SOCIAL WEBCASTING PLATFORM

Want to incorporate social media tools into your webcasts? Check out ON24’s Social Webcasting solution. The open webcasting platform offers enhanced interactivity with social networking capabilities such as group chat, Twitter and moderated Q&A sessions. The solution, which lets users integrate applications developed by third-party developers, produces live and on-demand webcasts, podcasts and rich media marketing pieces coupled with detailed reporting and analysis tools to measure audience engagement and effectiveness. The software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform lets users access content directly through the Web, without dial-in numbers or conference calls. To complement virtual event branding, the platform can also be customized with skins and layouts to create branded audience consoles, custom registration pages and HTML e-mails. Currently in beta testing, the solution will be available in late May (www.on24.com).

VIRTUAL EVENT SOCIAL MEDIA SOLUTION

If you’re looking for some interactive ways to jazz up your next virtual event, consider the InXpo Social Suite. It’s a package of social media tools and interactive games (such as golf and Missile Command) that offers attendees social media functionality without having to leave the virtual event environment. The package includes Twitter functionality that enables attendees to view and respond to all tweets associated with a hashtag attached to a sponsor, exhibitor or overall event; the ability to update Facebook walls with event-related discussions and seek out existing LinkedIn connections attending the same event; and invites to multiple people to text or videobased chats. InXpo says the gaming capabilities could extend across all markets. Last fall, Cisco Systems offered a virtual game as part of a sales training conference. Although the social media suite will be offered under existing InXpo pricing, there will be separate fees for game development (www.inxpo.com).

EVENT DATA CAPTURE AND MATERIAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

Let attendees decide what information they want to access from exhibitors with Crick Information Technologies’ Living Tradeshow solution. The turnkey software and hardware system lets attendees and exhibitors exchange business information using a small, one-button, handheld Crick-IT device. Attendees can use the device, which is distributed free at the show, to point at an exhibitor’s booth to collect electronic marketing information that the exhibitor wants to share (such as brochures, catalogs, presentations and video) and later view their show materials in a personal, Web-based account that can be accessed months after the show ends. For exhibitors, the solution lets them update show materials at any time, capture attendees’ contact information and leads, and enables staff to see who’s “cricking” their booth and accessing certain show materials in real time. The system serves as a new revenue source for organizers, who can offer the system as part of their exhibitor packages or sponsorships (www.livingtradeshow.com).