The events industry is evolving rapidly and as we enter 2025, event registration technology continues to play a vital role in creating smooth, attendee-focused, in-person experiences.

From cost savings to engagement, today's registration platforms do more than just manage attendee lists; it's a strategic tool that up levels the whole event experience.

In this article, we’ll explore the latest trends, challenges, and benefits of event registration tools. You’ll discover:

• Why modern registration tools are essential.
• Key features to look for when choosing an event registration platform
• How to overcome traditional registration challenges
• Insights into event registration trends that will shape the industry in 2025 and beyond.

Whether you’re an experienced event organizer or planning your first in-person event, this guide will help you make smarter decisions and deliver memorable experiences.

WhyEvent Registration Technology Matters Today

In-person events are back, big time! In fact, 80.4% of event organizers say in-person events are the most impactful marketing channel available​.

However, according to the State of Event Marketing 2024 report, 78.5% of event organizers are seeing higher costs compared to previous years. As a result, cost management has become more important than ever.

That’s why here at Guidebook, we’re seeing more planners turn to automation. This allows them to:

• reduce admin tasks.
• integrate with event apps
• access powerful data insights.

Modern event registration software helps organizers save costs and boost efficiency without sacrificing attendee satisfaction.

Addressing the Challenges of Traditional Registration

We’ve seen first hand how incredibly time-consuming and error prone traditional registration methods - like paper forms and excel spreadsheets - can be. In particular, they limit real time insights, creating inefficiencies that can have a big impact on the overall success of an event.

Event registration software offers a modern alternative, making data accessible instantly and centralizing attendee management.

This frees up staff time and reduces the manual work associated with traditional registration so event organizers can focus on creating amazing experiences not logistical headaches.

Key Features to Look for inEvent Registration Software

Choosing the right registration software is about matching your event needs. Here’s what matters most to our customers in today’s event landscape:

1. Mobile Optimization

With over 60% of web traffic now coming from mobile devices, a mobile-first registration platform is essential.

Platforms like Guidebook’s free event marketing websites allow attendees to register effortlessly on their phones or tablets, anytime and anywhere.

A mobile-optimized registration process also encourages event app adoption, especially when your event website and app are seamlessly integrated (more on that later!).

2. Customization for Brand Consistency

A consistent brand experience from registration to event day builds trust and shows professionalism of the event.

Customizable registration pages within a branded event website allow event marketers to create cohesive experiences for attendees that matches their event’s identity.

Research shows that this consistent branding can actually increase revenue by up to 23% – something that our user feedback on custom branded event apps consistently confirms the value of.

3. Real-Time Data Collection and Reporting

Access to real-time registration data can greatly improve event planning and adaptability. For instance, tracking attendee sign-ups can help organizers adjust marketing strategies or allocate resources more effectively.

Platforms that offer real-time data also allow for quick adjustments, so organizers can respond to attendee trends or unexpected issues.

This data is essential, as recent industry insights show that implementing event technology like real-time data tracking can increase event productivity by 27% and attendance by 20%.

4. Flexible Payment and Ticketing Options

With rising costs, flexible payment options are key to accommodating attendee budgets and maximizing registration.

Guidebook’s soon-to-be released Paid Ticketing feature will eventually allow tiered pricing, bundling options, and discount codes to create accessible choices for attendees.

A survey of event organizers found that flexible pricing models and early-bird rates can increase registration rates by up to 30%, so these really are a must have for seamless event registration.

A Word From Guidebook’s Co-President, Stewart Price…

As the events industry continues to evolve, staying ahead of the curve requires not only leveraging event registration technology but also anticipating the future needs of organizers and attendees.

At Guidebook, our mission is to create tools that simplify, engage, and transform the event experience.

To highlight our vision for what’s ahead, we spoke with Guidebook’s Co-President, Stewart Price. We asked him to share his perspective on innovation, customer-driven development, and how Guidebook is shaping the future of in-person events.

What exciting new product updates are on the horizon for Guidebook?

We are incredibly excited to evolve into a full event technology ecosystem in 2025–supporting promotional websites (now live), free and paid registration, attendee experience apps, and after that greater badging capabilities and lead retrieval.

We're building all of these with a Product Advisory Board made up of current customers and industry insiders, to ensure we produce something ‘for the industry, by the industry'.

What drove the decision to expand Guidebook's product offering?

In-person events are unique, and in 2025 and beyond they are going to plan an even more important role in the word. With the rise of remote work, AI advancements, and growing societal and political polarization–people are craving connection with new people and new ideas.

