Perhaps it’s an indicator of heightened attendee expectations, better tools and platforms for measuring feedback — or a combination of these and other factors — but turning to data for improved events has never been bigger. We reached out to a handful of expert planners who are leveraging all kinds of analytics, both onsite and post-event, to take their meetings and conferences to new heights. Here they share insights on the best data to garner, top tools for doing so and actionable ways to apply the numbers to forge better events moving forward.

Data Moves to the Center of Event Strategy

All across the meetings and events sector, data has evolved from a helpful add-on to a vital foundational planning tool. What once served mainly as a post event evaluation mechanism has become a guiding force from the earliest planning conversations. Planners are turning to analytics to validate decisions, anticipate challenges and craft experiences that feel more intentional and more aligned with attendee expectations.

Heather Sampson, CMP Fellow, DES, founder and CEO of Aspire Meetings & Events, has long believed that data belongs at the heart of planning. She says, “Data analytics has always been an integral part of my planning process,” adding, “It’s impossible to make intelligent business decisions based solely on hunches and assumptions — having tangible data is key!”

Her team uses analytics across nearly every operational layer — from budgeting to sourcing to marketing to onsite engagement. “We use data when budgeting, preparing RFPs to source venues and event services, tracking registration and housing pacing, measuring attendee engagement during events, assessing exhibitor and sponsor engagement with attendees, developing more targeted marketing campaigns, and finalizing event specs and F&B guarantees.”

In the medical and patient safety sector, data shapes content itself. Jenna Hummell, manager of events and education at the Medical Professional Liability Association in Rockville, MD, says, “For our industry specifically, data changes the content of our sessions all the time,” adding, “We rely on hospital and medical claims data to shape the direction of our patient safety content.”

Another voice coaxing the industry toward deeper, earlier use of data is Tenyse Williams, founder and CEO of Verified Consulting in New York, NY. She believes that data shouldn’t just guide event planning — it should precede it. “Data should be shaping the event before a single agenda item is locked in,” she says.

For Williams, the starting point is always the audience. “When I work with clients and partners on events, I always start with the audience. What do they actually want? Why are they buying a ticket or showing up? What will make them feel like this was worth their time?”

Her strategy mixes traditional analytics with modern listening tools. “Previous attendee data, registration insights, even social listening, all of that tells you what your audience values before you ever open a planning deck.” And those insights don’t just shape programming — they strengthen sponsor relationships. “If their target audience will be in the room, they need to know what those people care about and why this event matters to them. That is how you make a stronger case for partnership, and it starts with the data.”

Williams even brings her audience into the planning process. “I actually made it fun by asking certain questions pre-event on my social media when I produced my event in partnership with Samsung and the Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD), asking what type of talent and questions I should ask to make this a valuable experience for the audience,” she says. The results were immediate. “Now, the audience and sponsors are asking me to do more events because it was valuable for each party.”

Meanwhile, for movement based and community driven organizations, data ensures that events feel aligned with attendee values. Justine Broughal, co-owner of Greater Good Events and Together Events, in Portland, OR, emphasizes the importance of designing with intention from the outset. “Drawing on attendee feedback from previous events allows us to design with intention from the very beginning — not just evaluate afterward.”

And for experiential producer Nikki Yep, Co-owner and COO at Event Solutions in Santa Monica, CA, data has replaced guesswork entirely.

“Honestly, it’s stopped us from guessing,” she says. “I used to rely a lot on my gut and standard percentages — which is still important — but now we use the registration process as our actual roadmap.”

Across sectors, planners are using data to build events that are more responsive, more efficient and more attuned to what attendees truly want.

Understanding Attendee Behavior

If data is the engine behind modern events, attendee behavior is the fuel. Planners are tracking more behavioral signals than ever — from registration pacing to dietary needs to heat-mapping foot traffic — and using them to shape more responsive, efficient and personalized experiences.

One of the most significant behavioral shifts in recent years is the rise of late registrations. Sampson has seen this trend across multiple clients and notes that it has become a defining factor in forecasting. “We track the pacing of registrations and hotel reservations in our room block, to predict whether attendance is up or down, throughout the registration process.”

But the real challenge comes from the increasingly compressed registration window. “Many of our clients are seeing a significant increase in late registrations (three weeks prior to the event or fewer), so comparing year-over-year history helps us better predict our final anticipated attendance, seating requirements for our larger sessions and even F&B guarantees — which are now due much earlier than in the past.”

Hummell echoes this shift. “One thing we’ve noticed is that attendees are registering much later than they used to.” She attributes this to broader lifestyle changes. “Airline flexibility and being able to work remotely have completely changed the game.”

