12 Event Marketing Stats You Need to Know (2023)

In the past 12 months, my BDC colleagues and I have put on more than 750 events from coast-to-coast-to-coast. That's more than 2 events every day!

We host events, we sponsor events and we send speakers to events, reaching thousands of entrepreneurs and members of the Canadian business community.

In March 2020, COVID-19 forced us all to undergo rapid changes. The impact was pretty devastating some. Luckily, we at BDC were able to transform many of ours into online events though many still had to be canceled or postponed.

Three years later, the industry is back. And events have not lost their appeal and still bring lots of value to attendees and to the businesses that organize them.

According to PCMA, business events add over $1 trillion to the global economy annually.

In addition to boosting their bottom line, a majority of companies host events to help improve awareness of their brand. Here are some recent statistics:

Return on investment

1. Nearly 80% of US marketers use events to boost sales. (Inc.)
2. More than half of marketers think event marketing drives the best ROI. (Splash )
3. 3 out of 4 event attendees agree that their opinion of the company/brand improved after attending. (Zippia)
4. A third of marketers consider event marketing the most effective marketing channel (99firms).

Technology

1. 9 in 10 of event organizers that use event technology save 200 hours per year. (Interprefy)
2. Nearly 60% of event management software users say they can better track ROI. (Endless Events)
3. According to a 2023 survey, the most-popular channel for spreading the word about events was organic, unpaid social media (43%), followed by email marketing (40%). (Eventbrite)
4. Virtual events are still relevant: Nearly 50% of survey respondents said they like that they can still tune in even if they are unable to travel to the event. A similar number, 45%, said they appreciate that attendee costs are usually lower than in-person events. (Eventbrite)

Event participants

1. More events in 2023: Over 40% of boomers said they plan to attend more events than 2022. More than 60% of Gen X and millennials say the same. Less than 10% of all respondents say they plan to attend fewer events. (Eventbrite)
2. 98% of event participants capture content while attending live events. (PR Newswire)
3. 8 in 10 event participants say networking is their number one priority. (SpeakerHub)
4. Greener events: A 2023 survey found that over half (51%) of respondents say environmental sustainability was more important to them than it was one year prior. (IBM)

In today's business world, even with COVID-19 behind us, it is no secret that events are an integral part of marketing and communications strategies. They provide an excellent opportunity for professionals to connect, share their ideas, and build valuable relationships.

Don’t hesitate to write me if you have any questions or suggestions of statistics to add to this article!