David Aubespin, former Google engineer, and founder and CEO of Topi, the mobile app named for a fast species of antelope, says there are several benefits to the use of geofencing at events:
- Geofencing creates seamless registration. Attendees are automatically checked in and can start accessing information on their smartphones once they enter the geofenced area. They simply launch the event app to gain access to confidential materials, agendas, speaker information and more.
- It extends attendee engagement. Geofencing multiple event spaces simultaneously (think conference rooms, reception areas, hotel lobbies and virtual locations) enables attendees to connect and interact (i.e. network) with other attendees regardless of their physical location.
- It allows for one event in multiple locations. In addition to the main location, meeting planners can easily add remote sites to the event, which expands reach and increases revenues.
- It has the potential for global sponsors with local reach. Sponsors and exhibitors can maximize their exposure by customizing their messages based on the different physical locations of attendees, as well as schedule notifications based on audience size and profile. Automatic translations enable attendees to message others in their preferred languages.
- It produces added event intelligence. Geofencing gives event planners an additional layer of real-time and post-event analytics. It enables planners to know when attendees are part of the event, duration of attendance, peak attendance, and more. Also it can correlate these event datapoints with individual and group profiles.
