Evidence: Seattle Code Camp

Seattle Code Camp 2010 Case Study

The Seattle Code Camp is an annual event run for the local developer community by the local developer community. It enables members of the software community to present topics of their interest, learn about new technologies, and connect with kindred spirits they may not otherwise know existed.

In 2010, the Seattle Code Camp was run as a hybrid event for the first time. Teaming up with Boost Virtual Events, the event leadership was able to achieve several key goals.

Goal 1. Expand conference reach.

Result: Broadcasted over 50 breakout sessions worldwide to an audience much larger than attended in-person.

One of the challenges with in-person events is that some people may not be able to attend due to schedule conflicts or budget constraints. In addition, there is considerable inconvenience to traveling to an in-person event that can discourage participation, such as urgent deadlines, personal commitments, and the unpredictable nature of business. Finally, Seattle Code Camps have traditionally been held on weekends to avoid work conflicts, but raising a new challenge in conflicts with the family lives of attendees. By adding a virtual element to Seattle Code Camp, the organizers were able to ensure that everyone who wanted to attend was able to make the most of their experience.

Goal 2. Deliver more value to sponsors.

Result: Significantly overdelivered on sponsorship promises.

Seattle Code Camps are run entirely by the community and rely heavily on volunteer labor and corporate donations. However, as the events have grown in popularity, so too have the costs of putting them on. As a result, the organizers have turned to formal sponsorships in order to deliver the best experience possible. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to attract sponsors in tough economic times, so delivering as much sponsor value as possible is critical. Without a physical presence, potential sponsors may find it tough to get the kind of visibility and interaction with attendees they’re looking for. Boost Virtual Events was able to build a virtual event floor for these sponsors to deliver an exhibit hall experience for attendees. In addition to the virtual exhibit hall, all event sponsors were also listed in the sponsor directory, as well as in the Booth Finder, a tool that enables attendees to quickly filter and sort sponsors like they might do on Amazon or eBay.

Goal 3. Establish the Seattle Code Camp as a thought leader.

Result: Grew attendee based ten-fold by going virtual.

For the 2010 event, sponsors were sold a package that included 400 in-person attendees with no commitment from the virtual event. However, the virtual event drew in another 500 unique live attendees over the twoday conference, more than doubling the sponsor reach. Even better, as the virtual event sponsorship spread virally via Facebook, Twitter, and speaker blogs, on-demand viewership took a sharp uptick. In the first six weeks of on-demand availability, over 3,000 more attendees connected to watch sessions and visit booths. All told, the event organizers were able to deliver 10 times the number of attendees they had committed to, resulting in thrilled sponsors.