Top 100 Event Marketing Statistics for Marketers [2024]

Everyone has experienced the COVID-19 era, and many of us can attest that a world without events is quite dry and dull. The beauty of hosting events is that it not only brings people together but also increases the number of consumption, hence, serves as a valuable tool for marketers.

Here, we’ve compiled 100 facts and figures about event marketing for you, as marketers and businesses, to enhance your marketing strategies. Are you ready to explore our event statistics? Let’s get started.

Event Industry Growth Statistics

Event marketing is something you can’t ignore as a marketer, especially considering its growth in the post-COVID-19 era. Check out the statistics below to understand why it’s a key component of your marketing strategies.

1. From the projection, it is believed that by 2026, the event marketing industry will grow to $36.31 billion. (Exploding Topics, 2023)
2. However, the concept of ‘event’ has shifted to more of a virtual thing, as more than 90% of marketers said that their virtual and hybrid events have been doing pretty well. (Exploding Topics, 2023)
3. Similarly, 90% of event organizers believe that within the next two years, all large-scale events will shift to virtual or hybrid events. (Exploding Topics, 2023)
4. Looking from the audience’s perspective, more than half of attendees (57%) say they want to see more live streaming at events. (Exploding Topics, 2023)

Event Marketing Spending Stats

To understand the significance of event marketing, it’s worthwhile to examine how other participants in the market allocate their budgets to events. Below, you’ll find some essential statistics that can provide valuable insights.

1. More than half of the organizers (54%) have a budget for the event of more than $500,000, but only 22.3% of them have a budget of more than $1 million. (Bizzabo, 2023)
2. Most of the time, these budgets are primarily allocated to marketing, followed by catering and venue costs. (Bizzabo, 2023)
3. The statistics from 2022 show us that 13.8% of organizations allocate budgets of over $500,000 for virtual events; 14.2% have budgets ranging from $100,000 to $500,000; lastly, 18% have budgets ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. (Elevant, 2022)
4. From the attendee’s perspective, 90% of them are willing to spend more if companies personalize their offered services. (Zendesk, 2022)
5. 46.3% of event professionals are concerned that one of the major challenges they are facing is the significantly increased cost of holding events. (Knowland, 2022)
6. Nearly half of event professionals (48.1%) anticipate that the cost of food and beverages will be 20-50% higher in 2023. (Knowland, 2022)
7. Moreover, 21% of them express concern about their clients’ reduced budget for events. (Knowland, 2022)
8. Only 7% of event professionals show no concern about a recession and its potential impact on the industry. (Knowland, 2022)

Event Marketing ROI and Metrics Stats

There’s also another way you can better understand the importance of event marketing and that is seeing their results: ROI and other metrics. Here are some statistics you probably need to know.

1. More than half of marketers believe that event marketing is one of the best methods to boost ROI.
2. Fortunately, three-fourths of event attendees admit that their opinion has changed positively after attending particular branded events.
3. Almost 20% of event planners also expect that in 2023, they will be able to drive more ROI from events. (Knowland, 2022)
4. However, 26.2% of event planners think that in 2023, the ROI will not change so much, compared to last year’s figure. (Knowland, 2022)
5. Today, nearly 80% of marketers in the United States use events as a method to boost the number of sales.

In-person Event Stats

While many people have shifted to virtual or hybrid events, you still can’t underestimate the power of in-person events. Let the following statistics prove to you why you might need to reconsider some of your thoughts toward in-person events.

