The event industry is changing fast in many ways, and none more so than how we measure the impact of our events. In the past, industry events such as IMEX, the Meeting Show and International Confex were abuzz with event professionals trying to find ways to do this effectively, and they were largely frustrated. Their only tools were manual surveys, ticket sales and attendee headcounts - not enough to really move the needle.
Now, AI enables real-time insights, automated feedback collection and even predictive analytics to help organisers make data-driven decisions, giving event planners the choice of what exact data they want and need.
In our final blog in collaboration with MeetEngland, we explore how AI is revolutionising event measurement. As the industry pushes for more data-driven decision-making, AI is unlocking new ways to track success, optimise strategies and drive better outcomes.
We’ll focus on these key areas:
- Using real-time data analysis to inform decision making
- Automating feedback collection for better post-event analysis
- AI-driven predictive analytics to improve your next event
- Using measurement to improve the sustainability of your events
Using Real-Time Data Analysis to Make Better Decisions for Your Events
AI can help event planners monitor attendee engagement, foot traffic and session popularity in real time. Instead of waiting until the event ends to analyse its success, organisers can make data-driven decisions as the event unfolds.
It can also encourage buy-in from your organisation, highlight how data-driven insights can improve efficiency and enhance attendee experience. The benefits far outweigh the costs.
We recommend choosing tools that integrate with your existing platforms, such as event apps with live polling or AI-powered analytics dashboards. Or, choosing a standalone product that requires no integration at all.
Start small by testing these tools on a pilot event, analysing metrics like check-in times, session popularity, and audience feedback. Use these insights to demonstrate value and refine strategies for future events, ensuring continuous improvement and better decision-making.
Top Tips:
- Use AI-powered event management platforms like Intelletix or Grip to track attendee movement and interactions.
- Implement facial analysis tools like Zenus to gauge audience sentiment during keynotes and presentations.
- Set up beacon technology (such as TurnoutNow) to monitor crowd flow and improve traffic management.
As a practical tip, we recommend assigning a team member to monitor AI-driven dashboards during the event. If certain sessions have low attendance, send push notifications to attendees recommending alternative talks or workshops.
Automating Feedback Collection for Smarter Post-Event Analysis
Gathering post-event feedback is so important, but manually sorting through thousands of responses can be overwhelming. Too often, this key task gets dropped because life gets too busy. AI simplifies this by analysing attendee sentiment and categorising feedback into actionable insights.
Top Tips:
- Deploy live polling and Q&A tools like Slido or Pigeonhole Live to capture immediate audience reactions.
- Use AI-driven survey tools such as Qualtrics XM or SurveyMonkey AI to collect and analyse attendee feedback.
- Monitor social media sentiment using AI-powered tools like Brandwatch or Hootsuite Insights to understand public perception.
When doing your data crunching, use AI to categorise feedback into themes (e.g. “venue issues”, “content improvements”) so you can address common attendee concerns in your post-event report.
Leveraging AI-Driven Predictive Analytics to Improve Future Events
AI doesn’t just measure past events; it helps predict future trends. By analysing previous attendance patterns and engagement levels, AI can forecast which topics and formats will be most popular.
It’s all about understanding your audience throughout their journey. We recommend:
- Set up AI chatbots on your website to gather attendees' preferences before the event, then shape the agenda accordingly. Choose a chatbot tool that integrates with your website, such as Drift or Tidio.
- Identify peak networking times based on past behaviour and optimise breaks to encourage interaction, using tools like Brella or Grip.
- Use platforms like Bizzabo or Hubilo to analyse historical event data and predict attendance trends.
- Leverage AI-powered social listening tools such as Brandwatch, Sprinklr or Talkwalker to monitor online conversations and understand the topics that matter most to your audience. This can help shape event themes, speaker lineups and discussion points to align with industry buzz.
Start small by testing AI-driven recommendations and making small adjustments, such as shifting a keynote session to a predicted high-engagement slot, and measuring the impact.
How AI Can Support Your Sustainability Goals in Events
As sustainability becomes a top priority in event planning, many powerful carbon measurement tools are already available to help you track and reduce your environmental impact. Tools like Sustainability Hub for Events (SHE), TRACE by isla with its Event Carbon Measurement Starter Pack, event:decision, You. Smart. Thing. and Thrust Carbon provide valuable insights into your event’s carbon footprint.
Top Tips:
- Optimise food consumption using Winnow AI, which uses advanced camera technology to monitor food waste and recommend adjustments to reduce excess.
- Reduce energy consumption at your events by implementing AI-powered energy management solutions, such as Gridpoint or Envio Systems, which help optimise power usage in venues.
- Measure and offset event emissions with AI-driven carbon footprint calculators, like Thrust Carbon, which give accurate, real-time data on your event's environmental impact.
- Use TRACE by isla for AI-powered carbon tracking and reporting, offering actionable insights to improve sustainability.
- After the event, generate an AI-powered sustainability report that highlights eco-friendly initiatives and suggests improvements for future events.
By leveraging these innovative AI tools, you can enhance your sustainability goals, track progress and make better-informed decisions for greener, more efficient events.
For more on how AI is transforming sustainability in the events industry, check out our previous blog on AI and sustainability.
For event professionals just starting out, AI may seem like a complex tool reserved for large-scale events. However, many AI-powered event measurement tools are user-friendly and scalable, making them accessible to organisers at any level. Whether you're tracking real-time data, gathering post-event feedback, or improving sustainability, AI can transform how you measure success and enhance the overall event experience.
By embracing these technologies, you’ll be better equipped to optimise outcomes and stay ahead in the evolving world of event planning.
Authors
Edward Poland
Co-founder of Hire Space. Making event planning a joy with the UK’s leading live venue marketplace.
MeetEngland
MeetEngland is the official tourism organisation proudly promoting England as a leading destination for business events.
Gemma Baker
Gemma loves all things social media and keeps busy by creating lots of Hire Space content. When she’s not creating content, you'll find her shopping, exploring or at the gym!
