Creating a Great Event Website
Joomla Showroom sees and develops a lot of event websites that use our Event Registration Pro software. A lot of our customers that we consult with as us a very common question. "What do you recommend to make our event website effective?" Well we have put together some basic ideas of how to make your event website effective in attaining more sign ups and conversions.
First, let's look at the main items of an event and how you can use them to your advantage.
Location/Venue - The location of your event can make your event a memorable one. You should consider your location to be "The First impression" of your event. It is the first thing your registrant sees when they arrive at your event. If your location is not impressive and top notch, then your event attendees may not have very good expectations for the rest of their stay at your event.
Event Topic - The event topic should be descriptive of what it represents. If your event topic description is well thought out, potential visitors to your event website may not realize what your event represents. If a website visitor cannot tell what your event name represents then they are highly unlikely to investigate your event any further.
Sponsors - If your event is one that requires sponsorships then you will want to use those sponsorships to cross promote your event. Since your sponsors have signed up to help with your event they should have no problem in assisting with your marketing efforts. You can also use these sponsorships to create news items other promotional areas on your website.
Speakers - Speakers can be similar to sponsors but they are the heart of the event. The speakers are the ones that will make your event attractive to potential registrants. Choose qualified and well known speakers and they will be a major draw for your event.
Registration - The registration process for your event should be very clear and as smooth as possible for your registrants. If you are collecting registrations online via your website then you will want to keep those registrants from leaving your website. If you can keep your registration process within your own website then you have achieved half the battle. if you are using an outside registration company then you have broken the consistency of your event and even the search engines will not relate your event website and registration pages.
Using Your Website to Boost Event Attendance
Over recent years, web and email technology has made it increasingly easier to get the word out about your upcoming meeting or event. As people across the world become more internet-savvy, and reliant on websites for information, it is very important that you don’t miss the opportunity to promote your event through this inexpensive medium.
Here are some tips to help you use your website to maximize the attendance at your next event.
Boost Your Search Engine Rankings
Getting your website found is no easy task...so it’s important you get the basics right! First, optimize your content; keep it relevant and frequently updated, include descriptive keyword phrases, add ‘alt’ tags to graphics and include a ‘sitemap’ webpage. Also, link popularity is massively important for high rankings - inbound links from popular sites work best.
Get Your Event Noticed
Design an advert, static or animated, for your homepage making sure it contains all key information; location, cost, time and include a direct call to action e.g. ‘book now’ with a link to the registration page. Include links to the event on other relevant content pages, and why not ask your partners to advertise your event on their websites?
Optimize Your Content
Content needs to be clear, up-to-date and relevant. Website users scan pages so don’t use long sentences and paragraphs, highlight key words and use descriptive headings. Always include details of how to book/register/pay. Virtual tours, images or video clips of the venue or past events are also useful promotional tools.
Send an Invitation
Promote your event and encourage attendance by sending out an HTML invitation. The design should reflect the website look and feel and contain all key information to encourage users back to the website to sign up. Alternatively, if you have an online newsletter, include regular event announcements with links back to the website.
Make Registration and Payment Easy
A short, simple to complete registration form will work wonders for your bookings; only ask for essential information - remember, users have a very short attention span! Allow users to pay online where possible, and include a link to your privacy policy; this will reassure them that you won’t use their details for spamming.
Regular Reminders
Send out regular HTML or text only email reminders with links back to the website for more information. As the event draws closer, increase the regularity of your mails.
Spread the Word
Marketing campaigns that encourage visitors to ‘spread the word’ are an effective, inexpensive promotional tactic. Include a feature, such as, ‘send to a friend’ on your event webpage, online invitation or online newsletter and watch your bookings increase! Incentivising either the sign up to the event and/or the ‘send to a friend’ feature will help boost your numbers.
Subscribe to this comment's feed
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
Stay Up To Date!Sign up for special offers, product alerts and do-it-yourself information. |
Our Services |