Ultimately, our customers asked us to build these registration tools because they trust us–and we are ready to deliver.

What excites you most about the upcoming Guidebook Registration and Paid Ticketing features?

In my opinion, events are experiences above all else. And the technology which can have the greatest impact on a person's event experience is mobile–because people are somewhere new, away from their desk, and their phone is their lifeline.

That’s why this product expansion – to include free registration – will naturally seamlessly integrate with Guidebook’s world class event experience apps.

We're going to ensure the mobile experience remains central to everything we do, and build something designed to help event organizers, not to extract money from them.

Benefits ofEvent Registration Technology

The impact of event registration technology spans across both organizers and attendees, creating a win-win situation that delivers value on multiple levels:

ForEvent Organizers

1. Enhanced Efficiency and Cost Savings

Automation and digital tools means no more paper forms and manual entry, resulting in significant time savings and up to 25% cost reduction. Connection to other important tools, such as an attendee engagement app, can reduce costs and significantly cut down admin time.

2. Scalability and Flexibility

Event registration platforms like Guidebook allow organizers to scale seamlessly, and manage attendee data, payments and more with ease – no matter the size of the event.

3. Data-Driven Decision-Making

With detailed data insights such as peak registration times or session popularity, event organizers can refine future event strategies, allocate resources better and deliver experiences that match attendee preferences.

For Attendees

1. Improved User Experience

A smooth registration process, especially one that’s mobile-optimized, removes barriers to sign-up, making the experience easy and convenient.

2. Engagement from the Start

When registration integrates with an event app, attendees gain early access to event information, enabling them to engage with the schedule, speaker bios, and other features before the event itself.

3. Personalized Options

Catering to a variety of budgets and interests with flexible pricing options makes the event more accessible and inclusive to a wider audience.

IntegratingEvent Registration with YourEvent App

With a well-crafted registration strategy, you’re seeing sign-ups roll in, but getting registrants is only step one.

The real challenge lies in converting sign-ups into actual attendees. In fact, on average, only about 65% of in-person registrants show up, and this can drop to 50% for free events.

So how do you translate those registrants to attendees?

The answer lies in keeping them engaged from the moment they sign-up. For 67.5% of event attendees, a mobile event app is considered crucial for an enhanced experience, as it offers a centralized way to stay informed and engaged.

Integrating registration with an event app can make all the difference by creating a seamless, interactive experience that keeps attendees committed.

Here’s why and how:

1. Promotes Early App Engagement

When registration flows directly into the event app, attendees become familiar with the app and explore features like personalized schedules, interactive maps, and speaker profiles well before the event.

This early engagement and interaction leads to higher app adoption rates, and builds excitement ahead of the event.

Early adoption also means fewer questions and support requests on event day, as attendees are already comfortable with the app​.

2. Unified Brand Experience

Brand consistency is crucial. Research shows that a consistent brand presence across digital platforms can improve customer loyalty and increase conversions.

Integrating registration with the event app means attendees see the same brand from start to finish and reinforces the event brand and credibility.

3. Centralized Data for Improved Insights

With integrated data from both registration and event app engagement, organizers have a single source of truth for attendee behavior, enabling analysis of peak registration times alongside popular sessions, and satisfaction levels.

This data informs future event decisions and also supports smoother logistics when you can share insights with key partners, such as hotels and venues, to improve coordination and staffing based on anticipated attendance patterns.

This collaboration ensures all event partners are aligned and ultimately the attendee experience is better.

8 Event Registration Trends for 2025

In 2025, event registration is evolving to balance the needs of both planners and attendees.

Organizers are under constant pressure to streamline operations, cut costs, and maximize efficiency, while attendees demand seamless, personalized, and engaging experiences from the moment they sign up.

This dual pressure is driving a transformation in registration technology—one that leverages mobile-first design, self-check-in, real-time data insights, and paperless workflows to meet both operational goals and user expectations.

Here’s a look at the top trends shaping event registration.

1. Mobile-First Registration for On-the-Go Engagement

As more of the world's population continues to live and experience life via mobile devices, registration platforms that prioritize mobile-first design are essential.

Not only does mobile-friendly registration allow attendees to sign up and access event details anywhere, but it also means that enables features like push notifications and in-app networking. This seamless experience is critical for capturing leads and keeping engagement high before, during, and after the event.

2. Quick and Efficient Check-In Solutions

If there's one thing we can all agree it's this: waiting in line is a universally frustrating. As people become accustomed to instant gratification in other aspects of their, they now expect the same efficiency when checking in at events.

Luckily, there's a range of innovative solutions that event organizers can rely on to delight attendees.

