2023 IN REVIEW

In 2023, we experienced our most significant year of expansion yet, forging relationships with many new partners and continuously enhancing our platform for our existing partners. This year was marked by substantial upgrades throughout the platform. Let's delve into some of the key improvements and new features we introduced in 2023:

Improved Communication Tools

We made significant strides in our communication capabilities in the app, introducing several innovative features:

  • Triggerable Alerts: We developed alerts that can be activated based on location, adding a new way for partners to reach their users at a time when it matters most.
  • Push Open Tracking: This feature allows for the monitoring of push notification engagement to see what does and doesn't work.
  • "Live Now" Filtering: A dynamic tool that filters schedules in real-time, ensuring users can always find something to do at your event.

New Layouts

Our platform's visual appeal received a major boost with these additions:

  • Schedules: We offered a variety of style and layout options for schedule pages, along with the ability to set up category colors, making it more user-friendly and visually appealing.
  • Vendor Grid Improvements: The vendor grid layout was enhanced to better handle photos and text of all sizes.
  • Use Any Google Font: This feature provides greater flexibility and customization in the design, allowing partners to use any font from the Google Fonts library.

Map Improvements

We introduced several map-related improvements to enhance user experience:

  • User-Droppable Map Pins: Users can now place pins on the map, improving interaction and personalization.
  • Semi-Transparent Map Pins: This design improvement helps in better map visibility and aesthetics.
  • Map Background Styles: A variety of background styles, including dark maps, retro maps, and more were introduced for more customization.
  • Multi-Level Map Switching: Whether you have a map on multiple floors of a building or multiple maps throughout the grounds, this feature allows for more dynamic and layered map interactions.
  • Batch Upload for Locations: Simplifies the process of adding multiple locations to the map quickly.

Ad Improvements

Our advertising tools saw significant enhancements:

  • Mid-Schedule Ads: We introduced the ability to place ads in the middle of schedule pages, offering new advertising opportunities and better visibility for your advertisers.
  • Full-Page Ads: These provide a larger canvas for advertisers to convey their message.
  • Any Graphic Can Be Tracked as Ad: This flexibility allows for more creative advertising strategies.

Photo-Specific Features

We focused on improving photo-related features:

  • Photo Galleries: Highlight a venue, an event, or even user-submitted photos with an Instagram like photo gallery.
  • Photo Booth Improvements: The photo booth experience was upgraded and saw usage improve tenfold in 2023.
  • Return of Photo Uploads in Surveys: Reintroducing this feature offers more interactive survey options, especially when mixed with a Photo Gallery.

Accessibility

A significant upgrade in accessibility was made with support for all font sizes, accommodating the smallest and largest fonts selected by users on Android and iOS devices.

Web Widget

Grandstand Web Widgets offers a seamless way to display key app content on your website. Developed with client needs in mind, this tool allows you to input content once in the Grandstand Admin, making it available both in your mobile app and on your existing website in various layouts. This integration includes event schedules, artist listings, sponsor information, vendor and food details, and more. Just add a few lines of code to your site, and any updates made in the Grandstand Admin will automatically reflect on both your mobile app and website.

Admin Improvements

Admin improvements were frequent and widespread in 2023. Some of these upgrades included the ability to easily archive content, thereby simplifying the overall content management process. Additionally, we provided more flexibility in handling content through the new export feature. Moreover, the home page layout setup screens were improved, offering an enhanced user interface that allows for easier setup.

In conclusion, 2023 was a year of remarkable growth and innovation for our platform, as we introduced a plethora of new features and improvements. Not all of these features are available for every package but there was something for everyone in 2023. These enhancements have not only enriched the user experience but also provided our partners with more powerful tools to engage with their audience effectively.

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