SPONSORED CONTENT EN AWARDS 2023 SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR
How to create a successful event website … by those who know !
ASP ’ s Digital Project supremos Shirley Lloyd and Stew Cunningham have created over 3,000 event websites between them . It ’ s fair to say they know a thing or two about creating excellent event websites .
We asked the pair for their dos , don ’ ts and top tips on how to make a website that truly acts as a year-round shop window for your event
What are the key ingredients that go into making a good website ? Shirley Lloyd : When someone goes on to your website , on average they will make their mind up if they want to stay on your website in 2.6 seconds . Make this time count by having clear navigation and all the information at a glance that potential visitors need to make an informed decision as to whether they want to attend your show . Stew Cunningham : Your website is a year round shop window for your event so needs fresh and up-todate content which will keep people coming back for more and help you grow audience loyalty . I would also add making sure your website is accessible to all and is optimised for mobile .
What are your top tips ? SL : When creating content for your website , always have search engine optimisation ( SEO ) and your show ’ s keywords at the front of your mind . These keywords will help search engines like Google to rank your website highly which will help
Stew Cunnigham
Shirley Lloyd
potential visitors find out about your show . SC : Do not over complicate things ! Simplicity in most situations is key as confusion leads to people bouncing off your website . Look to write small amounts of engaging copy , not paragraphs of waffle . Have consistent call to action ( CTA ) usage throughout the site and do some Conversion Rate Optimisation ( CRO ) testing as this can play a big part in the success of your website and ultimately your show .
How does CRO work ? SC : CRO is the process of increasing the percentage of conversions from a website . The purpose of conversion rate optimisation ( CRO ) is to improve the likelihood of visitors taking a desired action on a webpage . It typically involves A / B testing different elements of your website to see what gets the best results . SL : Call to action buttons - their wording , colour and positioning is great examples of this . One client we are helping with CRO has seen a 25 % increase of visitors clicking through to their ticketing page . A significant uplift !
What do people often not think about ? SL : I think people often overlook SEO . It ’ s essentially free marketing . SC : I would add to this not installing Google Analytics to get those all important stats .
What common mistakes do you often see ? SC : Two words ; Long pages ! Some organisers want to add everything to the page , but I would say when it comes to websites and good UX , less is more .
Finally , have you seen any growing trends ? SL : More event organisers are using chatbox features , which are an easy way for visitors to contact the show team with a more ‘ personal ’ touch .
Keen to know more about conversion rate optimisation , SEO or ASP ? Visit asp . events .
02 — Summer