The Critical Importance of Choosing the Right Event Technology for Mission-Critical Events
Event technology is more crucial now than ever. With many events, you must rely on various platforms and tools to relay critical information. When conveying important details, the wrong communication tool can break an event, so your goal should be to mobilize support and foster engagement with a clear and concise message.
In today’s landscape, selecting the right event technology is crucial for mission-critical situations.
The 2024 Presidential Election highlighted the role event technology platforms play in conveying key information and connecting candidates with wider audiences. However, the election also showed the importance of using platforms with the necessary security and scalability to host large-scale events. For example, President-Elect Donald Trump participated in an interview with Elon Musk on X’s Spaces platform during his campaign. The interview had numerous technical issues right from the start making it begin 40 minutes later than scheduled.
Poor technology use can lead to:
- Misinformation
- Data and security risks
- Accessibility restrictions
These issues emphasize the need to choose the right tools for effective communication, ensuring successful events.
Miscommunication and Misinformation
One of the most significant risks of using inadequate technology is the potential for miscommunication. This is especially true in high-stakes contexts like election campaigns or investor relations events, where accuracy and reliability are essential. If an event depends on an unreliable platform, or one with frequent technical issues, to share updates, the risk of spreading misinformation increases.
It’s also essential that the platform is free from interference or censorship, which can distort public perception and undermine trust in the process. Technology failures, such as scale, audio, and visual issues, open the door for misinformation. For investor relations events, providing stakeholders with accurate and transparent information is crucial for informed decision-making about company operations. Miscommunication about a company’s financial performance, growth potential, or strategic direction can erode trust and cause investors to lose confidence.
Miscommunication and misinformation can result in:
- Confusion
- Damaged relationships
- Financial shortfalls
- Lasting reputational harm
To mitigate these risks and ensure a successful event, it’s important to ensure transparency, align messaging with the event’s goals, and maintain a consistent flow of information.
Security & Privacy Risks
Security and data breaches are a major threat for any virtual or hybrid event. Scalability is a crucial factor in a platform’s security and privacy. There should be no doubt when accommodating audiences of different sizes or scaling from 10,000 to 100,000 attendees without warning.
With the increasing reliance on webcasting platforms for virtual and hybrid events—where both in-person and remote participation are combined—event organizers must consider various security risks that can negatively impact the attendee experience. Security threats such as Zoombombing, denial-of-service attacks, and social engineering expose sensitive or confidential information to unauthorized access, putting both event participants and organizers at significant risk. These breaches can lead to disruptions, loss of trust, and financial or reputational harm, underscoring the importance of robust cybersecurity measures for event success.
By deploying a modern, scalable event platform in a private cloud, high-traffic events can adapt to changing demands. This includes potential security threats and unexpected audience sizes by efficiently allocating resources and closely monitoring activity.
Negative Brand Perception
The technology used to deliver a message can significantly impact public perception, especially since brand image is crucial. An event with consistent technical difficulties, or one that seems unprofessional due to poor platform choices may damage its credibility. Event technology platforms that offer full branding control over the audience experience enable candidates to elevate their brand and engage with audiences in an intentional way. From product launches to investor relations and nonprofit fundraising events, the right event technology platform provider can be a critical determinant of an event’s success.
For instance, a recent Zoom investor relations video event for Q3 FY 2025 earnings showed how video quality degraded on the Zoom platform for live events when more than 1,000 attendees joined. Further, the event’s transparency was eroded when Zoom posted an entirely different recording to its investor relations website archive, which fixed the video quality issues.
The event technology platform decision has far-reaching implications for communication, engagement, security, and brand perception. High-stakes events must prioritize selecting reliable, secure, and effective tools to relay critical information. Doing this can ensure that their message resonates with attendees, which are often high-power personnel like stakeholders, fosters meaningful engagement, and enhances their chances of future success.
As enterprises and organizations expand their digital footprints, the stakes related to operational efficiency, security, and overall success rise considerably. In today’s technology-driven landscape, the strategic use of proper technological solutions is not just beneficial—it is essential. From streamlining workflows and enhancing customer engagement to safeguarding sensitive data and ensuring scalability, event technology is vital for navigating challenges and seizing growth opportunities.
Without the right technology, organizations risk falling behind in an evolving digital environment.
About the Author
Trent Waterhouse is the CMO of GlobalMeet, a leading virtual event technology company with a scalable, flexible, and secure hybrid event streaming platform built and supported by experienced event experts. Trent has a proven track record of driving growth with 35 years of expertise leveraging a field sales marketing model that aligns sales, marketing, and R&D to think like a customer, act like a partner, and measure success through customer satisfaction and net promoters.
