The events industry has had a remarkable year, and so have we! As physical events made their big comeback, event planners worldwide were eager to deliver experiences that truly wowed attendees. At Zoho Backstage, we were with you every step of the way. This year was all about giving you the tools to facilitate planning, boost engagement, and create unforgettable moments. So, let's take a look back at everything we achieved together in 2024!
The big launch: Zoho Backstage 2.0
In April, we kicked off the year by introducing Zoho Backstage 2.0. This wasn't just an update—it was a complete revamp designed with you in mind. Here's what made the new Zoho Backstage a game-changer:
A fresh user experience: We redesigned the platform to make your life easier. The new dock puts all the tools you need right at your fingertips, and the interface has snappier and smoother than ever. Plus, with the universal search function, finding features is lightning-fast.
Website customization that truly feels like you: With Zoho Backstage 2.0, you can now design an event website that mirrors your brand identity. From customizable themes and flexible layouts to toggling details like session descriptions, duration, and locations, the platform gave you complete creative control.
Empowered organizers and exhibitors
Managing expos became faster, and more intuitive this year:
Interactive floor planner: Organizers can now plan booth layouts visually, block spaces, and ensure everything is just right.
Exhibitor brand pages: Exhibitors can showcase their offerings through dedicated pages, enhancing their visibility.
Lead Capture app: From scanning badges, taking notes, rating leads, and exporting them to CRMs, exhibitors have everything they need for effective follow-ups on their event leads.
Event networking elevated to new heights
In-person events are all about building connections, and we made it better:
AI Matchmaking: With AI Matchmaking, attendees can find the right people to connect with, making each conversation purposeful and impactful.
1:1 chat and meetings: Attendees can schedule meetings, connect through 1:1 chats, and get the most out of your event.
Gamification: Attendees earn points for engaging with your event and rise through the leaderboards, turning engagement into a rewarding and enjoyable experience.
Flexibility for registration and ticketing
Session registration: Premium sessions, gated content, and VIP bundles—you have full control over how you package and sell content.
Registration approval: Organizers can review and approve attendees for exclusive events.
Embeddable ticket widgets: Sell tickets directly from any website without breaking the attendee journey using the embeddable ticket widget.
Streamlined organization with Spaces
With Spaces, managing events became effortless, allowing organizers to group them by themes, regions, or custom categories. Dedicated branding and payment gateways added a professional and personalized touch to each Space.
Exclusive experiences with Event Zones
Event Zones allows organizers to create tailored areas like VIP lounges, networking spaces, or backstage zones. These zones enhanced attendee experiences while simplifying access management.
Went beyond with analytics and automation
Advanced analytics: Event organizers can measure event success using in-depth stats, trend charts, and feedback from attendees.
Automation tools: Save time by automating workflows and customizing functions to suit your needs.
We didn't stop there
After the launch of Backstage 2.0, we’ve continued listening, improving, and rolling out features you’ve asked for:
Onsite badge printing: Integration with Zebra Printers allows badge management directly from the Zoho Backstage Organizer app.
Improved check-in: Check-in isn't just for attendees anymore. Sponsors, exhibitors, and speakers get streamlined check-in too.
Tax collection: We have added tax support for tickets in India, Canada, Australia, UAE, and Saudi Arabia (early access).
Discount rules and bulk codes: Introduced discount rules and bulk promo code generation features to make promotions easier than ever.
Apple Pay and Bancontact: Brought in secure and quick payment options to attendees in supported regions.
AI Face search: Finding photos from your event gallery is now a breeze with AI-powered face search.
WhatsApp notifications: Attendees can now get instant updates on ticket purchases, cancellations, and event news directly on WhatsApp.
Scheduled announcements: You can plan and schedule announcements for in-person, virtual, or hybrid events.
Email pre-headers: Give your attendees a quick preview of emails to increase open rates.
Domain authentication and primary contact: Enhanced email deliverability with domain authentication made it possible to customize the primary contact email for notifications, ensuring consistent communication.
Email deliverability report: Organisers can gain insights into email performance with detailed deliverability reports, helping track open rates, bounces, and more to optimize attendee communication.
Event gallery settings and NSFW content blocker: Simplified gallery management with revamped preferences and photo download option. The NSFW Content Blocker, powered by Zia, flags explicit images to keep your gallery secure.
Refund status tracking: Stripe users can track real-time refund updates directly from the platform.
Booth member management: Streamlined booth member management by allowing the addition, editing, and reassignment of booth owners all from a single page.
Background images for floor plans: Enhanced floor plans with customizable background images, providing a more personalized and visually engaging experience.
API guide: To make integration with Zoho Backstage smoother, we have released an API guide tailored for developers.
Looking back and moving forward
This year, we pushed boundaries to bring you more. From the game-changing launch of Zoho Backstage 2.0 to delivering the features you've been asking for, every update was designed to make event planning not just simpler, but smarter and more impactful.
As we head into 2025, we’re excited to see what you create with Zoho Backstage. Thank you for trusting us to be your partner in delivering extraordinary events. Here’s to another year of making magic happen—together!
What was your favourite feature this year? Let us know. We’re always listening, learning, and building for you.
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