Let's say your company or group decides to hold a special event six or twelve months down the road. Eventually somebody on the planning committee will suggest the group create a special website for the event: "We can create an online registration form, include information about the special speakers and entertainment, post a schedule, and provide links to accommodation, travel agents, etc., etc."
Sounds like a good idea.
But how can you maximize the effectiveness of such a site? Will it be something that people actually refer to and use? Or will creating it just be a waste of time and effort? Do you have somebody in the group who can get this kind of site up and running quickly? Or will you have to defer to your already overworked company webmaster or the same creative volunteers who are always exploited for such projects?
And will anybody apart from a few select insiders (your committee members) actually be able to find the site once it is set up?
Some important issues to consider
Here are some of the more important issues to consider before you go ahead and create another website that nobody looks at.
1. Will its content be "deep" enough to make it more than just an online announcement?
Many websites start out as good ideas, but quickly fizzle when their creators realize they don't really have much to say. In the case of event websites, the "depth" of a proposed site will depend on the event itself.
For instance, say your Agricultural Society is running a Fall Fair. Wouldn't an event site be ideal for providing details about competition categories, judging criteria, daily schedules of events, as well as online registration forms, entertainment highlights, and general program notes? In other words, an extended event of this sort provides lots of fodder for making a site "deep" enough to be a valuable resource for visitors and participants alike.
On the other hand if your committee is in charge of organizing a one night Fireworks Display (July 4 in the US, May "two-four" in Canada) then chances are the program will be pretty light. There's not much need for a complete website. You would be better off just creating a web page or an announcement and asking the webmasters of relevant sites to give you some exposure.
Of course there are lots of events right in the middle between these two examples. Family Reunions, for instance. What could be better than a "Jones-05.org" site? You could include contact information, program descriptions, historical photos, comments from family members across the country...on and on it goes.
2. Should your "site" be part of another already existing one, or should you register a new domain specifically for your event?
Say you are organizing the 50th Anniversary Acme Widgets Company Picnic. The Company already has an active website -- "www.acmewidgets.com". And the company website already has a skilled webmaster. Would it be better to ask your company webmaster to put your event in a directory on "www.acmewidgets.com" -- for example, "www.acmewidgets.com/50th", or "www.50th.acmewidgets.com"? Or would you be better off to create a brand new "domain" just for the event -- something like "www.acme50.com"?
First of all, don't worry about the cost to create your own site. Yes, it does cost something to register a new domain and find a host. But these costs are insignificant in the larger scheme of things. You can register a ".com" domain for as little as $12.95 (per year), and an .info or .biz domain for as low as $7.95 or less. And hosting is very cheap as well. The standard these days is about $5.95 per month for a reliable host.
Much more important is whether or not your group has the know-how to actually create a website from scratch and then maintain it for a year or more. If you have an experienced web designer or webmaster on your committee he or she will probably be able to set the group up for next to nothing. If you don't, I suggest you find one before tackling the job. This is not the time for flying by the seat of your pants.
If you are able to find someone with the necessary skills, then it's a no-brainer. Go ahead. Register your own domain and build your own site. You won't have to beg your overly protective company webmaster for favors. And just as important, you will be able to register a memorable domain name that will help you in your promotional efforts. Which do you think would be easier to remember and find: "www.acmewidgets.com/50th" or "www.acme50.com"?
3. Is it possible to get some Search Engine recognition in the relatively short time your site will be in operation?
In case you haven't noticed, this is the same question that every webmaster or web marketing persons asks: "How do I get traffic to my site?"
In the short term the only way you can attract traffic to your site is by "advertising". And the most common, most effective form of advertising these days is called "Pay Per Click" (PPC) -- you know, "Google ads" -- those little text ads you see down the side of the Google search pages.
You would probably be surprised how easy PPC ads (especially Google) are to set up, how broad is the range of events or products they can be used to promote, and how much control you have over your limited advertising budget.
For instance, say I want to promote the (imaginary) Hendershot Family Reunion set to take place in in the summer of 2005. I could create a Google ad that would pop up every time someone did a Google search for "Hendershot", "Hendershot family", etc. My ad could have a headline as simple as "Hendershot Reunion".
Now there aren't many Hendershots out there, and I wouldn't expect too many Jones or Singhs or Crespos to click on my ad. And since I only pay when someone actually clicks on my ad (remember "Pay Per Click"), this advertising would likely not cost much. I could reach a pretty large part of the online Hendershot "community" in about as efficient a manner as possible.
In the longer term the only reliable way you can get traffic to your site is by getting the Search Engines on your side. Wouldn't it be great if every time someone did a search for "Hendershot" Google would immediately bring up a (free) link to my Hendershot Reunion 05 site?
Unfortunately this sort of recognition usually takes several months or even years. So your typical event site will not be able to easily get it. But there are some things you can do to give yourself a "leg up".
First, choose a memorable domain name that contains your most important keyword. If I could get "hendershot-reunion.com", that would be about as good as it gets. This will help the SEs know exactly what your site is about.
Second, create lots of Search Engine Optimized copy. That means make sure you have a clear idea of what your site is about, write copy that clearly and forcefully reflects this topic, and be sure to build lots of your primary keywords into your text -- especially at the beginning and end of your most important pages. If you have no idea what I am talking about, contact me at one of the addresses below and I'll send you some links to some helpful information on the topic.
Third, once your site is up and running, submit it to Google. Just do a search for "Submit URL" and you'll find the link. Submitting sites is not necessary once they are interlinked and have been indexed, because Google (and the other main SEs) will automatically spider them. But submitting a new site may kick start the process.
Fourth, try to get as many relevant, quality "links" pointing to your site as you can, as quickly as you possibly can. The importance of quality links cannot be overstated. Virtually all the major Search Engines rely on inbound links to tell it whether your site is important within its area of focus. And this is how you get ranked and rated, and how your site will come up high when people do relevant searches.
Develop a link strategy right from "Day 1" and start working your strategy immediately. Getting the Search Engines on your side takes time, so don't wait to implement your strategy. Keep two things in mind when going after listings (or trading links).
First, look for links that will potentially generate traffic -- sites that have visitors who might be interested in your event.
Second (and possibly more important), look for links that will increase the "findability" of your site. That means look for "quality links" that will enhance your site's importance in the eyes of the Search Engines. "Quality links" have two things: "relevance" and high Page Rank. (For an explanation of "quality links", see below.)
Here are some suggestions for what to include in your strategy.
Follow these steps carefully and chances are your event website will be a powerful means of promoting and enhancing your event. With a bit of planning and hard work your special event website will help you make your event the outstanding success you are hoping for.
For more information on Pay Per Click ads, see my article called "Testing Your Products with Google Adwords."
Rick Hendershot is a writer, marketer, and online publisher. This article was originally published in Trade Show Tips. For online promotion ideas see Linknet Promotions.