A video content management centre, streamlined webinar solutions, design enhancements, plus marketplaces for both app integrations and supplier listings, were just a handful of product announcements made during this year’s Cvent CONNECT Europe customer conference.
Cvent’s Vice-President Product Management, McNeel Keenan was joined on-stage by Senior Marketing Manager for Europe, Felicia Asiedu and the company’s product management team, to reveal the next wave of developments across the Cvent Event Marketing and Management Platform during the conference’s annual ‘Roadmap’ session.
First-up, Keenan ran through some design-led improvements to both Cvent’s mobile event app and website templates, which include increased filtering, a broader range of ad options and enhanced branding capabilities.
Cvent Principal Account Manager, Shiloh Frauen then updated delegates on improved features to help attendees connect with one another in a safe web or mobile environment.
Next, Cvent Director, Product Management, Jason Misener provided an ‘On Arrival’ briefing, which included delegate badge design updates, the ability to deliver customised check-in messages to certain guests, plus the introduction of signature collection at registration for forms such as non-disclosure agreements.
Asiedu then joined Keenan to discuss how Cvent is helping planners to keep audiences engaged between events. This included the ability to promote future events within Attendee Hub - a feature that was launched earlier this year, plus a more recent update that allows users to see which of their connections is attending these future events.
The big announcement however was the launch of Cvent Video Centre, providing library access to ever-green on-demand video content.
Cvent Video Centre will go live in late November or early December and represents a significant investment in helping organisers to build community and year-round engagement.
The second big announcement was the release of Cvent Webinar, a more simplified broadcast solution for improved live streams.
Cvent Director, Product Management, Jackie McDonough told the audience: “We’ve streamlined the user experience and focused on a webinar’s ability to capture critical attendee information via features such as polling, Q&A, chat functionality and integrated survey options. Cvent Webinar is already released in its earliest iteration with its roll-out due for Q1 next year.”
Finally, Brett Fitzgerald, Cvent’s other Vice-President of Product Management briefed the audience on the company’s two marketplace launches - one for those apps that seamlessly integrate with Cvent and the other for sourcing trusted suppliers.
The Vendor Marketplace went live in North America earlier this year with over 700 listings across 19 categories and will be rolled out into Europe next year. It allows planners to send out RFIs and manage supplier responses, all within the platform.
The App Marketplace is live now and features dozens of applications for value-added solutions around travel and transportation, sales and marketing, and integrated payments. It also allows planners to request an app so that Cvent developers can understand the requirements and reach out to third-parties to form partnerships.
“The events of 2023 are going to look very different to the events of 2019. Two years spent developing virtual events will have a lasting impact on the delivery and attendee expectations of in-person. It’s not going to be enough to launch your programme, promote your speakers and send that ‘know before you go’ email,” Keenan told the audience.
“Instead, there’s now a whole new opportunity to connect registrants with your content, with other attendees and with sponsors before they even get onsite. Instant networking, video discussions, live streams, video on-demand and more - all the elements that made a virtual event possible - these can now be used to drive engagement before the event begins. We’re excited about ushering in this new era of engagement at in-person events through Cvent Attendee Hub.”
For more detail on how Cvent Attendee Hub is improving in-person engagement alongside the product announcements mentioned in this article, watch the Event Marketing and Management Product Roadmap session from Cvent CONNECT Europe on-demand until 4 November.
