Part of planning an outstanding event involves building a landing page that will entice people to register and attend. Whether your event is in person, like a tradeshow or conference, or online, you need a landing page that will convert.
Building an effective landing page will help you attract attention for your event. A quality landing page will rank well on the SERPs, clearly convey the benefits of your event, and drive registrations so you can see ROI from your efforts. We will walk you through what you need to know about an effective landing page and how you can create one that will stand out from the rest. Then, by looking at event landing page examples, you will walk away with a firm understanding of how you can take your event landing page to the next level.
What is an Event Landing Page?
An event landing page is the landing page you create dedicated specifically to your event. You will create an event landing page for both in-person and virtual events. On your landing page, you will include important information such as:
- Why people should register
- Who will benefit from the event and how
- When and where the event will take place
- What people need to do to register.
Your landing page creates a high-value proposition for your users. You demonstrate to them why they should sign up for your specific event instead of another event held by a rival company in your industry. To build a page that reflects this value, you will want to incorporate a few key elements. We will now explore some of the most essential components of top-performing pages.
Key Elements of a Successful Event Landing Page
When you land on a landing page for an upcoming event, you will likely notice some central elements that help to capture your attention.
Clear and Compelling Headline
The first component that captures the attention of your audience is the headline. The headline will be featured in larger and bolder text than the rest of your copy, giving you a unique opportunity to state your value to your readers. Since the headline appears so prominently, it will likely capture your users’ attention before anything else. Therefore, you want to use this space wisely to engage your readers.
- Present a clear case for why people should care about this event. Don’t use generic headlines that other companies could write as well. Write something that begins to encapsulate what makes your event special.
- Make the headline memorable. If someone does click off your page, you want your headline to stick in their heads, so they come back. The best way to make your headline memorable is to keep it short while also presenting a clear case about why people should attend your event.
- Encourage people to learn more. Phrase your headline so that people feel encouraged to learn more about this event. You want them to glance down on the page and keep reading all that you have to say.
Engaging Visuals
After you have written an outstanding headline, think about the visuals you can use on your page. Visuals can take many forms, but videos and images tend to be the most popular. In fact, video has become so popular in recent years that pre-produced and livestream videos are the top two digital engagement methods used by businesses globally. Marketers continue to select them because of their ability to capture people’s interest and encourage them to keep engaged with your content.
Visuals can play various roles on your page. For example, they can be used as a form of social proof, which we will discuss more below. When you use this strategy, you might use photos of past attendees at your conferences, looking very engaged and excited by the content your event offers.
If you have speakers or presenters at your event who are well-known in your industry, you might also elect to use photos of these key players. Similarly, you might use other visuals that represent the value or topics of your event.
Concise and Persuasive Copy
Complementing your visuals and supporting your outstanding headline should be concise and persuasive copy. Once you draw people in with your headline, the next step will be for your page visitors to scan down and read more about what your event will offer and why they should care. The text you write, therefore, will make a large difference to whether someone decides to convert. Here are some tips for writing optimal copy.
- Make sure the copy addresses the same things that enticed people to click through on an ad or other event promotion. When an ad encourages people to click, they want the page they land on to continue addressing the issue that encouraged them to click. Unrelated copy will lead to a higher bounce rate.
- The copy should also be interesting. Text that gets too technical or boring will turn people off. Focus on being interesting and engaging, as this will go a long way in persuading people to pay attention and consider registering.
- Focus on the benefits and value people receive when they register. Listing features can be dull and do little to persuade people. Better persuasion comes from tapping into people’s emotions by speaking about the benefits they will receive. When speaking about these benefits, the copy should be specific, including numbers that help to cement your point will benefit you greatly.
- Make the text easy for people to scan. When your user lands on the landing page, they often do not want to read several dense paragraphs, they want to scan a few bullet points quickly. Therefore, capture your main ideas in text they can read rapidly.
- Test your copy with A/B testing. A/B testing can help you focus on the copy people respond to best. With A/B testing, you can try a few different ways of phrasing. You can also look at how you style your copy. This empowers you to select the option your viewers like best.
Strong Call-to-Action
Your text should end with an outstanding CTA that gives your visitors the final motivation they need to click the registration button. A quality CTA combines the core message you communicated with your copy and entices people to complete the conversion.