1. From the number in 2022, it is expected that 87% of events should have some sort of in-person elements. (AMEX, 2022)
2. In 2022, it is said that 98% of event organizers planned to host at least one in-person event in the next year, while 85% of them planned to host at least three. Moreover, 35% of them plan to host at least ten. (Bizzabo, 2022)
3. In 2023, according to 55% of event organizers, they are planning to make most of their events in person. (Bizzabo, 2023)
4. More than half of event organizers (52.1%) have seen an increased number of attendees during the past few years at their B2B in-person conferences. (Bizzabo, 2023)
5. Around 69% of attendees think that in-person B2B conferences help them learn more about new products and new services. (Bizzabo, 2023)
6. However, around 77% of attendees think that in-person conferences are platforms that offer an ideal networking environment. (Bizzabo, 2023)
7. No wonder why 78% of attendees would like to network with other attendees in an in-person event. (Bizzabo, 2021)
8. From another perspective, 82.8% of organizers also share the similar sentiment about in-person conferences being well-suited for networking. (Bizzabo, 2023)
9. The number shows us that in 2024, 86.4% of organizers plan to either maintain the same number of events as in 2023 or increase the number of in-person events. (Bizzabo, 2023) 
10. Also, 95% of marketers believe that holding in-person events can help them achieve business goals. (Bizzabo, 2020)
11. 72% of event organizers share the opinion that in-person events are one of the crucial parts in their marketing strategy. (Bizzabo, 2022)
12. Today, around 80% of organizers consider in-person events as one of the most impactful marketing channels out there. (Bizzabo, 2023)
13. Not surprisingly, an estimated 72.7% of organizers say that their bosses and C-suite actively support their in-person event strategies. (Bizzabo, 2023)
14. However, there is also a con to having in-person events, as more than half of event organizers (55%) say that safety is the major obstacle to resuming in-person events. (EventMB, 2020)
15. Ultimately, one thing you need to know is: the average cost of an in-person event is 47.8% higher than the average cost of a virtual one. (Zippia, 2022)

Virtual Event Statistics

With the rising trend of holding virtual events, let’s see how well they perform in the marketing game from the statistics below.

1. Based on a survey of more than 8,000 marketers in 2022, 40% of events were going to be virtual events. (Statista, 2022)
2. Customer relations, education, and retention: 55% of organizers believe that these are the main goals for their virtual events. (Bizzabo, 2020)
3. According to the number, 62% of virtual events are one-day events. (Bizzabo, 2020)
4. 61% of event professionals see eye to eye that keeping attendees engaged is their major obstacle to holding virtual events. (Forrester, 2021)
5. The number on the attendee’s side also corresponds, as only 13% of virtual attendees would like to network with other attendees, while 18% of them prefer to not socialize at all. (Bizzabo, 2021)
6. Fortunately enough, almost half of attendees (42%) would attend online again, even though they’d prefer to join in-person events. (Bizzabo, 2021)
7. The new concept of virtual events challenged 52.5% of event marketers, believing that this requires a different set of skills and resources. (Bizzabo, 2020)
8. No wonder why 52.9% of event marketers believe it is more difficult to create unique and memorable experiences for virtual attendees, unlike the in-person attendees. (Bizzabo, 2020)
9. One thing to know is that 58% of virtual sessions are smaller, with only 300 live attendees maximum. (Bizzabo, 2020)
10. However, the bright side of this is that around 80% of event organizers are allowed to reach a wider group of audience with virtual events. (Bizzabo, 2020)
11. Anyhow, one good thing about virtual events is how much more cost-effective they are, compared to physical events, and 84% of organizations agree with this statement. (WildApricot, 2020)
12. Now, we can say that hard work falls on the event organizers’ shoulders, as 71% of event professionals say that it’s difficult to accurately mimic the real-life experience in virtual events; 67% of them also say that it’s difficult to articulate a brand narrative in virtual events. (BlueJeans and Forrester, 2021)
13. Today, more than half of event marketers (62.6%) collaborate with a production team to help execute better virtual events. (Bizzabo, 2020)
14. Believe it or not, 93% of event professionals plan to invest in virtual events moving forward. (Bizzabo, 2020)

Hybrid Event Statistics

Unsure whether you should go for in-person or virtual events? There is a middle option: hybrid events. Get to know how they are performing in the event marketing industry through these statistics.

