In today's economy, it can be tough to get people to rsvp for events or buy tickets. But don't worry, we're here to help. We've put together a step-by-step guide to help you create an event website that not only attracts visitors, but also gets them to register or buy tickets. Follow our advice and you'll be on your way to a sold-out event in no time.
What is an event page and why do I need one?
An event homepage or event website is designed to provide all the necessary information about a specific in-person, virtual or hybrid event, while also promoting it.
These types of pages often include engaging visuals and testimonials to build excitement and anticipation for the event. Additionally, they typically have built-in event registration and ticketing functionality, making it easy for visitors to register or purchase tickets directly from the event page. That’s good news for event planners as it allows them to sell tickets 24/7!
What tools should I use to build an event page?
When it comes to crafting your event site, there are essentially three main paths you can take:
- Opt for a website template: Leveraging templates for event pages means starting with pre-designed layouts that allow for easy tweaks to incorporate your event details and branding. This approach is great for speed and simplicity.
- Use a drag-and-drop website builder: Platforms like Accelevents offer a drag-and-drop event website builder, making it straightforward to design and personalize your event pages without needing deep technical knowledge.
- Code your site from scratch: For those seeking ultimate customization, coding your event website from the ground up provides full control over every aspect of its design, layout, and features. While offering maximum flexibility, this option demands more time and technical skill.
Helpful hint: If creating an entire website sounds like too much work, investigate if your event platform offers an event registration widget or plug-in. Accelevents for example offers a series of widgets you can easily deploy on your already existing website. This approach significantly simplifies your event planning, especially when time is of the essence!
What information should I include on my event page?
Clear and concise messaging is key to effectively marketing your event. Your event website is a crucial platform for communicating this information to potential attendees.
To ensure that all relevant information is included on your event page, use the 5 Ws (When, Where, Why, Who, What) as a guide:
- When: Include the event name and date, as well as the agenda for specific sessions. In case of recurring events, you may also want to include the events calendar.
- Where: Provide the location and address of the event, as well as details on how attendees can access it (e.g. directions, maps, transportation options, parking information). Additionally, list nearby restaurants and hotels for attendees to stay and eat.
- Why: Clearly state the reason for hosting the event and the benefits of attending.
- Who: Specify your target audience and introduce key participants like speakers, sponsors, exhibitors and organizers.
- What: Provide a clear call to action, such as registration or purchasing tickets. Include information on ticket types and a registration form.
By including this information on your event website, you will immediately give visitors a clear idea of what your event is about and encourage them to take action.
Should I create an event landing page or an event website?
Whether you choose to build a landing page or a website for your upcoming event depends on the purpose of the page and the type of event you’re hosting.
An event landing page is a single web page designed for a specific event. allows the organizer to provide all the necessary information about the event in a clear and concise way. Event landing pages are typically easy to set up and update. They focus on providing the key event details needed to drive users to take action by either purchasing tickets or registering for the event.
An event website is a comprehensive online platform that can include a variety of information about an event, including its history, past events, the organization or company behind it, and content libraries. It is more complex than a regular event page and can be used as a hub for all the events that the organizer is planning in the future.
What should my event page look like?
A good event website should have a cohesive, professional look that is on brand.
Here some event website design recommendations to follow:
Branding: Align event branding with your overall company branding. Adhere to your branding guidelines and apply them consistently throughout the event page, including the same font, color scheme, and logo. This helps to reinforce brand awareness and capitalizes on the trust that event visitors have in your brand.
Event Theme: The visuals and branding should also align with the theme of the event. If the event is a music festival, design a page that’s fun and lively. If you’re hosting an annual trade show, the branding should be professional and sleek and maintain consistency year over year.
Videos and Imagery: Use relevant high-quality images that are well-lit, in focus, and that capture the essence of the event. Images should be relevant to the event, and showcase the venue, attendees, and any other key elements of the event. Videos are an even better way to promote the event and key speakers.
Social Proof: Use testimonials, photos, or video from previous events to build excitement and anticipation.
Mobile-Friendly, Adaptive Design: Today's event-goers expect to engage with event content on their mobile devices. To deliver a seamless user experience, ensure your event website is designed for mobile access and adapts smoothly to various screen sizes.
By considering these factors, you can choose visuals and branding that effectively promote the event and create a professional and cohesive web design that entices visitors to attend.
