10 Must-have Event Ticketing Platform Features
The right event ticketing app can make or break your event. When you invest in modern event ticketing software, attendees benefit from strong user experiences, increased accessibility and convenience, and a more seamless event overall.
With so much at stake, it’s no surprise that the global event ticket industry is projected to expand 150% by 2030. That said, not every event registration system is created equal.
Keep reading to learn more about 10 essential features to look for in an ideal event ticketing platform.
What are the essential features to look for in the best ticketing software platform?
Ticketing software platforms have become indispensable tools for event organizers, customer service teams, and IT departments. These platforms streamline operations, manage customer interactions, and help troubleshoot issues. But with many options available, how do you determine the best event ticketing software?
As you navigate the sea of choices, these essential features stand out as the most critical ones to look for in a top-tier ticketing solution:
- Seamless event registration
- Secure payment processing
- Mobile-friendly experience
- Real-time analytics and reporting
- Marketing and promotional tools
- Customizable branding and ticketing
- Attendee engagement features
- Check-in and onsite management
- Customer support and help desk
- Integrations with other marketing and events tools
1. Seamless Event Registration
The easier it is for attendees to register, the more people will attend your event. Leading event ticketing tools offer a seamless, user-friendly registration process that’s intuitive by design. The right solution will include customizable registration forms and give you the ability to offer multiple ticket types and pricing options. The event ticketing system should also enable you to upsell and cross-sell additional items — like merchandise and VIP upgrades.
Bizzabo’s Event Experience OS includes a powerful, dynamic event registration engine that lets you maximize conversions by using segmentation to personalize the user experience. With free and paid ticket types, registration widgets that live on your website, and even contactless event and session check-in with the SmartBadge™, Bizzabo makes event registration a breeze.
2. Secure Payment Processing
In the age of high-profile data breaches, securing sensitive customer data — particularly payment data — is more critical than ever. At the same time, folks expect personalized experiences and instant gratification, so attendees should be able to pay for tickets in the most convenient way. Taken together, the right event ticketing system should have robust security mechanisms that ensure secure payment processing.
Bizzabo delivers best-in-class event security, built with the highest levels of security standards and industry best practices and compliance. With SSL encryption for data security, integration with trusted payment getaways, and support for various payment methods — including credit cards and PayPal — Bizzabo delivers frictionless payment processing.
3. Mobile-friendly Experience
According to a recent Bizzabo report, 67.5% of event attendees believe that having a mobile app is vital for events. To this end, the ideal event ticketing software solution will deliver a solid mobile ticketing experience with responsive design and optimized content.
Bizzabo offers a memorable mobile event app engineered to delight attendees and make life easier for event staff. Bizzabo’s event app is customizable, serving as the central engagement hub for all event stakeholders and offering mobile ticketing and check-in options.
4. Real-time Analytics and Reporting
The best event teams are committed to continuous improvement. This is why it’s so important to invest in an event ticketing platform that offers comprehensive analytics and reporting capabilities. By doing so, you can quickly analyze all aspects of your events to identify strengths and figure out what to fine-tune.
Bizzabo offers tons of event intelligence functionality, including the ability to track ticket sales and revenue, monitor attendee demographics and preferences, analyze marketing campaign performance, generate custom reports for data-driven decision-making, and more.
5. Marketing and Promotional Tools
The right event ticketing solution will connect with the other marketing systems your event team relies on. At the same time, it will enable you to easily share event content on social channels and launch promotional campaigns to drive engagement and attendance.
Bizzabo provides end-to-end event marketing tools to help you convert more registrants into attendees with personalized registration flows, advanced promo codes, social sharing, UTM tracking, and more. Bizzabo also lets you launch referral and affiliate marketing options to drive more registrations.
6. Customizable Branding and Ticketing
Your events are uniquely yours. That’s why the event ticketing platform you choose should offer custom branding options for ticket pages and registration forms, so you can make each digital event property your own.
Bizzabo offers a private-labeling option for customers looking to deliver a seamless brand experience, including customizable e-tickets with unique event details and branding options.
7. Attendee Engagement Features
Your event ticketing platform should streamline the registration process, but it shouldn’t stop there. Leading solutions also enable you to engage attendees throughout the event with interactive event agendas, session scheduling, and communication options.
Bizzabo is packed with features designed to keep your audience engaged, including live polling and Q&A capabilities, networking and AI-powered matchmaking tools, group chat, direct messaging, and more.
8. Check-in and Onsite Management
Continuing the theme, the right event ticketing system should also expedite the onsite check-in process while making managing event responsibilities easier for your team. For the best results, look for an event ticketing platform that gives attendees and event staff the tools to ensure optimal event experiences for everyone involved.
From wearable tech networking solutions (as seen at INBOUND) and DIY event check-in software to custom event apps and elevated onsite services for those who need it, Bizzabo makes managing an event easier than ever before with a wealth of onsite event management offerings.
9. Customer Support and Help Desk
As with any technology, it’s only a matter of time before something breaks. Should that happen, it’s essential to have a team to turn to for help. Before signing any contracts, ensure you’re impressed by your event ticketing provider’s support capabilities.
Bizzabo’s customer support team is standing by 24/7 to help event organizers and attendees with potential problems. Plus, our responsive help desk and comprehensive knowledge base ensure you can navigate issues quickly.
10. Integrations with Other Marketing and Event Tools
Unless you’re keen on hopping from one platform to the next and back again — and manually porting data between systems — you’ll want a platform that integrates with the tools your event staff uses daily.
Bizzabo integrates with the most popular marketing automation platforms, including Marketo, HubSpot, Salesforce, and Pardot. Our open API gives you limitless access to all event data, which you can use to instantly enrich any API-enabled platform.
Event Ticketing Platforms: Pricing and Cost Considerations
With any technology purchase, it’s essential to consider what you can afford.
As you begin narrowing down your options, balancing the features you need with budgetary constraints is important. Rather than combining many different point solutions to create your event tech stack, you may be better off looking for an all-in-one event management solution that gives you everything you need to put on your best event yet — through a single pane of glass.
At the end of the day, event organizers must prioritize the attendee experience and bake convenience into their event strategy wherever possible. Investing in the best event ticket management software solution can streamline the user experience during the registration process, increasing conversions. At the same time, you also give event staff the tools and data they need to continuously optimize the event experience — and enjoy better business outcomes because of it.
To learn more about why Bizzabo is the ideal event ticketing platform for your next B2B conference, check out our on-demand demo!