1. 40.6% of attendees said that hybrid was their most favorite format of events. (Bizzabo, 2023)
2. Furthermore, 67.8% of attendees said that their favorite format of events was either in-person or hybrid. (Bizzabo, 2023)
3. Currently, the number indicates that around 70% of events are in a hybrid format. (Skift Meetings, 2022)
4. 30% of event organizers are planning to switch to hybrid for their next event. (Bizzabo, 2022)
5. 71% of event marketers also believe that they have a clear picture of what a hybrid event looks like. (Bizzabo, 2020)
6. 22% of event professionals plan to go hybrid in most of their events in 2023. (Bizzabo, 2023)
7. What might be a challenge for event organizers is finding the right venue to host hybrid events, as shown by 35% of event organizers saying so. (Markletic, 2022)
8. 25% of event professionals also prioritize the ability of the event venue to host hybrid meetings as one of the key factors when choosing a location. (AMEX, 2021)
9. This is not a minor problem at all, as 63% of virtual attendees report being unsuccessful in socializing during hybrid events. (Bizzabo, 2021)
10. On the other hand, 57% of in-person attendees report successfully socializing during hybrid events. (Bizzabo, 2021)
11. Another challenge is how 38% of event organizers agree that it usually takes longer preparation time to host hybrid events compared to in-person or virtual-only events. (Markletic, 2022)
12. One more thing you might need to consider is that engaging both in-person and virtual is difficult for speakers, and 46% of event organizers say that speakers have had this issue. (Markletic, 2022)
13. Also, around half of the hybrid event speakers said that feeling connected is extremely important to them. (Bizzabo, 2022)
14. This might be good news for people working in the tech field, as 68% of event professionals are currently seeking technology that supports hybrid events. (Bizzabo, 2020)

Event Audience Statistics

When hosting an event, everyone wants engagement from the audience. Now, let’s look at more details about the audience’s engagement rate during events through the statistics below. 

1. 68.7% of event professionals agree that using technology to improve the attendee experience is a trend that should be kept with an eye on. (Knowland, 2022)
2. Half of the organizers think a challenging aspect of hybrid events is moderating Q&A with virtual and in-person audiences simultaneously. (Bizzabo, 2022)
3. But, the solution could be a poll, as 67% of hybrid event speakers think the poll is a helpful method to connect with the audience. (Bizzabo, 2022)
4. When it comes to virtual events, 67% of event marketers find it more difficult to keep attendees engaged. (Bizzabo, 2020)
5. Also, the average virtual attendee watches 68% of a virtual session that is 20 minutes or longer. (Bizzabo, 2020)

Event Marketing in B2B Industry Stats

We have mentioned how people in the B2B industry use events as their platform to network with other attendees from time to time. Shall we check out the B2B event marketing trends to learn more? Let’s go.

1. In 2022, the average B2B event marketing budget increased by 20%, with companies spending an average of $468,000 on events. (EMarketing Stars, 2023)
2. Moreover, 24% of companies reported they spent more than $1 million on B2B events in 2022. (EMarketing Stars, 2023)
3. 87.1% of organizers say that at least half of their B2B events are in-person. (Bizzabo, 2023) 
4. For most B2B vendors at events, here are the top three metrics for successful events: new accounts engaged, quality of leads, and revenue generated. (Exploding Topics, 2023)
5. 72% of respondents anticipate that overall B2B marketing budgets will increase, stay the same, or only be reduced slightly (let’s say, less than 20%). (Event Marketer, 2020)
6. 80% of event organizers believe that meetings will go on as scheduled in 2023 and probably won’t be postponed. (Knowland, 2022)
7. In 2022, 67.5% of event planners don’t express concern about COVID-19 anymore. (Knowland, 2022)
8. On top of that, 57% of event venues don’t even have COVID protocols anymore. (Knowland, 2022)

Event Marketing in Various Industries Stats

Regardless of what your product is, an event is one of the greatest marketing channels you can use. Whether you’re in the fashion industry, food industry, automotive industry, or whatever, check out the following statistics so you can craft a better plan for event marketing.

