Looking to host a blockchain conference, but not sure where to begin? This post teaches you how to host a blockchain event. We will walk you through each step of the event planning process, including deciding on a venue, finding a sponsor, choosing guest speakers, measuring success, and more.
Blockchain: The Future of the Internet
Blockchain technology is on the rise, paving the way for Web3. In 2021, Statista reports that 6.6bn USD was spent on blockchain solutions around the globe. And this is just the start. According to the PwC “Time for Trust” blockchain report, worldwide GDP could increase by as must as $1.76 trillion by 2030 thanks to blockchain technology.
Maybe your business is focused on building the future of the web through the blockchain, or perhaps you are simply looking to get an early foothold in the web’s future. Either way, when you host an event, you have a chance to establish yourself as a player in the world of Web3 technology and to make valuable connections to blockchain leaders and innovators.
Below are the steps for how to host a blockchain event, starting with choosing the theme and purpose for your conference.
Step 1: Choosing a Topic and Goal for Your Blockchain Event
Before you can host a successful blockchain event, you need a vision for that event. What do you hope to accomplish? Some examples of blockchain conference goals might include:
- Networking and building a community
- Promoting your own blockchain technology
- Discovering blockchain solutions you can use
- Developing new blockchain technology
- Building brand awareness
- Boosting engagement for your company
- Increasing public awareness of blockchain technology
You also will need to pick a unified theme for your blockchain conference.
- Choose a theme that will appeal to your attendees.
- Align your topic with the values of your company.
- Make sure the theme is easily defined, and can be explained in a sentence or two (or better yet, a simple phrase you can use in your event marketing).
- Check what is trending in the world of blockchain to come up with the specific topic(s) you will be focusing on.
To give you a few ideas, you could focus on important issues such as:
- Practical use cases for NFTs.
- The growth of the metaverse, and likewise, its practical use cases.
- Central banks adopting cryptos.
- Blockchain-IOT-G5 integration.
- Blockchain-as-a-service (BaaS).
- Ways to make cryptos more eco-friendly so blockchain technology can help fight, rather than worsen, climate change.
Those are just some examples of topics that are big at the time of this writing. At the time you plan your conference, there could be other trending topics in blockchain. So, you should do some industry research before diving in.
Step 2: Deciding on a Blockchain Event Venue
The next step in how to host an event related to blockchain is to pick a conference venue. Here are some questions to ask:
- Do you want to host a conference that is entirely offline? Or do you want it to be a virtual or hybrid event?
- What location will be convenient for your attendees?
- How many people will attend the conference? How large a space do you need?
- What types of activities do you have planned? What type of venue will best accommodate them?
- What tone do you want to set for your event, and what type of event space will help you capture the right ambiance?
For many large blockchain events, traditional venues like expo centers will be most appropriate. But for smaller events, you might consider alternative venues. Blockchain is about breaking convention, after all, and pioneering innovative solutions. It makes sense to choose a setting that speaks to that mindset. An eclectic meeting space, workshop or multifunctional event space may fit the bill.
If you are going the virtual route, you could even go full-on metaverse. A CoinMarketCap conference in May 2022 took place in a virtual moon base in the metaverse. The choice of a moon base for a setting references the phrase “mooning,” which is what we call it when the value of a crypto suddenly jumps.
Step 3: Finding a Sponsor for Your Blockchain Conference
As with any other type of event, a blockchain conference is going to need sponsors. Here are a few ways you can track down relevant sponsors:
- Try crowdfunding your event.
- Use services that help sponsors and events connect.
- Look up sponsors for events that are similar to yours, and contact them directly.
Whatever means you use to find your sponsors, remember that they need to align with your company’s values and the goals for your blockchain conference.
For example, let’s say your company has a strong eco focus. You are going to want to find sponsors that share your goals of making blockchain and cryptocurrencies more environmentally friendly.
If you choose sponsors who do not share those goals and who utilize environmentally-destructive technologies, you will be sending the wrong message at your event.
Step 4: How to Pick Guest Speakers for a Blockchain Conference
Any successful blockchain event will need compelling speakers who can engage attendees about your topic and theme.
There are two main ways you can find speakers for a blockchain event:
- Reach out to individual speakers directly.
- Invite interested parties to apply.
Consider reaching out to:
- Blockchain tech company founders and CEOs
- Blockchain developers
- Web3 and DeFi thought leaders
- Financial analysts
- Influencers and celebrities who embrace blockchain
- Independent artists
- Human rights advocates
- Authors, bloggers and podcasters
- Investors
Those are just some examples. The most suitable guest speakers for your blockchain event will depend on your topic.
