Methods for Counting Visitors
Social impact is about the difference your work makes, so you need to know how many people you reach and impact. Without visitor or volunteer numbers, you cannot fully assess the scale of your impact.
If you are considering how to measure the number of people participating in heritage events and activities, use this page to find a list of options with their strengths and weaknesses.
Manual clicker counters
Use manual clicker counters just at key entrances. Consider doing your counting in timed shifts (for example, 15 mins per hour) for sampling.
Why it works
- Cheap and simple
- Good for small events, single entry points
- Allows human judgment
Watch out for
- Labour-intensive
- Can be inconsistent depending on who is clicking
- Not scalable or reliable for busy events
Automated people counters
Automated people counters work well for attractions with clear entry and exit points, for example, indoor museums or historic buildings).
Tools available include infrared sensors, thermal imaging cameras, wifi tracking (via smartphones) and camera-based AI counters.
Why it works
- Less labour-intensive
- More reliable for busy events
Watch out for
- Up-front cost
- Can miss or double-count people if not set up right, for example, smaller people and children can be missed
- Wi-Fi tracking raises privacy issues under GDPR
Tickets and registration data
If your event uses tickets (even free ones), you can track entries via:
- Booking systems (such as Eventbrite)
- QR or barcode scanners
- Wristbands/token collection
However, be aware that tickets issued will not match the actual attendance numbers. You may need to adjust visitor numbers based on no-show rates.
Other methods for gathering evidence
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Surveys
Use for collecting insights into opinions, experiences, or impacts. Surveys can be paper, online, or verbal, simple and quick, or more in-depth.
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Informal Group Conversations
Informal group conversations are a relaxed way to explore people's feelings, experiences, and any changes your work has brought about for them.
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Wall of Words
A quick and informal way of capturing immediate reactions of participants at an event through written comments on a shared display.
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Photo Stories
Participants document their experiences and thoughts over time through photos or drawings, providing rich insights into the impact of a program.
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Experience Mapping
Participants create visual maps that show their emotions, thoughts, or experiences at different points during a journey such as a programme or event.