The rise of mobile internet, which has been boosted in recent years by the introduction of smartphones such as Blackberry and iphone, has drastically effected the way in which people access information and communicate. Contrary to common perception, the term mobile technology is not limited to mobile telephones, it also refers to tablets and laptops.
In an article for PR Week, PR writer Arun Sudhaman, outlines some of the main mobile technologies as being: apps, location-based services and augmented reality. This post suggests some ways in which these mobile technologies can be used in public relations events.
Mobile Applications
Creating a mobile application for your event can provide a fun and practical way to update attendees, and also to encourage interest and involvement before and after the event. Below are just some of the ways in which a mobile application can make your event come to life.
Schedule: providing attendees with a full schedule of events allows them to plan their time at the event effectively. This can also provide any last minute changes to the schedule or the provision of additional events.
Exhibitor Listings: this allows attendees to see a full list of exhibitors, and also provides exhibitors with an additional platform to provide additional information.
Speaker Information: providing additional information and biographies of speakers help to create a buzz before then event, and can also contribute to keeping the conversation going afterwards.
Interactive Floor Plan: this can help visitors to find their way around the event, and fully showcase the exhibitors in attendance.
Push Messages: allows organisers to send messages and updates directly to visitors mobile devices.
Sharing Options: an application also provides a useful platform through which to encourage visitors to share event information on other social media sites.
Local Map: as some visitors may not be familiar with the local area it may be useful to provide a map with local information.
These are just some ideas, there are many ways in which the creative public relations practitioner can implement mobile applications to engage with visitors. Click here for the results of a Twitter poll to determine the most popular ideas for future apps at music festivals.
Location-based Services
Using location-based services at events can produce an increase in awareness and foot traffic.
The most common use of location-based services is to encourage visitors to 'check in', via their mobile devices, at designated locations within the event venue. This has the effect of spreading awareness of the event through social media sites, as well as directly engaging with visitors who are attending the event. In return for 'checking-in' visitors can be given small rewards by the event organisers or sponsors.
This year saw the Miami Open become the first fully integrated Foursquare sporting event. Attendees were encouraged to 'check-in' regularly throughout the event; the person who became 'Mayor' on that day was awarded with the privilege of tossing the coin at the beginning of the match to decide which player serves first.
Commenting on the introduction of Foursquare at the sporting event Caroline Woznaicki, world tennis number one, said:
“I love the idea that Sony Ericsson and Foursquare are giving fans the chance to become a key part of the game, rather than just being spectators”.
Augmented Reality
Augmented reality allows users to transpose the view through their smartphone with external information.
One of the most obvious ways to use augmented reality at an event is through an app such as Wikitude. This application allows visitors to view the event through the camera on their mobile phone, providing additional information.
As well as providing additional information, augmented reality techniques can also be used, depending on the nature of the event, to promote products and services. For example, the video below demonstrates augmented reality technology used by technology company Hidden to enable the visualisation of floor plans. This technology would be useful in engaging visitors at events concerned with areas such as hospitality, events, and wedding planning.
This post has shown just some of the ways in which mobile technologies can be implemented to both increase awareness of, and engage visitors at, public relations events. It is crucial that PR practitioners keep on top of future advances in the field of mobile technology, enabling them to display the most cutting edge technologies at their events.
Sources
http://www.eventgenie.com/
http://www.prweek.com/news/990869/Mobile-comms-forward---When-PR-goes-mobile/?DCMP=ILC-SEARCH
http://www.easier.com/70585-future-music-festival-apps.html
http://www.hiddenltd.com/
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/wikitude/id329731243?mt=8http://www.brandrepublic.com/bulletin/brandrepublicnewsbulletin/article/1059799/sony-ericsson-open-gets-foursquare-treatment/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kg06cn4442A
Image Sources
http://badgeunlock.com/2011/02/foursquare-badge-xperia-tennis-fan/
http://www.eventgenie.com/solutions/consumer-events/
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