Need a Conference App? Here's Who to Hire

Recognise Your Needs First

Take a step back and determine exactly what your event needs before you even begin looking for a conference app development company. Both the companies that develop conference apps and the apps themselves are not made equal.

• Are you willing to pay for a full-featured platform with live updates, networking, ticketing, analytics, and engagement features, or just a simple event scheduling app?
• Perhaps you need live streaming, Q&A, and third-party integration for a multi-day hybrid conference with both in-person and remote participants.

Knowing the purpose of your event, the expectation of the people attending, and the technical needs will help decide what kind of app to create and, more importantly, whom to outsource it to. It also helps you avoid adding functionality that you don't need and makes your app more affordable.

Developing a conference app can vary from creating a mobile application from the ground up to utilizing a basic event app template. If you want something that can grow with your event and have your brand, then it is a good practice to outsource a mobile app development company that is skilled in making event apps, particularly those that have to work flawlessly in high-pressure conditions and live events.

Announcing your goals at the start of the hiring process will simplify the rest of the process and allow you to get the ideal solution, not one generic application that barely satisfies your requirements.

Main Features of a Successful Conference App

The features you include in your conference app will have a direct impact on how attendees interact with your event. Modern attendees anticipate networking capabilities, simple navigation, and live updates at their fingertips. In addition to improving the user experience, a well-designed custom conference app delivers huge value to event planners, speakers, and sponsors.

We'll outline the crucial event app features that should be included in any expert solution based on our experience with prior event apps:

Tailored Timetables

The ability to create their own agendas is something that attendees desire. Allow them to bookmark important sessions, keynotes, and networking opportunities. It maintains user interest.

Instant Push Notifications

Push alerts keep everyone informed of last-minute sponsor announcements, speaker delays, and room changes. During intensive, multi-session conferences, this is especially important.

Interactive Maps of Venues

Logistical challenges arise from large venues and complex agendas. Users can easily find amenities, networking lounges, expo booths, and session rooms with the help of integrated, interactive maps. Additionally, this minimizes the likelihood of staff disruptions during the event.

Speaker and Session Details

Give participants access to the session descriptions, speaker biographies, and content tracks. A well-organised content layout builds anticipation ahead of time and boosts session attendance.

Tools for In-App Networking

A lot of people attend conferences in order to make connections. Incorporate features that assist users in forming valuable business relationships during the event, such as chat capabilities, meeting scheduling, or attendee matching.

Real-time surveys, polling, and Q&A

Use real-time session feedback tools to maintain high levels of engagement. Passive listeners become active participants through live polls, Q&A upvoting, and post-session surveys.

Sponsor Exposure

Your partners can benefit greatly from a personalised event app. Provide in-app lead collection tools, branded content cards, or sponsored banners. You can make money off of the app and draw in new sponsors with this kind of exposure.

Analytics for Events

You'll want to know what went well and what didn't after the event. Analytics should be included by a seasoned conference app development company so you can monitor user engagement, session attendance, feature usage, and more.

These features are now considered standard rather than merely "nice to have." Ignoring them could give the impression that your event is out of date or unprofessional.

You won't have to do this alone if you work with the best conference mobile app development company. They will help you prioritise the most important features and scale the app according to the size, budget, and schedule of your event.

With the correct app features, your event will stand out from the crowd, whether it's a small leadership summit or a massive conference with thousands of attendees.

Who to Hire for Custom Conference App Development

The next big question is who should make your app after you’ve figured out what things you need.

Choosing a skilled conference app-making firm is the best choice if you wish for a well-known and big experience. While wide templates or self-service platforms may first look appealing, they can turn into issues when your event needs change, system joining, or a one-of-a-kind user feel.

If you want to make networking better, watch engagement, or give sponsor value, a skilled mobile app building company with expertise in special event apps can help you build a solution that fits your needs. Plus, they will ensure the app is safe well well-designed and tested for how it works under͏ pressure, all of which is key when many users are signing in at the same time.

Here’s what to look when choosing an event helping partner:

• Clear skill in making meeting or fun apps; ask for case study's.
• Full mobile app making help, from user design to after-launch help
• Ability to grow, so the app gets bigger with your event eac͏h year
• Joining skills with ticket systems or event organizing tools
• Clear money plans and schedules, so there no surprises along the way
• Big talking and working together skills, mostly if you’re working far away

At the end, a great partner does more than just write code; they help as a part of your team, aiding you in dodging tech problems, cutting down risk and making an app that fits well with the whole look of your event.

Don't use commercial tools if you want to provide attendees, sponsors, and organisers with an experience that is on par with the best. Working with a proven custom conference app development company guarantees that your event app accomplishes all of its goals and more.

Budget and Timeline: What to Expect

To prevent surprises and ensure the project keeps going, it is important to have a rough estimate of the conference app development cost and timeline beforehand. The cost of developing a custom event app can differ depending on its features, complexity, and the experience of the developers.

Generally, a straightforward conference app with schedules, maps, and notifications could be available within a few weeks and cost less. The timeline and budget grow proportionally with your desire to include more complex features, i.e., live polling, interactive networking functionalities, or comprehensive integrations with ticketing and CRM systems.

Your custom event app's cost depends on the following factors:

Feature complexity: The more features, the more expensive and the longer the development will take. Focusing on essential features simplifies the app and helps manage costs.

Design and branding: Custom UI/UX design that is developed specifically for the image of your event takes more resources than off-the-shelf templates.

Platform selection: Timeline and budget are impacted when developing for iOS, Android, or both. Cross-platform solutions can save development costs by 40% and time.

Integration necessity: Integrating your app with pre-existing ticketing, event management, or CRM systems contributes to the development work.

Support and testing: To guarantee an error-free user experience, extensive QA testing is necessary. Post-launch updates and maintenance are typically separate budget decisions.

While full custom conference apps can take three to six months from the time of first planning to launch, smaller apps can be delivered in six to eight weeks. Bear in mind that very tight timelines can result in higher costs or lower quality.

You can create realistic timelines and budgets with a seasoned conference app development partner. They will help you prioritize, set focused objectives, and develop an efficient app that will delight attendees and logically augment your event objectives.

Conclusion

Among the most effective ways of improving your conference experience is through the purchase of a custom conference app. Yet, the choice of the right development partner is as important for success as the design or features. You can turn your concept into a sophisticated, branded solution that impresses attendees, attracts sponsors, and aligns with your event goals from start to finish with the help of an experienced professional mobile app development company that has a proven track record of developing conference apps.

You can avoid common traps like always adding more features and delayed delivery by establishing realistic timelines and budgets, prioritizing essential features, and communicating your requirements. Remember that a conference app is not technology; it's an extension of your event brand and an important means of facilitating communication, networking, and overall attendee satisfaction.

Working with a proven custom app development team is the best solution for guaranteeing your next conference leaves the right impression. They will help you every step of the way to create an app that not only meets but also exceeds expectations and makes your event truly shine.

Ready to build the conference app? Our experienced developers are here to help!

‍