Have you ever forgotten about an important meeting, or, maybe, missed a concert of your favourite band in your town? I'm sure you have. People are so overloaded these days that they need something more than just a paper organizer. They need something that will help follow, plan, and organize all their life events.
Mobile app developers have found a solution. They've started creating event planning apps, that have become a really helpful organizing tool for people. There are a lot of different types of them, but there is always more room for new ideas.
So, if you've got an idea for creating a new mobile event app, this article is for you. We'll tell you everything about mobile event apps and how to create your own app for event planning.
So, if you've got an idea for creating a new mobile event app, this article is for you. We'll tell you everything about mobile event apps and how to create your own app for event planning.
Do you want to know an approximate cost of your future project? Read our article: How much does it cost to create an app?
Know your competition in the Event Apps market
Mobile event apps don't have one basic model. They are divided into different types according to their purpose, features, and target audience. You might have heard of such applications like a conference app, an app for finding local events or meeting apps, but you may not know that all of them are related to event applications. And this is not the whole list, there are many more out there.
To figure out how different types of event apps work and how they differ from each other, let's look at some examples of popular event apps.
To figure out how different types of event apps work and how they differ from each other, let's look at some examples of popular event apps.
Eventbrite
Eventbrite is not just an event app, but it's a world-famous event management software that helps users organize and find any kind of events from BBQ parties to music concerts and business conferences, that's why this application is suitable for everyone, no matter if you're a student or a businessman. In addition, it allows you to buy and sell tickets to events right through the app.
Special features:
Special features:
- In-app payments. Users can buy tickets right through the app.
- Waitlist. Allows attendees know if a spot for an event opens up.
- Social notifications. Eventbrite sends users an email if their friends registered for an event on Eventbrite.
Eventbrite is one of the best organizing tools today
EventBoard
EventBoard is a conference event app that helps plan and organize everything for business conferences as well as communicate with attendees. EventBoard allows you to view a newsfeed, make a schedule with tasks, and create surveys for conference attendees that makes the organisation process much easier. This conference planning app is suited more for businesspeople.
Special features:
Special features:
- Сonference room searching. EventBoard allows users to find a free and appropriate place for business meetings.
- Insight dashboard. A dashboard shows the information about the company, how many attendees are going to a meeting, and detailed information on a meeting including how much time is needed and what equipment is required.
EventBoard helps plan and organize conferences
DoStuff
DoStuff is an event planning app that helps track local events. The app allows you to find interesting events nearby and add them to a personal calendar in a profile. The app is free, that's why it's a good helper for everyone.
Special features:
Special features:
- Event previews. Users can find detailed information about upcoming events right in the app.
- Tickets giveaways. There are often discounts on tickets for DoStuff users.
DoStuff is a useful tool for everyone
24me
24me is an event calendar app that helps users schedule the tasks and events of everyday life. It's much more efficient than paper organizers since it reminds users what they need to do like paying bills or attending some meeting.
Special features:
Special features:
- Inviting. Users can invite their friends to join an event.
- Event calendar. Users can save events to a calendar on their device.
- Notifications. It allows setting reminders about important events, so users won't forget anything.
24me is the best calendar event app
A lot of event apps are used by event makers as main event management tools.
Also, there are a lot of event apps that are used by event makers as main event management tools. For example, Boomset is an app that specifies in event registration. All attendees can easily check in with a QR scanner. Such apps make registration easy for both organizers and attendees.
As you can see, there is a great variety of event apps, but there is still a lot of room for new concepts. You can make a multifunctional app like Eventbrite, or you can create an app only for specific events like music festivals or theatre plays. And, don't forget that event apps are usually connected to strict locations, so your app can always become a frontier in your area.
Event app development experience by Cleveroad
Swipe-IT
Cleveroad team already has experience of mobile event app development. One of our latest projects was an event planning app called Swipe-IT. Our client's main idea was to create a useful tool not only for event organizers but for all mobile users. Swipe-IT allows creating events of all kinds and make them public or private, depending on user's desire. With the help of in-app chats and newsfeed event attendees can follow event news and discuss their plans. Swipe-IT also allows users booking and buying tickets right within the app.
UI design for Swipe-IT by Cleveroad
Points Live and Points Partners
Cleveroad team also has an experience of working on a bit unusual project. Our client decided to create a mobile event app but in two versions. The first one, Points Live provides finding local events and tracking news about them. Users can find all kinds of events from rock concerts and food festivals to science conventions. Also, there is an in-app city guide allows users find rendezvous without problem.
The second version, Points Partners, is created specially for event organizers. The app helps create and manage big and small events. This app is a really useful management tool for businesspeople.
Points Live and Points Partners by Cleveroad
This kind of division is a good idea for mobile event applications, because that makes apps less overloaded and they work much faster. Also, user experience of your app becomes much smarter since both users and event organizers get only the features that they need.
