Filed in: News Tag: MCE Trendspotting
Whether your event is planning to be in-person, virtual, or a hybrid, you’ll want to ensure that you incorporate networking components into your format and program. While networking has always been an important reason for why people attend events, it’s been a common gap for virtual event experiences over the past year.
As event technology and virtual platforms enhance their features, one trending capability appearing more frequently is Attendee Matchmaking. Typically powered by artificial intelligence, Attendee Matchmaking provides recommendations on similar event participants, exhibitors, and content. These recommendations can be powered by indicators such as industry, interests, and keywords. While this technology is not necessarily new, it is becoming more of a priority amongst industry leaders in the event space.
At events, especially when they’re virtual, it can be challenging to make meaningful connections with other participants. Attendee Matchmaking is a proactive approach to this problem, providing carefully selected recommendations and making it easier for users to meet and interact with each other.
If you’re interested in using Attendee Matchmaking for your event, here are some tools that may help you get started:
- Brella (https://www.brella.io/): Brella’s AI-powered matchmaking tool includes 1:1 meetings, group discussions, and easy scheduling for hybrid, virtual, and in-person events.
- MeetingPlay (https://www.meetingplay.com/virtual-meetings): MeetingPlay connects attendees with like-minded people and suggest birds of a feather sessions and exhibitors around their interests. Features include live chat, appointment scheduling, peer-to-peer video conferencing, and “Birds of a Feather” networking rooms
- ExpoPlatform (https://expoplatform.com/ai-powered-matchmaking/): ExpoPlatform’s AI powered algorithm recommends relevant products, event related content and connections with options for scheduling appointments and meetings.
- Run the World (https://www.runtheworld.today/): Run the World offers Speed Networking and Round Tables for mixers, happy hours, and matchmaking. You can set up multiple networking sessions at the same time, or specify matching criteria.
- 6Connex (https://www.6connex.com/features/engagement-tools/): 6Connex utilizes AI Matchmaking to recommend contacts and content to attendees to reduce search time and deliver exciting and relevant experiences.
- Swapcard (https://www.swapcard.com/
event-matchmaking-platform/): Swapcard is an efficient networking platform that matches participants, delivers qualified meetings and increases ROI and enables attendees & exhibitors to schedule meetings before and during your event.
As event planners and producers, we should always keep the attendee experience top of mind and provide solutions that will improve their experience. Attendee Matchmaking is just one of many ways we can help our conference participants form meaningful connections with each other.
Has your conference used Attendee Matchmaking? Or have you experienced it at another event you were attending? We’d love to hear about it. Share your experience in the comments below!
This article was written by:
Lea Provost
Sr. Program Manager, Audience Development Strategy Services
IEEE Meetings, Conferences & Events