How to Create a Great Event Website

September 9, 2021 | 11 min read

For many events, you only need a basic information page on an existing site or event directory site. However, more important B2B events, B2C events, conferences, and trade shows usually require a dedicated website. Besides providing the event's essential information to potential guests, a dedicated site establishes credibility and builds trust with audiences unfamiliar with your brand. There are over 200 million active websites, according to Netcraft (netcraft.com).

15 tips for creating a great event website

1. Select a Good Domain Name

A domain name is an integral part of your event brand. If you intend to start a conference or a tradeshow brand, choosing an event name and domain name together is worthwhile, ensuring you can buy a domain name similar to your event name.

A domain name is the first, most integral part of your event brand. If you intend to start a conference or a tradeshow brand, it's worth choosing an event name and domain name together, which will allow you to ensure that the best possible domain name is available to host your event website.

Characteristics of a good event website domain

Future-proof

Event organizers are sometimes tempted to choose a domain good for one year only because of the year or location. In most cases, there are better tactics than this. Domains' value builds over time. Existing links to your website bring traffic and improve your site rank in search engines. Domains also gain a reputation from search engines and spam detectors over time. So, a better approach is to choose a domain you can use again when doing the same event next year, next month, or in a different location. Avoid including things that are likely to change, such as the event year or city.

Easy to spell and pronounce

Use simple words that everyone knows how to spell. Avoid complicated words with multiple spelling. (theater or theatre). Using easy-to-spell words is especially important when relying on offline promotion to drive traffic to your event website.

Made of English alphabet characters only

Avoid domain names with numbers and special characters because they are harder to type. Also, many people find site names with numbers less credible.

It ends with a ".com" extension

A domain extension is the last part of the domain name. There are about 1,500 domain extensions (TLDs) to choose from. But the most popular and credible domain extension is ".com." Of the ten most popular websites, only one is not a '.com' website. Users sometimes assume a domain name ends with ".com" and will automatically add it to a domains name with less popular extensions such as ".event." When a user types a URL or site address, some smart keyboards and browsers auto-complete a domain name with ".com or have a ".com" button.

".com" is not only the most popular, it's also one of the most inexpensive domain extensions. Domain Registration Providers often offer a low first-year fee for other extensions, but the renewal price is high. For example, you might get a ".event" domain for $8 to $10 for the first year, but it is difficult to get a discount on the renewal price ($20 to $30 per year). A ".com" domain costs $1 to $10 for the first year and $8 to $18 to renew each year, so over time, it is also the most economical to maintain.

Short

One word is excellent, but finding a free one-word domain name can be challenging. So keep the domain at most 2-3 words long.

Easy to remember.

Choose words that are part of the event name, easy to pronounce but still unique.

Unique and brandable.

A unique domain helps users find your website. If the domain you want to use is unavailable, consider adding a prefix or suffix. Prefixes include the, my. Suffix include: show, expo, fair, summit, forum, meeting, rally, market,

No trademark issues.

Avoid domain names that can cause confusion with other brands, especially brands related to or competing with your event.

2. Highlight Essential Event Information

Time and location are as important as the event title. Unfortunately, this basic, essential information is often neglected, leaving frustrated potential attendees searching through the website for the event location and time, or worse, giving up entirely. Ensure basic event information such as name, location, date, and time are visually prominent in your banner and any other marketing material.

Basic event information

• Event Name
• Event Time
• Event Location, in-person, hybrid, or virtual

Registration button - Event website call to action

Getting visitors to register is vital for your event's success. Ensure the registration button is prominent, visible against the page's background, and remains visible as users scroll the page. Use short, actionable text such as "Register now" or "Get a ticket."

• Registration
• Call for abstracts

3. Add Useful Information

To decide whether or not to attend, potential attendees seek compelling reasons to invest their time and resources.