For example, at Guidebook we offer attendee self-check-in via QR codes which allows attendees to check themselves in and skip the traditional bottlenecks. Guidebook's self-check-in technology offers many benefits, such as:

• accelerating entry.
• seamless integration with your event app.
• real-time access to attendance data.
• frees up your staff to focus on delivering a better attendee experience.

Beyond QR codes, other trending check-in solutions that planners can explore are self service kiosks and even, biometric authentication.

Whichever option you go with, the benefits are clear: efficient check-in with fewer operational hiccups, a more organized event flow, and ultimately, higher attendee satisfaction.

3. Data-Driven Personalization and Engagement

Personalization is a must-have in today’s competitive event landscape. Advanced registration systems now use real-time data to deliver customized agendas, targeted content, and personalized reminders.

Studies also show 80% of consumers are more likely to engage with brands that offer personalized experiences. This makes data-driven personalization a key trend in event registration that boosts both satisfaction and ROI.

4. Eco-Friendly and Paperless Registration

With approximately 60% of attendees reporting a preference for sustainable events​, paperless registration is a growing trend that is set to become the norm.

For attendees, this means a streamlined, eco-conscious process, while event organizers benefit from significantly reduced paper waste and lower costs.

Overall, embracing digital or online registration is a win-win trend that meets the growing demand for sustainability, and also enhances operational efficiency.

5. Unified Event Platforms

The shift toward comprehensive event platforms is transforming event management.

For example, platforms like Guidebook seamlessly combine essential tools - registration, event management, engagement features, on-site check-in and in-depth analytics - into one centralized solution.

This unified approach not only simplifies planning, but also ensures a cohesive experience from start to finish (ultimately boosting attendee satisfaction).

As the industry continues to prioritize efficiency, the demand for these versatile, integrated platforms is set to grow in 2025 and beyond.

6. Flexible Pricing Models

Flexible pricing models are an important trend that speak to the heart of what today's audience wants: options.

With flexible pricing, organizers can tailor ticket prices to different attendee segments in a variety of ways, For example, organizers can offer:

• VIP pricing
• group rates.
• tiered pricing
• last-minute offers
• early-bird discounts
• virtual attendance pricing
• in-person attendance pricing

By embracing flexible pricing, event organizers can:

• Encourage early sign-ups and secure attendance.
• Optimize revenue by aligning prices with demand and market conditions.
• Enhance the attendee experience through personalized value propositions.

This adaptable approach caters to diverse budgets while also allowing planners to respond swiftly to external factors, ensuring that registration remains competitive and profitable in a rapidly evolving market.

7. AI-Driven Personalization and Engagement

While AI can't take over your entire event planning, it's an amazing assistant that event planners are leveraging to improve the registration experience. For example:

• AI-Enhanced Networking:Guidebook's AI-Enhanced Networking feature analyzes attendee interests to deliver personalized connection recommendations. This AI-powered matchmaking engages registrants from the start, making your event stand out.

• AI-Enhanced Registration Marketing:Your event marketing website is the gateway to registration—it must convince visitors that your event is the place to be. As AI tools become indispensable for businesses, savvy event planners are leveraging them to generate compelling copy that converts. And with Guidebook's event marketing websites, you can showcase your persuasive messaging, turning curiosity into registrations.

• Chatbots for Seamless Registration:AI-powered chatbots streamline sign-ups by guiding attendees through registration, answering questions, and collecting information that can enhance the overall experience. In addition, they are helpful for automating event promotion by sending automated messages that keep potential attendees engaged.

8. Gamified Registration

By integrating game-like elements into the registration process, event organizers can transform a mundane task into an engaging experience. Gamified registration may use elements like:

• rewards
• interactive quizzes
• challenges that incentivize early registration

Additionally, gamification by combining features like a leaderboard and social sharing, leverages friendly competition to extend their event's reach.

Overall, gamification makes registration fun for attendees and provides organizers with valuable insights into what resonates with their audience.

Simplify and Up-Level YourEvent Experience with Guidebook

As we head into 2025, event registration technology continues to shape the future of the industry, providing tools to streamline logistics, enhance attendee engagement, and meet modern expectations for accessibility and sustainability.

By leveraging an all-in-one platform like Guidebook, you gain access to a comprehensive suite that brings together registration, management, and engagement features in one seamless experience.

This unified approach saves time, reduces costs, and simplifies planning so you can continue to focus on creating amazing in-person events.

Ready to future-proof your event strategy?

Connect with our team to learn more about Guidebook’s free event marketing websites, as well as our registration features for free and paid events.