In this post, we will delve into the crucial aspects of developing a website focused on hosting large-scale events, capable of accommodating thousands of attendees. Our discussion will cover various essential components, including:

· Tools to create the website

· Structure of the website

· Design

· SEO (Search engine optimization)

· Optimization

1. TOOLS FOR WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT

When undertaking the creation of an event-centric website, it is highly advisable to leverage WordPress. This platform offers an extensive array of plugins, simplifying the development process and enhancing the overall experience. Key plugins include:

1. Elementor: A user-friendly tool for efficient page creation and customization, eliminating the need for programming skills.
2. JetEngine: A versatile plugin that enables customization of the WordPress Core, allowing the creation of specific post types for personalized information fields.

Complementing these, additional plugins like: Slider Revolution, WP-Optimize, and WPS Hide Login enhance the visual appeal, optimize website performance, and bolster security.

2. THE STRUCTURE OF THE WEBSITE

In this section we will review all the pages that any website of an event should have and what the navigation structure would be like.

The website is made up of many pages but the main page called Home (or HomePage) is the main entry portal to our website.

HOMEPAGE

This is the page that should allow you to move with the fewest clicks through the entire web, it should be as intuitive as possible, given that the majority of people who consume digital content are not computer scientists and rather their knowledge is low. We must always think about its accessibility, that is what makes the difference.

The best way to navigate between all the pages on your website is to use menus. They allow you to move to another place on your website in 1 click since you always have it in view and accessible, but you can use other ways such as an animated slider that serves as a menu (mentioned in the first section) or some other navigation method on the web portal.

ABOUT US

On this page you usually put the history of the event (if it is not your first event) such as where the previous events were, what the event is about (if it is a political, economic, car event) Put the foundation or company behind the event. (This page does NOT discuss event information such as logistics, location, etc.)

CONTACT

The contact section is where people can contact the company organizing the event.

One of the biggest problems that you can find on this page is the overwhelming amount of spam bots on the Internet, which is why it is very important to have the web server prepared to filter messages from real people and discard those from bots that is why it is almost mandatory to put an antibot system such as Recaptcha or some antispam plugin (My recommendation would be to get a recaptcha key on this websitehttps://cloud.google.com/recaptcha-enterprise/docs/create-key?hl=es-419and enter it in the Elementor – Settings – Integrations section)

In this way it is very easy to integrate an antispam bot, if you do not use Elementor WordPress has many antispam plugins to implement on your website.

Once filtered to let the user know that they have contacted us and that we have received their message, we send an automatic confirmation email when we receive the email.

REGISTRATION

On this page people can register for the event.

The difference between events, in the registration section, is whether it is free of charge or not.

If it is without any participation fee, the user simply registers on the registration form.

For paid attandence, the user is taken through a payment gateway and once the payment is processed, their are added to the Guests list as confirmed participants.

LOGISTIC / EVENT INFO

In this section you must give all the information regarding the event that will take place, such as Venue of the event, accommodation, transfers and any other information of interest (day, time, room…).

The information has to be always updated and easy to understand. Straighforward communication is crucial to avoid any confusion to your delegates.

AGENDA / SPEAKERS

In the agenda comes one of the most tedious tasks to do (in case of having a large event) since you have to put all the panels that the event will have accompanied by the speakers, who will be in each panel, adjusting their schedule and organizing everything so that it is easy to understand for users who consult the information.

And above all, the most important thing is to have the work environment well prepared so that if a modification is necessary it is easy and quick to make.

FINAL STRUCTURE

Once all of the above has been done, we should have a structure like this:

(It may vary depending on the event but it will always be something similar)

3. Design

Design plays a pivotal role in maintaining brand integrity and projecting an elegant, optimal appearance. Collaboration with clients and the integration of custom animations, created using tools like Slider Revolution, contribute to a unique and visually appealing website.

4. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

SEO is very important on your website, to be able to give visibility and presence on the Internet, given the large number of websites, internet search engines (such as Google, Bing, Yahoo!, etc.) have an algorithm to filter between websites and thus offering the result that best suits the search.

For this reason, when writing, it is necessary to take SEO into consideration and know how to place the titles with their different tags, among others, to be able to have a higher position in the ranking.

There are 3 Types of search on the internet:

1. Brand search:It is when they search for you specifically, what would be putting in the stas-21 search engine.
2. Transactional search:It is when they are looking to make a transaction of some kind, both free and paid, it is usually 10% of the traffic.
3. Informational search:These searches represent 80% of traffic meaning that this is where you should aim when doing SEO.

SEO factors

• Keywords. When you write a publication you have to put keywords related to the topic so that the search engine can interpret what your website is about and have coherence between everything and recommend it.

• Reputation. A good reputation is achieved by creating quality, original, differentiated content that responds to user demands. Links when writing are very important because a website with links to other pages (that have a good reputation and are similar) is recommended rather than one without links.

• Words in the links. Content matters. SEO is responsible for verifying that the content in the links is of quality and answers the user’s searches.

• The authority. Search engines take into account the popularity of a website and, therefore, all the information it contains. The more popular a website is in a subject, the more relevant information it is considered to have. Having more chances of appearing in the first option.

Recognizing the significance of SEO is vital for enhancing website visibility. Focus on three types of internet searches – brand, transactional, and informational. Implementing keywords strategically, building a reputable online presence, and ensuring quality content are integral components of effective SEO.

There are two main types of SEO:

1. On-page SEO: Enhances the website’s visibility within Google through strategies like fast loading times, mobile-friendly content, and optimized keywords.
2. Off-page SEO: Involves external strategies such as obtaining relevant backlinks and maintaining an active presence on social media.

5. Optimization

A fast website is essential to make the user experience more enjoyable; when a website loads quickly and runs smoothly, user retention is greater. It also complements perfectly with the previous point, SEO, since a well-optimized website is more likely to be indexed higher.

The most important thing about optimization is that when browsing on mobile, the website is completely prepared to display optimally on the device screens.

Optimization advantages:

• Offers a better user experience.
• Improves search engine positioning.
• Reduce bounce rate and increase visitor retention.
• Speed ​​up loading speed.
• Increase customer conversions.
• Ensures adaptation to mobile devices.
• Strengthens site security.

Conclusion

By integrating these components seamlessly, your event website will not only be visually appealing but also functionally efficient, providing an optimal experience for all users.