For instance, let’s say you are interested in hosting an event dedicated to how blockchain technology can offer alternative banking solutions to under-banked customers. You could invite the founders of DeFi platforms to speak at your conference, or perhaps thought leaders or human rights advocates.
As a different example, perhaps your event theme is focused around how NFTs could revolutionize the music industry. You could reach out to independent artists who are utilizing NFTs or other blockchain technology to speak at your event.
As we mentioned, reaching out directly to prospective speakers is one way to find what you need, but it is not your only option.
Consider putting together an open call for speakers. List the topics you are interested in and the types of professionals you want to apply. Then, provide an application form.
This is a great way to open the door to possibilities your event planning team might never have come up with. Someone you maybe have never even heard of could be working on the next big thing in blockchain. If they contact you, it could be just the opportunity you need to really wow your audience.
Plus, you might be able to do some valuable networking this way. Some people who reach out to you might not be right for this particular event, but perhaps they will be the perfect fit for a future conference.
Step 5: Pick Software Solutions for Event Planning
Next, it is time to look for event hosting software, if you have not done so already. Event management software lets you streamline the entire event planning process.
You can use this software for:
- Building and managing a website for your blockchain conference.
- Marketing your event.
- Ticketing.
- Running promotions.
- Inviting sponsors and speakers.
- Hosting virtual events.
- … And more
In fact, there are even a few companies out there that are putting together event management solutions using blockchain technology. One example is Evedo, which is a marketplace for event planning that is built on the blockchain and which offers event creation, crowdfunding, fraud prevention, and more. What better way to promote the possibilities of blockchain than to make use of it in the very process of planning your conference?
Step 6: Choosing Activities and Creating Experiences
While the conferencing aspect of your blockchain event may be front-and-center, it does not need to be the entirety of your event. You can also incorporate ideas such as:
- Experiential marketing. Find ways to incorporate immersive, unforgettable experiences into your blockchain conferences for share-worthy moments. Say, for instance, that you are hosting an event that is focused on the metaverse. A virtual reality experience could help you demonstrate the potential of blockchain technology in the metaverse firsthand.
- Hackathons. Give attendees to your event the chance to do some hands-on work. This is an amazing way to network and develop exciting new technology while competing for prizes. People who would not usually get an opportunity to collaborate may be blown away by what they can accomplish in a short period of time. As an example, ETHToronto Hackathon now is part of the Blockchain Futurist Conference in Canada.
- Local excursions. If many of your attendees have travelled from afar for the chance to attend your blockchain conference, connect them with free or discounted local tours and activities.
- Classes. You can offer classes in blockchain technology to attendees as well as some fun, unrelated classes that might make the event more enjoyable. For instance, your participants might appreciate being able to attend exercise classes in the mornings before conferencing begins.
- Parties. After a long day listening to presentations, conference-goers are often going to want to unwind. Hosting parties or gatherings at the end of the day can provide further networking opportunities in a more relaxed environment.
Step 7: Marketing Your Blockchain Conference Successfully
Once you have put together the plan for your blockchain conference, you are going to need people to find out about it. That means it is time to promote. Here are some ways you can market your event:
- Create a website for your blockchain conference.
- Promote the conference on your main site.
- Post about the blockchain conference on social media.
- Submit the blockchain conference to various event calendars (including those that are specific to the industry).
- Join groups devoted to blockchain and Web3 on services like Telegram or Discord, and promote your events there.
- Reach out through your existing network and see if you can get any influencers you know to share the event on their own social media pages or websites.
- Promote the conference through your email newsletter.
- Reach out to industry publications to see if you can advertise the event.
Step 8: Analyzing Your Outcomes and Debriefing After Your Event
After you have finished planning, marketing and setting up your conference, the big event will finally arrive. But your job is not done once the conference is over.
So that you can fine-tune the planning process for future events and improve your return on investment, you need to figure out what worked and what did not for your most recent blockchain conference.
How you measure success depends in part on your goals and in part on the format of your event and the data you track. Some of the metrics you can analyze include:
- Number of registrants for the event.
- Social media engagements (hashtags can make for easy tracking).
- Participants in specific sessions of the conference (QR codes or RFID wristbands can help you track this data).
- Surveys (these offer a great way to obtain both quantitative and qualitative data on your event).
Based on what you discover from your analysis, you can replicate your success in upcoming conferences and even build on it.
Good Luck Hosting a Successful and Memorable Blockchain Event
Now you have an idea what steps are involved in how to host a blockchain event. Planning and executing a successful event takes time, creativity and attention to detail. But if you can host an event that is as innovative as blockchain technology itself, you can achieve your objectives for networking, brand and product promotion, and more.