Williams sees this trend as part of a larger shift in attendee psychology. People are no longer committing early unless they feel confident the event will deliver value. That’s why she believes pre-event listening is essential. Understanding what motivates late deciding attendees can help planners craft messaging and programming that resonates earlier — and more powerfully.

Mobile App Engagement & Digital Footprints

Mobile apps have become a powerful tool for understanding attendee journeys. Sampson notes that app adoption continues to rise. “Our conference mobile app continues to be a significant indicator of attendee engagement onsite.” At her most recent conference, adoption increased by 8%, and she observed a corresponding rise in peer-to-peer networking.

The app’s analytics offer a detailed picture of attendee behavior. “The metrics provided with our conference app help paint a picture of each attendee’s journey — who they connect with, what sessions and events they attend, how many evaluations they complete, how many exhibitors’ booth profiles they visit and interact with, how many handouts/resources they download and so much more.”

Yep takes behavior analysis even further. “Onsite, we use ‘passive data’ like heat-mapping,” she explains. “If we see people are hovering around a specific art installation or a tech demo but walking right past the coffee bar, it tells us where the ‘energy’ is.”

Williams adds that some of the most valuable real-time data isn’t digital at all — it’s emotional. She pays close attention to the energy in the room, the body language of attendees and the tone of online chatter. “Some of the most valuable data right now is not coming from a platform. It is coming from real conversations.”

Dietary, Accessibility & Personal Needs

For Broughal, the most valuable data is often the most human. “More broadly, having accurate and thoughtful registration data is essential,” she says. Her team collects detailed information on dietary restrictions, accessibility needs and even childcare or travel considerations.

She stresses the nuance required to interpret this data. “Someone with a mild gluten sensitivity may be able to navigate a buffet, while someone with celiac disease often requires a fully separate, carefully prepared meal.”

Yep connects dietary data to sustainability. “Knowing exactly how many vegans or gluten-free guests are coming isn’t just about the menu — it’s about sustainability.”

Williams agrees that personalization is becoming a defining expectation. Attendees want to feel seen — not processed. And the data supports that shift toward more intimate, more intentional experiences.

Audience-First Strategy

While many planners begin with logistics, Williams begins with people — and she believes the industry is moving in that direction. Her philosophy is simple: the most successful events are built from the inside out, starting with the motivations, anxieties and aspirations of the audience.

She argues that the most overlooked data is often the most accessible. “Some of the most valuable data right now is not coming from a platform. It is coming from real conversations — live testimonials, post-event feedback threads, candid social media commentary.” These unfiltered insights reveal what attendees actually value — and what they’re tired of.

Williams notes a growing skepticism about traditional conferences. “There is a very real conversation happening about whether conferences and events are even worth attending anymore.” But the data, she says, points to a clear answer: “People are valuing community and intimacy over scale.”

This shift is pushing planners to rethink formats. Instead of massive general sessions, attendees want curated workshops, small group discussions and opportunities for genuine connection. Williams sees this as a positive evolution — one that rewards creativity and intentionality.

She points to the Women in Restaurant Leadership Conference as a model. “It is a large conference with an intimate approach,” she says. Their networking format — which she describes as “modern day musical chairs” — uses facilitators and targeted questions to spark meaningful dialogue. “Instead of the generic ‘what do you do?’ icebreaker, you are working through a real strategy or sharing a real experience with the people at your table.”

For Williams, this is the future: events that feel personal, purposeful and deeply connected to the people in the room.

Designing Human-Centered Experiences

While data is often associated with efficiency and optimization, many planners emphasize its role in creating more human, more meaningful experiences.

Broughal opines that attendee expectations have shifted dramatically. “Data has become such a vital part of event planning because expectations have shifted; attendees want experiences that feel thoughtful, inclusive and worth their time,” she says.

Williams spots the same trend — and notes that some of the most important insights aren’t coming from dashboards at all. “Live testimonials, post-event feedback threads, candid social media commentary … people are valuing community and intimacy over scale,” she says.

That shift is reshaping formats across the industry. “They want meaningful connections, not just large rooms,” she says. As a result, planners are moving away from traditional panels and toward more interactive, participatory formats. This includes,“workshops, interactive sessions and educational experiences where every attendee leaves with something tangible.”

In regard to what Williams shared about networking and intentional design, Yep says, “If I see that most people are signing up because they want to network rather than watch a presentation, I’m going to change the floor plan weeks in advance.”

Even small insights can result in meaningful changes. Hummell noticed a shift in beverage preferences. “I’ve noticed that our attendees aren’t drinking alcohol as much as they used to,” she says. “I’ve started adding flavored sparkling water to all my events and it’s been a big hit.”

Real-Time Decision Making

One of the most powerful evolutions in event analytics is the ability to make informed decisions on the fly. Real time data allows planners to respond to crowd behavior, adjust programming and solve problems before attendees even notice them.