Pro Tip: Choose event management software with robust customization options to make your event website stand out. Look for a platform that offers a user-friendly event website builder with a variety of customizable event templates; this way you can quickly and easily create an event page that reflects your unique event and story.
Why is it important to simplify my event page?
You don't want potential attendees leaving your event page because they are confused and don't know what to do. Clear and concise messaging is essential to increase conversions on an event page. Here are some strategies to focus on:
- Call to Action (CTA): Make sure your call to action is clear, whether it's "Buy Tickets" or "Register" for an event. Ensure that it is consistently used across all channels: social media, email communications, and the event page.
- CTA Buttons: Include well-designed and prominent call-to-action buttons throughout the page, preferably in prominent locations. Make sure the buttons are easy to spot and understand.
- Headlines: Use headlines that are clear and attention-grabbing, highlighting the key information about the event and the call to action.
Why are different ticket types a good idea?
Offering different ticket types is a strategic move to boost revenue for several key reasons:
- Reach audiences with different budgets: Offer different ticket types at varying prices to reach people of any income level.
- Broaden your audience: Offer tickets specifically for the virtual event portion of an onsite event to attract remote participants.
- Create upsell opportunities: For example. offer a VIP ticket type to provide your most valuable buyers with a more exclusive experience.
- Personalize the event experience: Give attendees options like early access, backstage passes, or special perks to customize their experience. This strategy can motivate attendees to opt for higher-priced tickets.
- Get better analytics: Collect data on which pricing options are more popular and adjust prices accordingly, maximizing revenue and making sure that the right pricing is set for the right audience.
How can I use urgency to drive registrations and ticket sales?
Creating a sense of urgency can drive sales and encourage visitors to purchase tickets early. This can be achieved by emphasizing the limited quantity and time available for purchasing tickets.
- Quantity Available – Many ticketing platforms will allow you display the number of tickets remaining for each ticket type on your event ticketing website. Showing this quantity will provide a reminder to your audience that tickets are running out, and it will also provide social proof that others have been purchasing tickets at a rapid rate. In response, users will buy their tickets now rather than wait!
- Time Available – Similarly, many pages allow you to display the time left until tickets will no longer be available. This could be in the form of a countdown or simply by listing the time left until the ticket sales will end. Either way, showing the time left until tickets will no longer be on sale will provide a stimulus for potential guests to buy their tickets sooner.Sense of urgency.
Why is a simple check-out crucial to locking in ticket sales?
You’ve spent a lot of time creating an attractive and highly converting event ticketing website. Now you’ll want to make sure that you offer an easy checkout process that ensures none of your ticket buyers leave your site before completing their purchase.
Reduce the number of checkout steps
When thinking about the checkout process, again, simpler is better. Try to reduce the number of steps required for your ticket buyers to check out, so you don't frustrate them during the payment process. This applies to all devices, whether it's a desktop computer, tablet, or mobile phone.
Offer a variety of payment options
Another way to make the checkout process more user-friendly is to offer multiple payment options, such as credit card, PayPal, and bank transfer. This will make it easier for visitors to complete their purchase, regardless of their preferred payment method.
Ensure your page is secure
Your checkout page should be secure and compliant with industry standards. This will give visitors peace of mind and confidence to complete their purchase, preventing them from backing out of registration.
Pro Tip: Even if you have the most amazing event page and your check-out process is flawless, visitors may still abandon the registration process. To re-engage them, try sending reminder emails, using retargeting ads, or offering incentives to sign up.
How can I encourage ticket buyers and registrants to promote my event?
There’s a way to capitalize on your ongoing registrations and ticket sales to get even more ticket sales! It’s called social sharing and here's how it works: When a person shares on social media that they have bought tickets, it can influence others to do the same. What’s more, people will feel a sense of urgency to buy tickets before your event sells out.
To make it easy for your event attendees to share their purchase on social media and email, choose an online ticketing or registration platform like Accelevents that has built-in social sharing buttons.
How can I make sure my event page gets seen by lots of people?
Creating an appealing event website that presents all the necessary information and allows for easy registration or ticket purchasing is crucial for achieving your goals.
However, simply building an event is not enough. To be successful, you need to implement a strong event marketing campaign and SEO strategy that drives traffic to it.
Here are some resources to get you started:
- Event Marketing: Check out our suggestions on how to promote your event to maximize the success of your event.
- SEO: Search engine optimization may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's necessary to make your event page visible on search engines such as Google. Search Engine Journal has prepared a great tutorial on SEO for events that is worth reading!