1. Clothing consumption has grown exponentially over the past 20 years. Every year consumers currently buy more than 80 billion new pieces of clothing, which is an increase of 400%. (Fashion United, N/A)
2. In 2023, the fashion market size is projected to reach a valuation of $93.3 billion. Furthermore, by 2032, the valuation will probably reach $205.9 billion. (Custom Market Insights, 2023)
3. Among the searchers for food and beverage events in the pre-pandemic era, the United States had the highest number of searches at the percentage 56.6%. (10 Times, 2023)
4. According to the data, the total number of food and beverage events in the post-COVID era has already outnumbered the pre-pandemic era. Probably because we can hold virtual events now. (10 Times, 2023)
5. When it comes to automotive events, the United States also hosts a significantly larger number of B2B events compared to other countries. (10 Times, 2023)

Event Marketing on Social Media Stats

Since everyone must be on at least one social media platform, wouldn’t it be better if you incorporate social media into event marketing? Let the statistics prove to you why it matters.

1. According to event planners, social media is listed as the most effective tool for event marketing (74%). (WebinarCare, 2023)
2. More than that, more than half of marketers (58%) use social media not only for before-event marketing but also during the event and after that. (WebinarCare, 2023)
3. For 60% of virtual event planners, they utilize social media to get valuable attendee registrations. (Market, 2021)
4. As we all know, the advantage of using social media is its low cost: 28% of event marketers spend less than $200 on social media for an event, and 26% spend nothing at all. (WebinarCare, 2023)
5. Another commonly used method for the post-event period is: thank you emails, as the number shows that 66% of event managers have done this. (Sweap, 2022)
6. 52% of event marketers use Facebook to place their virtual events into customer’s feeds. (WebinarCare, 2023)
7. 89% use social media like Instagram to engage people before the event, whether it’s a post or stories on Instagram. (WebinarCare, 2023)
8. Surprisingly, LinkedIn is used by 79% of event marketers as a platform to market their events. (Sweap, 2021).
9. And 84% of event marketers will continue to use LinkedIn to market their events in the future. (Sweap, 2021)

Technology Integration in Event Stats

If you have read up until now, you probably have realized that technology development hasn’t caught up with the shifted concept of event holding yet. So, before we go, here are some important statistics you might need to know about technology integration in the event industry.

1. 90% of event organizers that integrate technology when holding events can save up to 200 hours per year – an impressive number. (LinkedIn, 2023)
2. Around 67% of organizers already switched or intend to switch event software vendors in the next year. (Bizzabo, 2023)
3. Almost 60% of event management software users believe that they can track ROI better. (LinkedIn, 2023)
4. In the 2023 survey, the most-popular channel for marketing the events is organic unpaid social media (43%), followed by email marketing (40%). (LinkedIn, 2023)
5. Undeniably, after COVID-19 hit our world, 78% of event planners are using more technology in their job. (Skift Meetings, 2022)
6. 73.6% of event planners also developed their tech skills during the pandemic. (EventMB, 2020)
7. 51% of event organizers are satisfied with their virtual event platform, but sadly, 94% faced issues with how the platform is set up. (BlueJeans and Forrester, 2021)
8. Engagement, cost, and integration are the top three challenges when it comes to event technology. (Skiff Meetings, 2022)
9. However, in the study from 2022, 41.5% of professionals are willing to pay up to $5,000 for new virtual event technology. (Zippia, 2022)
10. No wonder why the global event management software market is expected to be a $18.4 billion valuation in 2029, growing at 12.9% each year. (Fairfield Market Research, 2022)
11. 59.4% of event marketers want a hybrid software solution that can manage both in-person and virtual events. (Bizzabo, 2020)
12. Not only can technology help virtual or hybrid events, but today 62.9% of attendees also expect in-person events to use modern technology (for example, smart badges). (Bizzabo, 2023)
13. In the data from 2020, around 75% of developers agree that event apps have a 60% higher than the adoption rate. (EventMB, 2020)

Turning Insights Into Impact

We can’t deny that after COVID-19 impacted our world, it changed the way people perceive events, both for organizers and the audience. However, you can look at some aspects optimistically. It is believed that the worlds of online and offline events will eventually blend. Therefore, use this opportunity to get creative and apply the insights above to craft and experiment until you find what’s right for your business!