Conferences are crucial in bringing together thought leaders, practitioners, and enthusiasts to exchange knowledge and ideas. The UPCEA (University Professional and Continuing Education Association) Annual Conference stands as a prime example, gathering professional, continuing, and online education experts. To enhance the attendee experience and streamline operations, UPCEA took a bold step forward by embracing cutting-edge technology – partnering with Guidebook, a leading mobile app-building company. Through this partnership UPCEA built a conference app that increased engagement and significantly reduced printed materials, thereby contributing to a more sustainable and efficient event ecosystem.

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The Challenge: Enhancing Engagement Digitally

In the digital age connectivity and convenience reign supreme. And the UPCEA conference faced a challenge. How could they keep attendees engaged while addressing their desire for tangible materials like brochures and schedules? Traditionally, the conference relied on printed materials. This incurred substantial costs and limited the adaptability of event details. These materials were costly to produce and contributed to paper waste, contradicting the eco-conscious ethos that many organizations are embracing today.

The Solution: Building a Conference App

In 2013, UPCEA partnered with Guidebook to revolutionize the conference experience. By developing a mobile app for their events, UPCEA aimed to provide attendees with real-time updates, personalized schedules, interactive content engagement, and user-friendly event navigation – all within the palm of their hands. This marked a monumental shift from traditional paper-based methods to a digital platform that aligned seamlessly with attendees' evolving needs. The mobile app offered a range of features, including:

1. Real-Time Updates through Push Notifications: Attendees received instant notifications about session changes, important announcements, and real-time updates, eliminating the need for printed supplements and enhancing their overall event experience.
2. Personalized Scheduling: The app empowered attendees to create their own schedules, ensuring they didn't miss out on sessions of interest and making their conference experience more tailored.
3. Content Engagement: The app allowed attendees to engage with conference content in interactive ways, such as accessing speaker presentations, session materials, and additional resources through digital links.
4. Event Maps: Navigation within the event space became hassle-free with interactive maps available on the app, helping attendees locate sessions, exhibitor booths, and networking areas with ease.

The Results: A Paradigm Shift in Conferencing

The results of UPCEA's partnership with Guidebook were both impactful and promising. The introduction of the conference app addressed the organization's goals on multiple fronts:

1. Reduced Environmental Footprint: By shifting from paper-based materials to digital platforms, UPCEA significantly reduced paper waste and minimized its environmental impact, aligning with sustainable event practices.
2. Engagement Enhancement: Approximately 80% of attendees embraced the mobile app, leading to increased engagement with sessions, speakers, and networking opportunities. The personalized scheduling feature played a pivotal role in enhancing attendee participation.
3. Resource Efficiency: Speakers found it easier to share their resources, including presentation slides and useful links, through the app's dedicated resource folder. Attendees could access these materials at their convenience, even after the event.
4. Streamlined Surveys and Feedback: The app facilitated the collection of attendee feedback through surveys and integrated third-party extensions, providing valuable insights for further event improvements.

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Embracing Innovation and the Future of Conference Apps

The success of the UPCEA conference app has set a precedent for the future of event management and engagement. Technology continues to evolve. And the conference landscape is evolving alongside it. This is a new era of efficiency, interactivity, and sustainability. The UPCEA conference app met the demands of a tech-savvy audience. And also aligned with the organization's goals of reducing costs, paper usage, and environmental impact. Organizations around the world continue to seek innovative ways to enhance event experiences. The UPCEA-Guidebook partnership stands as a testament to the transformative power of mobile apps in the conference realm. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, event organizers can create truly immersive, personalized, and environmentally conscious experiences for their attendees. To learn more about the specific features that attendees loved in the UPCEA conference app, check out the following links:

• Sponsorship
• Custom lists
• Push notification
• Maps
• Schedule

The UPCEA conference switched from traditional printed materials to a cutting-edge mobile app. This exemplifies the positive impact that embracing technology can have on the attendee experience, event operations, and sustainability efforts. This conference app is an example of what is possible with Guidebook's drag-and-drop app builder. Event organizers across industries now have a blueprint for creating memorable, engaging, and environmentally responsible conferences.