Good morning, Marketers, Spotify will have to do for now.
I turned down free tickets to see Shakey Graves last night, even though seeing live music is my favorite outing of all. It was a personal decision, but the idea of packing into a concert hall didn’t feel right. It felt all too soon.
I’m sure plenty of people felt differently, but I’m also sure plenty of people feel the same. That divide is playing out for all kinds of gatherings, including in-person conferences. For example, respondents in our latest Events Participation Index survey gave the likelihood they’d attend an in-person event in the first half of 2022 a 5 out of 10. That’s not what event organizers want to hear.
We’ve already committed SMX — Search Market Expo — to staying virtual in 2022, but others are still planning plenty of in-person business events next year. Attendees will make personal decisions about attending, but event organizers need to make the best decisions for their business. We hope the data we’ve compiled helps.
Henry Powderly,
VP, Content
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