Your text should give people a clear message of what they should do. You do not want your readers to have any hesitancy about what action they should take next after they read your landing page. Adding a sense of urgency to your CTA will also let people know they cannot put the decision to register off for long. Letting people know that only a limited number of tickets are left or that only a few days or weeks remain before the sale ends can inspire people to act immediately. Some great examples of CTAs include:
- Only 30 seats remain! Reserve your spaces now.
- The excitement begins in 1 month. Get your tickets now.
- Elevate your skills. Register now.
Social Proof and Testimonials
Social proof also plays a large role in your effective landing page. Humans are social creatures; we care about what other people do, and we are inclined to trust products and businesses that other people use and like. People typically remain a little skeptical of the advertising businesses produce for themselves, but when that is coupled with testimonials or other social proof, these same customers feel more confident moving forward with your brand. One study found that adding testimonials to a landing page increases conversions by 34%, which can dramatically increase the number of registrations you receive for a given event.
Social proof can take a variety of different formats. On landing pages, two of the most common formats you will see are user testimonials and star ratings. Both of these help to capture what past attendees thought of your events and will encourage people to register for your event.
Event Landing Page Examples
When designing your page, look at event landing page examples from people who have done it well. These examples can help you see how the different elements fit together and can help you create an effective landing page that will drive registrations. These examples can also inspire design ideas as you think about how you can use color and fonts to reflect your brand and drive your ideas home.
Example 1: SXSW
The South By Southwest conference has become a popular cultural phenomenon and its landing page reflects its success.
The page opens with social proof, showing photos from the previous conference’s speakers, inviting attendees for the upcoming year to see similar experts in-person the following year. The text under the conference title also uses a variety of high-emotion words like, “cutting-edge,” “forward-focused,” and “global community,” which work together to produce a highly desirable invitation for people considering attending.
For anyone still unsure about the value of registering, scrolling down the page provides more information about the keynote speakers for the coming year and the different tracks that people might enjoy at the event. Overall, the landing page clearly explains how people will benefit from attending this conference.
Example 2: Search Marketing Expo
This landing page offers a great example of how people can create landing pages for online events. Search Engine Land, which hosts the event, has created a virtual training opportunity for those focused on search marketing.
When you land on the page, one of the first things you notice is the strong headline, promising people they will ‘level up’ their skills in the SEO and PPC areas. The text is then broken into paragraphs of single lines that focus on communicating the value of the event for today’s marketer or business owner.
Following the text, the page includes testimonials from those who have loved the event in the past. Users are directed to click on clear buttons that offer different levels of participation with a CTA that engages with, “Now it’s your turn.”
Example 3: Web Summit Vancouver
The attention-grabbing headline for this event deserves special attention, as the event pulls it directly from a quote from a recognizable publication, Politico. The short introduction to the conference under the headline then makes a strong pitch for the event, focusing on the community of tech leaders who come to attend the event.
Following some inviting pictures of Vancouver and past conferences, the conference uses strong social proof by providing a layout of highly recognizable people who have spoken at past conferences, including celebrities, inventors, and world leaders. Then, the conference advertises the popular brands that have partnered with the conference in the past. A prominent button to pre-register for the event makes it easy for them to take action and participate in the next conference.
Coupling these inviting page features creates an appealing invitation that encourages people to attend the coming event.
Tips for Creating Your Own Event Landing Page
After you have looked over these examples, it is time for you to start thinking about your event marketing plan and designing your own optimal landing pages. Here is how you can take your event landing pages to the next level.
- Think carefully about your audience and what they want to see. The same way you design your ads with a specific audience in mind, you want to guide your copy.
- Design each element of your landing page thoughtfully. Keep your target audience in mind as you write your headline and your copy.
- Remember the importance of scanning and mobile devices as you create your page. Make sure everything appears optimally on mobile devices and that your main ideas can be grasped if people scan your headline and text.
- Help your users feel as though they join a common community when they register. Social proof creates a desirable social context for people to join.
- Build your page to show your event’s value. Capturing the main value proposition of your event and why people should register should be your chief priority as you design every element of the page.
Conclusion
Creating an effective landing page for your upcoming event requires you to think carefully about each element on the page. You want to write a headline that captures your readers’ attention while your text draws them in and helps them understand the value you offer. Your visuals and social proof can then give them the extra push they need to register.
With an outstanding landing page, you can elevate your upcoming event and reach your goals. Review these event landing page examples and tips and see how you can improve your design to capture interested attendees.
