Join our Waitlist for Expert Advice!

Should You Go to SXSW? Let's Look at the Data. Of all the events out there, SXSW is the best for judging whether it is worth attending for your business.

By William Litvack Edited by Dan Bova

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Is SXSW even worth attending? Or has it, like so many tech events before it, primarily become a playground for expense account parkour by disengaged Fortune 500 vice presidents?

Happily, with SquadUP, an event-planning platform with a relatively large presence at SXSW, we didn't have to go too far to look at the data. To sate our curiosity, we evaluated attendee and event data from thousands of events hosted on our platform over the last two years, juxtaposing "event performance KPIs" from standard networking events in New York and San Francisco with those from SXSW events.

Here's what we found:

Attendee quality at SXSW events is consistently higher than other events.

Investments in program development and a relatively democratic selection process continue to attract higher levels of management at both start-ups and larger companies, relative to similar events.

Intent to network and buy is consistently higher than at other events.

Polling pre-and post-events at SXSW revealed that attendees were roughly 46 percent more likely to be seriously seeking new vendors or partners.

Attendee intent is more complementary at SXSW than at other events.

Often, events with low reported attendee satisfaction feature divergent interests; it can be hard to talk business with thronging masses of engineering interns grinding on the dance floor (and vice versa). While SXSW features both entertainment-based and networking-focused events, the happy reality for attendees is that events tend to come "as advertised".

Attendees are more engaged with media around SXSW events than at other events.

A combination of data from Google Analytics, Crashalyitics and Locallytics from our platform and post-event polling shows that attendees at SXSW events are much more engaged.

Related: How to Network When You're Socially Awkward

People at SXSW events are better connected.

The average SXSW event attendee has 28 percent more friends on Facebook than a standard event attendee.

Age and success are inversely correlated at SXSW.

Younger attendees at SXSW tend to be more successful relative to their peers than older attendees, at least based on the attributes that we can measure (title, income, etc) - so ignore that awkward looking 25-year-old in the corner at your own peril.

While there can be no doubt that all events have a lifecycle (and a correspondingly tragic point at which they become a parody of themselves), the data rather demonstrably shows that SXSW's "event fundamentals" are very much intact. We will be watching very closely this year to see if these trends hold or shift; we are also very interested to hear if your anecdotal experiences match what our data has shown.

Related: Cultivating Relationships With Vendors Opens a World of Opportunity

This article was written by a member of the AlleyNYC contributor network. AlleyNYC is one of the world's largest innovation hubs, helping foster the growth of startups in its flagship location in New York City. Entrepreneur Media is a partner and investor in AlleyNYC. If you would like to learn more about AlleyNYC and how to apply for membership visit here.

William Litvack

Entrepreneur, CEO and Founder of SquadUP, Inc.

William Litvack began his professional career as a research analyst, focusing on the publicly traded healthcare sector. As the founder and CEO of SquadUP, he oversees all aspects of the business including product development, business development, sales, marketing and fundraising. SquadUP provides hosts and event-goers with an immersive social event experience through their web and mobile devices. SquadUP's applications for desktop web, iOS and Android transform the event experience with an end-to-end, mobile first solution for event planning, messaging, image sharing and ticketing.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

You Have One Month Left to Buy a House, According to Barbara Corcoran. Here's Why.

"If you are planning on waiting a year and seeing where interest rates go, you are out of your mind," Corcoran said.

Business News

Meta Fires Employee Making $400,000 Per Year Over a $25 Meal Voucher Issue

Other staff members were fired for the same reason, per a new report.

Thought Leaders

These 3 Trends Will Change What It Means to Be an Entrepreneur in 2025

Here are three entrepreneurship trends from the new Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report that are changing the landscape for the future.

Business News

These 3 Side Hustles Make the Most Money While Working Fewer Hours, According to a New Survey

The survey also found that having a side hustle doubled as a path to becoming more employable.

Franchise

The McRib Is Back, But Only at Select McDonald's — Here's Where to Find It

This scarcity is nothing new. In 2022, McDonald's announced a "Farewell Tour" for the McRib, suggesting that it might be the last time customers could get their hands on it.

Side Hustle

I Made $14,000 in 1 Week With a Spontaneous Halloween Costume Side Hustle — Here's How

Sabba Keynejad was in art school when he started to refine his entrepreneurial skills.