Let's start with some good news, shall we? Gen Z isn't abandoning live events. Despite growing up in a digital world filled with online communities and instant access to information, young professionals value the experience of being in the same room with other people. In fact, according to research from Freeman and The Harris Poll, 91 percent of Gen Zers say in-person gatherings help build social and interpersonal skills. That statistic alone should give anyone planning an event some reassurance: This generation sees real value in showing up.

But Gen Z approaches events with a different mindset. They're not looking for a packed agenda or a lineup of speakers with impressive-sounding titles. Before they commit their time, energy and registration fee, they want to know: Is this worth it? Are the connections authentic? What am I walking away with? Could I get this online instead? If the answers aren't clear, they won't attend.

“Gen Z doesn't hate events,” said Khrystyna Komarovska, digital strategy leader at Line of Sight. “They hate wasting time. We live in a world where you can get answers in 10 seconds. When a conference is structured as, 'information plus talking heads plus forced networking,' your Gen Z audience will ask, 'Why am I here?'”



Design an Outcome-Driven Event
Before Gen Z registers for an event, they want to know exactly what they're getting. “The biggest reason Gen Z thinks conferences are cringe is simple: There is no clear outcome,” said Gigi Robinson, creator economy strategist and founder of Hosts of Influence. “This generation is intentional with their time and money. If they don't know exactly what they'll walk away with, they won't show up.”

When you're planning your next event, think about the “walk-away-with” moments you're carving out for attendees. A few ideas: resume and portfolio reviews, mentorship matching, small-group workshops, or intentional-based networking opportunities. “If attendees can leave your event saying, 'I learned X, met Y, and left with Z,' they'll return next year,” Robinson said.

And consider your location, too. Not everything has to be held in a formal meeting space, said Apryl Roberts, producer at Apryl Roberts Productions. She's produced Gen Z-focused conferences in skate parks, movie theaters, and outdoor venues. “Using nontraditional spaces tends to work very well,” Roberts said.



Your Sessions Are Too Long
Roberts said it's time to drop 60-minute sessions. “You are not going to attract a Gen Zer with a long, drawn-out session,” she said. “They like sessions to be short and to the point, approximately 15- to 30-minutes long.”

Komarovska said the problem isn't focus, but the payoff. “Gen Z can focus, but they're used to speed plus payoff,” Komarovska said. “A lot of events feel slow, scripted, and performative.”

Zach Walker, VP of partnerships at Shotgun, said planners need to encourage participatory behavior during the event. “Don't think of attendees as passive consumers of panels and keynotes,” Walker said. “The events Gen Z gravitates toward put them inside the experience.” Consider incorporating small-group problem-solving sessions, mini live workshops, or peer-led discussions. Encourage discussion during sessions by asking your speakers to do the Q&A in the middle of their presentation, not the end.



Offer Structured Networking Options
Keep in mind that large, loud cocktail receptions can feel overwhelming, especially because 47 percent of Gen Zers ages 12 to 26 report they often or always feel anxious, according to Gallup. “For Gen Z, traditional networking can feel transactional, like everyone is just scanning badges and sizing each other up,” said Liza Streiff, CEO of Knopman Marks Financial Training.

Streiff said when networking is framed as something you have to do, it triggers performance anxiety. That's why they feel evaluated, instead of feeling welcomed. She encourages conference producers to replace unstructured mingling with facilitated small-group conversations, speed networking sessions, curated meetups, or pre-booked one-on-one sessions. Roberts said these ideas can help create intentional conversations, without the pressure of “working the room.”

Verge Magazine reports that nearly 60 percent of Gen Z admit to avoiding in-person networking events and that 29 percent of Gen Z say social anxiety makes real-life small talk a major challenge. This is where teaching the skill of networking would be helpful. Streiff said, “A short session on how to enter a conversation, follow up effectively, or navigate a room can dramatically reduce anxiety.”



Email Blasts Are Boring
Gen Z's spending growth per household on discretionary categories like entertainment and travel is up 25.5 percent, according to a Bank of America Institute report. This shows that this generation has an appetite (and the budget) for live events, Walker said. But who is buying Lollapalooza ticket, based on an email? “Gen Z finds events through social media and their own circles, not email blasts,” Walker said. “Conferences market themselves like B2B products. Gen Z buys experiences, like culture.”

To reach this audience, there are a few approaches that work: Be authentic. “Explain to them exactly what they'll get and show them how past Gen Z conference attendees rated the event,” said Gary Rudman, president of GTR Consulting. “Planners can talk about what they've learned and how they're improving the event, based on feedback they received from past attendees.”

▶ Treat the conference like content. Robinson points to HubSpot's INBOUND and Adobe MAX as two examples of conferences that invite hundreds of creators to attend, document what they're seeing, interview speakers, and share insights in real-time. “That content becomes the marketing engine that shows the internet what's happening inside the rooms instead of asking people to imagine it,” Robinson said.

▶ Social media is a must. This generation is the first to use social media (TikTok and Instagram, in particular) as search engines. “To capitalize on that, brands can feature (vertical!) video content leading up to the event, especially of 'lo-fi' attendee testimonials that prioritize authentic storytelling over traditional corporate speak,” said Ellie Zigulich, vice president of client services at Agency EA.

The generation that grew up with everything on-demand is now showing up in person. The question is whether event planners are ready to meet them there. E