Yep shares a vivid example from a large outdoor corporate festival. “About two hours in, our real-time heat maps showed a massive bottleneck in the ‘Island Vibes’ section while the ‘Tech Garden’ was under-utilized.” Her team acted immediately, sending a targeted push notification and shifting entertainment to balance the crowd.

Williams emphasizes that real time data isn’t limited to dashboards. “When I have moderated panels or supported event programming, I pay close attention to what is happening in the room and online during the event itself,” she says, adding, that at WiRL 2026 in Charleston, “the audience leaned in harder on personal storytelling and career pivots than on the more tactical content.”

That kind of insight allows planners and speakers to pivot. “You adjust the conversation, extend the Q&A or redirect the next session to match what the room is actually responding to.”

Sampson says she also uses real time attendance data “to reduce unnecessary expenses and food waste.”

Exhibitor, Sponsor & Stakeholder Insights

Data isn’t just transforming attendee experiences — it’s reshaping how planners support exhibitors, sponsors and member organizations.

Sampson recalls exhibitors who complained about low traffic despite crowded aisles. Her team created a heat map of lead generation activity. “Surprisingly, many of the highest performing booths were near those exhibitors complaining that traffic was light,” she says. She also discovered that exhibitors who invested in sponsorships scanned significantly more leads. “We learned that the exhibitors who invested in advertising or sponsorships scanned 25% more leads than those with just a booth,” she says.

Richard Vallaster aka “The Trade Show Wonk,” senior director of industry strategy of Momentive Software, emphasizes the importance of understanding non-attendees as well, saying, “While this data is valuable and essential, it overlooks a critical segment, those who chose not to participate or attend.”

He also highlights the value of buyer focused data. “By collecting data on attendees’ purchasing influence, decision-making authority and product or service interests, organizers can create accurate attendee profiles,” says Vallaster.

Williams adds that sponsors increasingly expect this level of insight. They want to know not just who attended, but what those attendees care about, how they behave and what motivates them. Data, she says, is now a core part of the sponsorship value proposition.

Tools, Overload & Interpretation

While many planners struggle with not enough data, Williams argues the opposite: the real challenge is too much. “The biggest challenge is not having too little data. It has too much and does not know what is relevant or accurate,” she says. With information coming from registration platforms, social media analytics, email engagement, sponsor dashboards and surveys, fragmentation becomes a major obstacle. “None of them are talking to each other,” she warns. “The risk is that you end up drowning in numbers without a clear story.”

Her advice is simple but powerful: start with the question. “Start with the question you are trying to answer before you ever open a dashboard.” She adds, “The industry is moving toward integrated event platforms that reduce friction, eliminate manual exports and give leadership measurable ROI tied directly to pipeline and engagement.”

But even with better tools, she believes human interpretation remains essential. “You still need a human being who understands the audience to interpret what the data actually means,” she explains.

Privacy, Transparency & Ethical Use

As data collection deepens, so does the responsibility to handle it ethically. Sampson emphasizes transparency. “We abide by all of the requirements related to the collection of personally identifiable information. It’s important to stay above board and transparent with data collection policies and maintain attendee trust,” she says.

AI, Predictive Analytics & Beyond

Every expert agrees that AI will play a transformative role in the years ahead. Sampson sees AI as a solution to the industry’s biggest challenge: the gap between data collection and data analysis. “Too often, organizations aren’t collecting enough data, or are sitting on a treasure trove of data but lack the time or resources to analyze it,” she says.

Hummell believes AI will streamline planning tasks. “Gone are the days when you have to manually create schedules, seating charts, menus, etc.”

Yep imagines AI driven sentiment analysis and sustainability tools. “Imagine a future where we can use AI to analyze ‘crowd sentiment’ in real-time … AI-driven waste tracking will be huge,” she notes.

Vallaster offers a philosophical perspective. “Face-to-face interactions will become rare opportunities to separate artificial from authentic,” he says.

Williams agrees that AI will be powerful — but warns that it cannot replace human intuition. Data can reveal patterns, but only people can interpret meaning. The future, she believes, belongs to planners who can blend analytics with empathy.

Data as a Catalyst for Better Events

Across every interview, one theme emerges: data isn’t replacing the human side of events — it’s enhancing it. It helps planners design experiences that are more inclusive, more responsive, more sustainable and more aligned with what attendees truly want. It empowers exhibitors and sponsors with clearer ROI. It enables real time decision-making that keeps events flowing smoothly. And it opens the door to new technologies that will continue to elevate the industry.

As Broughal puts it, “For us, it’s not just about optimization — it’s about care.”

Data helps planners understand what people need in order to feel comfortable, engaged and connected — and that ultimately leads to stronger, more meaningful events. | AC&F |