Cleveroad team already has a great experience in event app development and we know what features are vital for a successful mobile event app and how to monetize it effectively.
Basic features for an event app's MVP
We've already talked a lot about the role of a MVP (Minimum Viable Product) in creating mobile applications, so we'll just remind you that it helps determine how viable your product is and what features are more suitable for your app.
If you haven't read our articles about the importance of a MVP, you're welcome to do it now: What is the use of a Minimum Viable Product (Infographic)
Let's have a look at some features that are needed to create an event app with MVP:
User registration
All applications today demand user registration and an event app is not an exception. You can implement two options for users: to register via e-mail or phone number or to allow authorization through social networks. The second type is much more preferable among users now because it's faster and easier.
Profiles
An event scheduling app is a personal management tool for users. So, obviously you need to learn some personal information about your users to make their interaction with the app useful for them. That's why during registration you should ask them some personal data like name, location, interests and so on.
Geolocation
People use mobile event apps to determine events nearby. That's why geolocation is one of the essential features for event applications. You can also use the geolocation feature to provide a city guide for users.
See more concepts on our Dribbble profile.
Learn more about using geolocation in mobile applications in our article: Always be orientated with the integration of geolocation into your app
Scheduling
People usually want to use event apps as a management tool. That's why you need to implement a schedule feature to your app so users could add their events in one place.
Search
Searching tools are necessary to improve users' experiences. You should provide information filters, so users could get exactly what they searched for.
Here are some common search filters for events:
Here are some common search filters for events:
- by location;
- by type;
- by duration;
- free or paid;
- by popularity.
What can you do to make your mobile event app popular among users?
Once you understand your MVP is working well and there are more people using it, you need to implement it with some additional features that will make your event app more competitive. Let's see what you can provide:
Venue Map
All of the best meeting apps are providing venue maps. The feature helps attendees find event venues on an interactive map right through your app.
See more concepts on our Dribbble profile.
Alerts
Users may create schedules to plan their events very carefully, but still, it doesn't secure them from forgetting about their plans. That's why it's always a good idea to provide some reminders and notifications so users will never forget about important events.
Live Polling
If you're keen on creating a conference mobile app then it'll be a good idea to implement your application with a live polling feature. Surveys and polls about agendas of a future event will make the user experience of your app much more interactive.
City guide
This feature is really valuable for attendees from different cities. You should provide an interactive guide that will give attendees information on hotels, transportation, and attractions.
See more concepts on our Dribbble profile.
Linking to social media platforms
People spend a lot of their time on social networks, so why don't you encourage them to share links of future events in their Twitter or Facebook accounts? That will help event organizers promote their events, and, of course, promote your application.
Booking and buying tickets
You can make the process of booking and buying tickets much easier for your users by providing this service right in your app. Users will definitely appreciate this feature because that will save both their time and nerves. Sign a contract with a reliable company operating worldwide online payments, so your users won't worry about their money.
How do mobile event apps make money?
And here goes one of the main questions: how to monetize an event app? Actually, an event app is a great opportunity for sponsorships. Many brands and event organizers will be willing to sponsor your app in exchange for promotion.
Here, take a look at some of the best ways of making money from your event application:
Here, take a look at some of the best ways of making money from your event application:
Splash screen
Splash Screens are the best place for advertising. They are shown to all users when they open an app, so no one will miss or skip it. Moreover, studies show that full-screen ads convert users much better.
Banner advertisement
Banner ads are hard to miss. They can significantly increase the visibility of the brand and raise their sales. Also, users can easily contact sponsors just by clicking on the banner.
Push notifications
If your sponsor creates an event, you can offer them paid notifications. They will be able to send news about their events and make some remindings. Push notifications will appear on the users' screens no matter if your event app is opened or closed.
Surveys and polling
Live polling and surveys are actually a good way to monetize your app. Using the event organizers can get feedback from attendees in real time and show results in session presentations. This way, a sponsor can be a part of the conversation and track the attendee's mood.
Gamification
Let your users have fun using your app, and make this "fun" be useful for you. You can recommend your sponsors provide games somehow related to their brands. For example, it can be a quiz with questions related to sponsors' brands and offers.
Users have fun, sponsors get advertisement and you get money, so everyone's happy:)
Users have fun, sponsors get advertisement and you get money, so everyone's happy:)
Interactive Maps
One more reason to implement your app with a mapping feature is that they can monetize. You can offer your sponsors to be highlighted on the map. Even more, if they provide such services like accommodation, food, or transportation you can offer them to recommend their brand as the best among the others.
Learn more about app monetization from our article: How to Monetize Your App
Mobile app technology helps people in everyday life and event apps are among the most useful management tools today. That's why event app development is growing and it is widely open to new ideas. So, if you want to create your own event app, don't hesitate to contact us. We'll help you estimate your project and bring it to life.
