media room
Event and Show
websites - They've come a long way baby!
By John Hollingsworth
Not too long ago, event and show websites
were just online brochures. Today, the technology has advanced,
providing interactive communication between show management,
and their attendees, exhibitors and media personelle. Online
couponing and contests have set the stage for cross-marketing
efforts that will attract people to your website and help build
your database of email addresses. Here are a few cyber tips
to help take your site to the next level.
Navigation - Make it Simple!
There is nothing worse than getting lost in the maze of a poorly
designed website. A good rule of thumb to remember is the '3
click rule'. People visiting your site should be able to locate
what they're looking for in 3 clicks or less. It's important
to categorize your information into approximately 6 or 8 main
navigational headings. This will make it easy for people to
find what they're looking for. Here is an example of a consumer
show navigational layout: EXHIBITORS, VISITORS, SPECIAL EVENTS,
FLOOR PLAN & EXHIBITOR LIST, MEDIA, and a CONTACT section.
Once you have decided on the main 'sections'
of your site, everything else should easily fall into place.
If you have an extremely comprehensive site, with many pages,
you may want to consider a 'Site Map'. A Site Map is usually
one page that provides links to all the sections and subsections
of the site. This is your site-at-a-glance - similar to the
index of a book.
Overall Design - Clean and
Fast!
The concept of 'scale and proportion' is one of the cornerstones
of great design. A well-designed site is similar to a Porsche
- it's beautiful to look at, and performs fast. There are three
fundamentals in web design. Make it Professional, Easy, and
Fast.
Make it professional. This
will be many people's first impression of your company. A professional
looking site speaks volumes about your organization. It will
prove to be money well spent.
Make it easy. As mentioned
earlier, make it easy for people to find the information they're
looking for. If they can't find what they need, they'll be gone
within seconds, and probably never return.
Make it fast. Not everyone
has a high-speed connection to the web, so be sure to design
your site so that everyone can enjoy their visit. There are
many design techniques (not visible to the public), that will
make your site download twice as fast as many of your competitors.
A talented web developer is worth their weight in gold. Knowing
how to visually communicate, optimize graphics, and integrate
small Flash animations will ensure a site that looks great and
loads fast.
Update your Information - Keep
it Current!
The Internet has given us an amazing tool to provide 'current'
information to our market. Unlike 'print' or 'billboards', a
website can be easily and affordably updated at any time. Be
sure to update your media releases, special events, and exhibitor
lists as often as possible. This will draw people back to your
site again and again.
John Hollingsworth is the President
of Cybershows International (specializing in web development
for the show industry) and can be reached at 905-466-7800 or
john@cybershows.ca. Website - cybershows.ca
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