--- title: "Friday Buzz: 5 Concerning Trends for the Event Industry" id: "38280" type: "post" slug: "friday-buzz-5-concerning-trends-for-the-event-industry" published_at: "2017-05-26T22:00:50+00:00" modified_at: "2026-11-09T16:18:55+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2017/05/26/friday-buzz-5-concerning-trends-for-the-event-industry/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2017/05/26/friday-buzz-5-concerning-trends-for-the-event-industry.md" excerpt: "This year has seen a lot of ground-shaking moments in the event industry space. Keep your eye on these five top trends in the second half of 2017. Also: Clever ways to use hashtags to attract new talent." taxonomy_category: - "Meetings / Events" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "event security" - "Meetings" - "Technology" - "Trends" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "Director" - "Manager" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Friday Buzz: 5 Concerning Trends for the Event Industry In the wake of the Manchester Arena terror attack, it’s no surprise that event professionals have safety and security top of mind. Event groups are working diligently in a [variety of ways to increase venue security](http://associationsnow.com/2017/05/event-venue-groups-eye-security-focus-manchester-attack/) . But risk management isn’t the only thing that event pros are worried about. In a recent blog post, the Events Industry Council (EIC) [reveals five trends, including venue safety, that are changing the industry today (opens in a new tab)](http://www.eventscouncil.org/GMIC/cic-blog/events-industry-council-blog/2017/05/15/five-trends-shaping-the-events-industry) . Technology is evolving meetings and conferences, but there are concerns that tech also makes meetings less relevant. “While technology can appear to be pulling people away from personal connections and face-to-face interactions, these tools do change the way people consume content and engage with others,” says EIC. “Those who can effectively strike the right balance will help advance the profession.” A slew of recent big-name mergers in the industry is also cause for concern. “Across the board, M&A activity continues to consolidate major players in the space—and the impact could be broad-based,” writes EIC. “For example, some [EIC] members noted the fact that M&A activity continues to reduce membership within organizations, which could ultimately impact how events are planned and executed.” ### Hashtag Talent [https://twitter.com/sliceworks/status/867827714920730625 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/sliceworks/status/867827714920730625) **You already use your social media channels** to spread the word about your organization and its purpose, but did you know you can also tap social media to attract quality talent? Hubspot reveals how [top companies are using hashtags to hire good people (opens in a new tab)](https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/attract-talent-company-hashtag-examples#sm.000kfnw16jqzdlm10nu2qp6rw6hmc) . Associations should take a cue from Target. It employs #TargetVolunteers to show off the company’s workers volunteering in their communities. People may be inspired to join your organization when they see the altruistic work that they’ll get to do. Other examples: Microsoft and Adobe use #MicrosoftLife and #AdobeLife to show off their active and fun company cultures. ### Other Links of Note **Inspire your audience.** *CMSWire* reveals the roles that [leadership and community play in social media (opens in a new tab)](http://www.cmswire.com/digital-marketing/the-rules-of-social-media-marketing-success-leadership-and-community/) . **How to make peace.** *Engaging Volunteers* reveals [how to resolve conflicts among volunteers (opens in a new tab)](http://blogs.volunteermatch.org/engagingvolunteers/2017/05/24/are-volunteer-conflicts-really-a-problem/) . **Is your office culture collaborative?** Higher Logic says a cooperative environment will [help you attract millennial employees (opens in a new tab)](http://blog.higherlogic.com/how-to-recruit-and-retain-millennial-employees-hint-start-by-building-community) . (iStock/Thinkstock) [Raegan Johnson](https://associationsnow.com/author/raegan-johnson/) Raegan Johnson is a contributor to Associations Now. 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