other more easily.

Immersive tech such as augmented and virtual reality is being used to create standout brand experiences at trade shows and exhibitions. From virtual product demos to immersive storytelling, these tools are making booth spaces more interactive and memorable. Attendees benefit from deeper engagement and a more personalised journey.

Digital signage tip: Digital signage can introduce these immersive areas, provide how-to guidance, or display dynamic content that complements the virtual experience. With touch or QR functionality, ScreenCloud can act as the digital entry point to your AR/VR environments.

While the associations with cryptocurrencies might be misleading, blockchain actually offers a great opportunity for the future of events. Blockchain technology is streamlining event ticketing by offering secure, transparent, and tamper-proof systems. This reduces fraud, speeds up check-ins, and ensures a smoother front-of-house experience. For large-scale or high-demand events, this can be a game changer.

Digital signage tip: Connect your blockchain-based ticketing system to digital screens at entrances to show wait times, entry confirmations, or personalised greetings. This adds a polished, professional feel to your first point of contact.

Event attendees and sponsors alike are putting pressure on organisers to prioritise sustainability. In fact, most events these have some kind of sustainability focus - and you can expect that to be an event more mission critical trend in the events of the future.  

In this case, sustainability includes reducing waste, limiting emissions, and choosing eco-conscious materials. Sustainable events are also more cost-effective in the long run, particularly when it comes to reusing infrastructure.

Digital signage tip: Replacing paper programs and printed signage with digital screens reduces waste and enables flexible updates. ScreenCloud allows you to schedule content, adapt signage by room or session, and keep your event eco-conscious without compromising on clarity. Digital signage is also reusable across multiple events and locations, so you don't need to reprint vinyl banners every time you have a new event.

Modern audiences expect more tailored experiences, from personalised agendas to targeted content recommendations. This is often the case in the build up, with event managers sending tailored itineraries, highlighted speakers or schedules for seminars that they might find interesting. 

Personalization is the focus in many industries these days, and in events it can really be a big and visible different. In fact, events that successfully personalise interactions tend to see higher engagement, stronger satisfaction scores, and better lead generation for their exhibitors. 

Digital signage tip: Digital signage can be used to display personalised welcomes, custom schedules, or language preferences. With ScreenCloud’s integrations, you can connect to CRM or registration systems and bring that data to life in the physical space.

More organisers are using real-time data to make smarter decisions about space planning, content timing, and audience flow. It’s not just about post-event reports; it’s about adjusting things in the moment to keep attendees happy and engaged.

Increasingly, event management software is offering more of these features allowing event managers to optimize and change as needed, even with the event in full flow.

Digital signage tip: Use screens behind the scenes to show team dashboards or live performance stats. Or go public-facing with attendee engagement data and social proof. ScreenCloud integrates with tools like Google Sheets and Power BI to turn data into visual content.

Even as pandemic concerns have faded, health and safety remains top of mind for event planners and attendees. This can include clear communication around hygiene, emergency procedures, and attendee wellbeing. But theres more to it than just providing hand sanitzer points...

Displaying emergency protocols is a big part of helping people stay safe. But also displaying emergency updates as and when they come to light is also key - something that digital signage can do automatically.

Digital signage tip: Use digital signage to highlight sanitisation points, medical support areas, or changes in capacity and room flow. Because updates can be made instantly through ScreenCloud, you can respond quickly to changing situations.

Today’s events aren’t always in fixed venues. Pop-up workshops, mobile conferences, and hybrid tours are all gaining traction. There is also a growing opportunity for remote attendance, such as through live streamed seminars or talks, a great way to help others who can't attend to get the experience

All of this means organisers need tools that are portable, scalable, and simple to deploy across different environments.

Digital signage tip: Using digital signage to broadcast live talks in-venue is one thing, but you can also connect speakers from around the world, or stream events to relevant venues or institutions wherever they are. Tools such as Broadcast from ScreenCloud enable connections with various streaming platforms.

Great events are no longer one-off experiences. Organisers are investing in communities that continue to connect long after the closing keynote. 

One way we have been doing this at ScreenCloud is to build our own community platform. This gives product users an opportunity to connect and share their expertise and ask questions of their peers.

While you don't necessarily have to create your own community platform, you can promote your company Reddit page, push people towards your website forum or encourage people to sign up for newsletters, Slack groups or Telegram channels.

Digital signage tip: Use event signage to promote your post-event content, share community forums or Slack groups, or gather feedback through QR code surveys. The screen becomes a bridge to the wider ecosystem.

From real-time polls to live Q&As, today’s attendees want to participate, not just watch. This trend is being driven by digital-native audiences who are used to two-way interactions.

This can also be a useful way to curate questions for speakers in advance, or to gauge engagement with specific sectors of the event.

Digital signage tip: Screens can become part of the conversation. Use ScreenCloud to run interactive polls, display live audience questions, or showcase content from social media feeds in real time.

Inclusion is now a strategic priority, with organisers aiming to make events more accessible to all. That includes language options, mobility support, visual and audio assistance, and inclusive representation in speakers and content.

Digital signage tip: Ensure your signage supports large fonts, high-contrast visuals, and multi-language displays. With ScreenCloud’s flexible design tools, you can make every attendee feel welcome.

Gamified experiences make events more fun and more effective. Whether it’s scavenger hunts, digital leaderboards, or interactive challenges, gamification boosts engagement and keeps attendees motivated.

Digital signage tip: Show live rankings, time-based challenges, or prize unlocks across your venue. It adds excitement and visibility to your gamified elements and gives attendees something to talk about.

The event tech ecosystem is maturing, with better tools for registration, audience engagement, and analytics. However, the key is integration—technology should enhance the experience, not create complexity.

Digital signage tip: ScreenCloud connects easily with over 70 apps and tools. Whether you're using Google Workspace, Microsoft, Zapier, or a custom solution, signage fits neatly into your stack without additional effort.

Events are more international than ever, thanks to hybrid formats and remote participation. That means more language support, more timezone considerations, and more localisation.

Digital signage tip: Use screen groups to tailor content by region or language. Whether you're running a multi-location conference or serving a global audience online, ScreenCloud helps you speak directly to each attendee.

As the events industry continues to innovate, the most successful organisers will be those who combine creativity with operational agility. Digital signage sits at the heart of that strategy. It’s no longer just a tool for wayfinding or simple branding; it’s a dynamic, adaptable platform for engaging your audience at every stage.

Check out how ScreenCloud was a central feature of the America's Cup in Barcelona. 

If you’re planning your next event, explore how ScreenCloud can help you stay ahead of the curve.

Sign up for a FREE 14 day trial, or book a demo today.

The event industry is at the forefront of many technical trend. We look at the event space of 2025 and beyond and how digital signage is part of this.

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

15 Event Industry Trends and How Digital Signage Supports Them

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15 Event Industry Trends and How Digital Signage Supports Them

15 Event Industry Trends and How Digital Signage Supports Them

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