Clearly articulate the event's core value proposition, highlighting who will be present and the benefits of participation. Consider the motivations driving potential attendees, whether seeking to stay ahead of the curve in industry trends, expanding their professional network, forging business partnerships, or enhancing their professional stature and amplifying their organization's reputation in the industry. Once you've identified these motivations, address them directly in the event's promotional materials.

Additional information to include

Event description

An event description concisely encapsulates the event's purpose, highlights, and key attractions.

A proper event description evokes the interest of potential attendees and sponsors, encouraging them to engage with the event and its offerings.

When composing your event description, focus on conveying the event's value proposition to participants. Articulate the benefits of attendance, highlighting the speakers, attendees, special activities, knowledge, and experiences that will be shared. Additionally, provide context and background by narrating the story behind the event's inception and purpose.

By conveying these elements, you can create an event description that resonates with your target audience and drives participation.

Speakers list

A list of speakers with their profile pictures is a must-have on an event website. It is appealing to visitors because it is mostly images and gives a general idea about the event content. In addition, having a speaker list is easy to do even before the final event agenda is ready for publishing.

Agenda

Program is the most popular piece of content event attendees look for during the event and before registering.

Countdown time to the event date

A virtual clock that show the time remaining before the event start. A countdown timer's primary purpose is to push visitors to register early by creating a sense of urgency and fear of missing out.

Ticket list

Show the type of tickets you offer, the possibility of quantity limit, and special rate countdown timers.

Exhibitors and Sponsors

An exhibitor list is an opportunity to reward your sponsors and exhibitors and content that draws interest from attendees. In addition, a good Exhibitor and Sponsors list can increase an event's reputation and boost event credibility.

Most event website builders include exhibitor list management features, making it easy to ensure that all exhibitors and sponsors are laid nicely on the website; and their logos are the same size.

Directions

Having a map with directions is a way to help potential visitors learn how to get to your event. It also allows attendees to find nearby points of interest, such as accommodation, parking areas, and restaurants.

Venue map

Help attendees navigate and find exhibitors and lecture halls. A venue map improves the visitor experience and reduces on-site personnel load.

Testimonials

Testimonials are positive experiences shared by a third party who attended a previous event. Testimonials are important because they build trust and credibility.

Video from previos Event

Showcasing a video from the previous year's event, highlighting the key activities, atmosphere, and overall experience, can boost confidence among new potential attendees and rekindle positive memories for past attendees, encouraging them to return for another memorable experience.

Photo and video gallery

Photos from previous events are enjoyable for potential attendees to learn about the event. In addition, the gallery is a way to add multiple images to the event website.

Weather forecast

Event date and location weather forecast can help attendees prepare for your event.

FAQ

Dress code, refreshment options, and facility details.

4. Make It Visually Appealing

People judge a website by how it looks. Poor design hurts the website's credibility and the event's reputation. Good event website design increases "brand preference," causing more people to register, and increases ROI for sponsors.

Design tips for event websites

Colors

Choose colors that match your event branding. Make sure there is enough contrast between the text and background colors. Choose two to four primary colors and keep using them. Use lighter and darker colors of the same base colors if needed.

Font

There are two main types of fonts to consider. Serif and San-Serif. In general, "Sans Serif" fonts are decorated and considered classic, formal, and more orthodox. "San-Serif" fonts are undecorated and considered clean, modern, and informal.

Choose a font that matches your event branding. Tech events are better with San Serif fonts.

The most popular fonts are Arial (used by Google) and other versions of Helvetica (Used by Facebook). Selecting a beautiful font that is also unique is a significant contributor to a visually appealing and unique website. Some brands use custom-made font variations to set them apart. To create a unique experience, use fonts from an online font library such as Google Fonts; See the most popular Sans Serif Google fonts

Layout

Good websites are simple. Keep the structure of each page simple but not dull. For example, use a grid to divide the page into regions that contain content.

Logo

Adding the event logo to the event website strengthens your event brand. Having a logo helps people recognize your event and remember your event. It also shows a professional approach and triggers emotional experience.

