Event Analytics: Using data to plan your next event
Event analytics are one of the most effective ways to improve the quality and impact of future events. Every interaction at your last event leaves a trail of information, from session attendance to sponsor engagement. When reviewed carefully, this data can guide decisions for the next event, ensuring the program, audience experience, and partnerships are even stronger.
In this article, we look at how to interpret analytics from your previous event and apply the findings to your next one.
Understanding audience needs through event analytics
Audience data is a direct insight into what participants value. An event management platform makes it possible to see how attendees interact with different parts of the event, both in person and online.
Key data areas to review
- Page views and navigation
Reviewing which sections of the event app received the most traffic can show what attendees considered most important. Look for high numbers of saved sessions, speaker profiles that have been favourited and activity on the social wall. - Session attendance and watch time
Attendance numbers and watch time reveal which topics were the most relevant and which formats held attention. If a session drew a large audience but had a high drop-off rate, it may suggest the content was not aligned with expectations. You can track on-site sessions through session check ins or session registration numbers. - Search activity
The words attendees type into the app’s search bar show what they wanted to find. If certain searches return no results, that is a gap that can be addressed in the next program.
How to use data insights
If analytics show that specific themes or formats consistently engage audiences, those can be expanded or featured more prominently. Where engagement was low, adjustments can be made to improve clarity, timing, or promotion.
Using event analytics to strengthen sponsorship proposals
Sponsors are key stakeholders, and event analytics can play a decisive role in retaining them and increasing revenue. The data you collect not only helps show the value delivered but also positions you to sell sponsorship opportunities more effectively in the future.
Demonstrating ROI with data
Your post-event analytics provide measurable proof of sponsor visibility and engagement. By sharing reports with concrete numbers, you help sponsors see how their investment translated into exposure and lead generation. This can include:
- Booth traffic– Number of attendees who checked in for a booth talk, who talked with an exhibitor (and had their badge scanned), who scanned the QR code on the brochures at the booth that lead to the exhibitor profile in the app.
- Digital engagement – Clicks on sponsor banners, views of sponsored sessions, or interactions with exhibitor profiles in the event app.
- Lead capture – Data from badge scans, one-to-one meetings, and contact requests through the app.
Designing sponsorship packages with event analytics
Analytics also help you create more targeted sponsorship packages. Through analytics you can identify high-performing placements on-site and in-app in past events. Then you can include those in premium packages. Meanwhile, the less-used options can be reworked or bundled with more visible placements. Common approaches include:
- Individual showcases – Create a tile for the exhibitor on the home screen, in the programme banner, push notifications or as part of gamification.
- Tiered packages – Group sponsor features into packages aligned with sponsorship levels or budgets, such as gold, silver, and bronze tiers.
- Exclusive platform sponsorship – Offer one sponsor complete branding across the platform for maximum visibility during the event.
Bringing exhibitors back year after year
The key to retaining sponsors is demonstrating their return on investment clearly. After the event, share analytics reports that include metrics such as impressions, clicks, session attendance, and meeting activity. By combining these numbers with examples of premium placements and activation ideas, you create a compelling case for sponsors to return, often at higher levels of investment.
Want more tips on Sponsor ROI?
Read our Sponsor Guide.
Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses through data
Analytics provide a clear picture of what worked and what needs attention.
✅ Strengths to maintain
Look for areas with consistently high engagement. This could be specific sessions, networking activities, or features that saw strong repeat use such as contact requests or posting on the social wall.
❌ Weaknesses to address
Low engagement points highlight opportunities for improvement. Sessions with small audiences or high drop-off rates may benefit from different timing, revised topics, or stronger promotion. Features that were rarely used might need better placement or explanation, or could be replaced. Talk with your dedicated customer success manager to discuss how you can further utilise the features on the platform.
Turning data into a plan for the next event
Analytics are most valuable when they inform the next event’s planning.
A practical process might include:
- Review overall engagement – Total attendance, session popularity, platform usage.
- Analyse high performers – Identify the sessions, topics, and formats with the most interaction.
- Segment your audience – Consider the needs of first-time attendees, returning participants, and VIPs.
- Refine content strategy – Adjust the program based on proven topics and engagement patterns.
- Enhance sponsorship packages – Use data to design packages that deliver clear value.
- Improve the attendee journey – Address navigation, scheduling, or accessibility issues identified in the data.
Building on success year after year
Each event produces valuable information. Reviewing analytics after every event and applying the findings to the next one creates a consistent cycle of improvement. Attendees experience content and networking that align with their needs. Sponsors see the impact of their investment. Organisers gain a reliable way to measure and increase the value of their events over time.
Bringing it all together with floq
The quality of your next event depends on how well you understand the one you just delivered. Floq’s analytics give organisers a complete picture of event performance, from attendee engagement to sponsor activity. Every action is captured and presented in clear reports that make it easy to see what worked and where there is room for improvement.
With floq, detailed analytics are available at any point during and after the event. Data can be exported with just a few clicks, making it simple to share results with sponsors, team members, and other stakeholders. Whether you are presenting ROI to sponsors, analysing engagement to refine the program, or reviewing navigation patterns to improve the attendee experience, all the information you need is easy to access.
If you want to see how Floq can help you track, analyse, and improve your events, book a demo below and explore the possibilities for your next event.