Header Banner

Header banner is a wide image placed at the top of the event website pages. Event banners include the basic event details: Name or logo, Time, and location. A banner may also have an event tagline and other graphics.

Background images

Background images are images used as background for text. Background images can make your site more visually appealing and create a significant impact. On the other hand, a lousy background image can interfere with visitors trying to read the content. Accessibility should come first, so ensure the images you use for the background are subtle and seamless and do not overpower the content.

Images next to text

The attention span of website visitors is short, so your website has to interest them and do it quickly. People enjoy viewing interesting images and process images faster than text. Adding good images can help you attract visitor attention and make them want to learn more about your event.

The best pictures to use on your event website are real pictures you took in previous events. Although stock photos are easy to find and sometimes free, use them sparingly because your website may look fake.

Images to select

• High-quality, sharp.
• Relevant to your event.
• Unique - Avoid overused images that people are tired of.
• Images with people that express emotions often get more attention.

Unique

Unique, a new experience has the potential to draw attention. You can create a unique experience using colors, memorable images, and impressive graphics, adding graphics between a section of your webpage and images next to text.

Consistent

A consistent design allows the user to focus on the content and strengthens the event's brand identity. For example, use the same set of colors and fonts on all pages. Also, use the same or similar banner on all pages.

Usable

Check that all your links are working. Make sure the page is displayed clearly on different screen sizes. Have a straightforward, easy-to-find menu.

5. Make Your Website Credible

Credibility is crucial for any business website and especially for an event website. The website's and the event's reputations are linked and will affect each other. Visitors may believe that if the website is poor, there is a good chance the event will be no better. People may forgive some research and science conferences for lousy design if the guest list is compelling, but business and technology events must have a good website design; otherwise, many potential attendees could be lost.

Things that help build website credibility:

• Clear and quality design
• Information about the speakers
• Images and videos from previous events
• Information about the organizers
• List of sponsors and partners
• List of associations who support the event
• Accreditation. Professional credit attendees will get such as CME credits
• Contact details for questions and more information
• Up-to-date information

Things that may damage credibility:

• Outdated information
• Poor design
• Too many stock photos or outdated, overused stock photos
• Low-quality images
• Unrelated ads
• Spelling mistakes
• Broken links or links to irrelevant websites
• Long domain names with numbers

6. Update Your Website Frequently

In event websites, no news is not good news. Is this event happening? Update your website with new information, new speakers, and sponsors. Frequent website content updates keep attendees informed, increase trust and help the event website rank higher in search engines..

Things to update

• New speakers and lectures
• New exhibitors and sponsors
• Program changes
• Industry news, sponsors, and speakers' news
• Time left to register, submit abstracts or event start
• Statistics about participants from different regions

7. Test Your Site on Mobile and Desktops

More people than ever are using their mobile for searching and visiting websites; your event website must look good on mobile to attract them. One more reason why event websites must be mobile-friendly is that attendees will use the website on their mobile devices on their way to the event and during the event.

What looks great on a desktop may not look so good on a mobile.

8. Add Meta Tags for Search Engines

"meta tags" are a standardized way to provide information about a page. Meta tags are embedded in a webpage and are visible by search engines but are not visible as part of the website page by regular users. Website builders use meta tags to inform search engines what the page is about and best index it.

More than 40% of commerce website traffic is from search engines (such as Google), so correctly indexing your event can significantly affect traffic to your site.

The Title and Description metatags

The title and meta description are very influential in how search engines rank pages in search results. They should be both persuasive to encourage users to visit the full page and reflective of the content of the page.

Title

The title meta tag is the page's title, as it will appear in the browser tab and search results. It is the first text potential visitors see about your webpage. Therefore, you need to keep it short (60 chars), informative, and attractive so a potential visitor will visit your website or read the description.

Description

The content of the description is what appears in search results under the page title. It is not visible to users when viewing the page itself. You should use the description tag to create a short, attractive (155-160 chars) description of the page so people will want to click on it to get to your website.

og:title

Similar to the Title meta tag - this tells the social network how to title links to this page

og:description

Similar to the Description meta tag- this tells social networks (Facebook, WhatsApp, LinkedIn) how you want them to describe the link when publishing it

og:image

The preview image that you want to show users with your link.

Event schema

Event Schema

<script type="application/ld+json">
{ "@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Event",
"name": "Blockchain Conference",
"startDate": "2021-09-17T21:30" "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "Georgia World Congress Center" },
"address": {
"@type": "PostalAddress",
"addressLocality": "Atlanta", "addressRegion": "GA",
"streetAddress": "285 Andrew Young Blvd" }
} </script>

Adding event schema to your page enables search engines to index your event correctly and to display your event in search results when users are looking for events.

For example, if you want Google to be able to show your event on Google Maps and Google Search when people search "conferences near me" or "medical conferences in New York," add an Event Scheme to your site.

Using data extracted from your event schema, search engines can show your event in a visually appealing format together with key details such as event date and location.

Test your event website for event schema using Google Schema Markup Validator

9. Add Content in Multiple Languages

English is the most widely spoken language worldwide, but only 5% of the world population considers it their native language. Worldwide, after Chinese, Spanish is the most popular first language. More than 470 million people worldwide In Europe, German is the first language of 100 million people, and French is the first language of 80 million people.

Attendees worldwide can now join virtual and hybrid events without traveling. Do you want more international attendees? A multilingual website can help reach this goal. Having at least some of the information in other languages make international visitors engaged and feel important.

Probably the essential benefit of a multilingual event website is its increasing international exposure. Google and other search engines try to find pages that match the searcher's language. For example, when the searcher searches for "conferencias médicas" (medical conferences), a relevant Spanish page should rank higher than an equivalent English page. More exposure results in more visitors and more visitors result in more registrations.

10. Have a Privacy Policy

Laws and regulations like CalOPPA in California and GDPR in Europe require event organizers to publish a Privacy Policy on the event website.

Among other things, the event privacy policy should explain what attendee data the website and the event organizers collect, how they manage, store, and use it, and whom they can share it with.

11. Use SSL and https

12. Optimize Page Loading Speed

Users expect pages to load fast. According to Google statistics , 53% of mobile users are lost if a web page takes longer than 3 seconds to load. Other published data indicated that every slight delay causes more users to abandon the site.

Some optimization is down automatically by the event website builder platforms; other advanced page loading optimizations require technical knowledge. But there are important things event planners can do to affect page load speed significantly.

How to Improve Page Loading Speed

Reduce the number of images above the fold

"Above the fold" means images that are visible before scrolling.

Optimize images

Oversized images slow page load time. Usually, the image's maximum width should be up to 2500 pixels.

Reduce the number of third-party components

Third-party components or plug-ins are pieces of code you inject to your site. In most cases, this small code loads files data and connects to a remote server, and delays page load time. If you need to use third-party components, measure their importance on page load time and consider moving them to inner pages or "below the fold."

Use a CDN

CDN is a cache service based on a network of servers geographically close to end users. CDN potentially reduces delays in loading page content due to physical distance. CDN effect on performance increases as site traffic grows and your main website server is far from end-users or slow.

13. Track Your Traffic

By embedding a small code provided by a third-party web analytics service provider such as Google Analytics, you can see how many people enter your website, where they came from, and how they use your website.

You can use data and analytics to improve website effectiveness and optimize marketing campaigns.

15. Test Your Pages

Spelling mistakes, broken links, and accessibility issues damage users' experience and website credibility, but very few customers complain when something is wrong. Therefore, do not rely on potential attendees to tell you what is wrong. Instead, testing your site can help you minimize mistakes.

Read more about the Eventact website building module here.