Many nonprofits that run events have a place on their website to post and promote their event content. Over the years, we have seen a lot of variability in how organizations use their event entries. While many are model examples, some miss opportunities that if taken could add value for their website visitors. Here are some of the issues we commonly see.

• Deleting event entries from their website after they've happened
• Not updating content throughout the event lifecycle
• Failing to distinguish between upcoming and past events on their main event page

Event entries can be a valuable piece of website content to a variety of different audiences. The following are a collection of tips for managing your website event content.

Think about your audience

The first step when thinking about your website is putting your audience first. What do they need that a particular piece of content can provide. Prospective attendees are an audience most organizations are focused on. However, event content also serves other key stakeholders. Here are some types of audience groups you might consider.

• Potential Attendees: They are folks who connect to what you are offering and who might attend the event.
• Sponsors and Donors: Those who financially support your events.
• Potential Corporate Partners or Grantors: Those who want to get to know your organization better.
• Attendees: Those who attended an event.
• Community Members: Those invested in your work in general but could not attend or felt it wasn't the right event for them to attend.

What might each of these audiences hope to gain from your event content.

• Potential Attendees: They need the details. To learn what the event about, when, where, and how much to name a few.
• Sponsors and Donors: To get to know an event and sponsorship opportunities that match their goals. Once supporting, they might visit to see how they are acknowledged. Following an event, what impact was made.
• Attendees: Beyond the details before and at the event, they might want access to resources or a recap to build their knowledge.
• Community Members: To get to know what you offer and how. To check out and get a flavor of past events.

Create a single event entry

Our next tip is to publish one dedicated entry for each event. This ensures each event has a stable URL, which is important for SEO and consistency. A consistent URL is also helpful when posting events to social media and other channels. It makes sharing easier and avoids broken links. A dedicated page for each event also makes it easy to update details as the event progresses through different phases.

We have seen organizations create multiple event entries for the same event or repurpose a past event to use for a similar upcoming one. This can be confusing to return visitors.

Past events can be evergreen resources

Our next tip is to consider the benefits of keeping event pages live once they are past. Your events can be a source of content that can provide value long after the event is over. We generally consult to keep event pages live after the event is over as opposed to unpublishing them.

• Demonstrate Credibility: Keeping past event pages accessible helps showcase your organization’s track record and experience in hosting successful events. It provides potential sponsors and donors with a sense of continuity and professionalism.
• SEO Value: Past event pages can continue to drive traffic to your website. This can help your organization maintain a strong online presence.
• Create Evergreen Resources: An evergreen resource is one that provides value for a long time. Events can be a source of some great information. They can transform a page on your site that is a timely communication to a long serving resource for key audiences.

Adapt content through the event lifecycle

An event goes through multiple phases. Let's look at how you communicate about the event at different stages.

Save the Date

Share a brief overview, location, date, and time. Include key reasons to attend, but focus on building anticipation. If a similar event happened in the past, consider including a testimonial, video sizzle real, or key images to help inspire folks to attend the upcoming one.

• Date, time, and location (or “virtual” if online)
• High-level agenda or topics
• Teasers for special guests or activities
• Reasons to attend (e.g., networking, learning opportunities)

Registration Open

Add registration details, a more comprehensive description, speaker bios, and any logistics around location and schedule.

• Registration link or form
• Detailed agenda or schedule
• Full list of speakers or facilitators with bios
• Event goals or expected outcomes
• FAQ section for common questions

After the Event

Update the page to include event highlights, photos, and key takeaways. This can serve as a recap for those who attended, a reference for those considering future events, and a resource for those interested in the content of the event.

• Photos or video highlights from the event
• Summary of key discussions or takeaways
• Links to relevant resources or follow-up actions
• Testimonials from participants
• A "Thank You" section for sponsors and partners

Prioritize accessibility

One common issue we see when organizations promote their event is they create nicely designed image assets with the all the critical content. This can lead to accessibility and general usability issues.

Keep the following in mind:

• Use text: Enter event details directly as text in your event entries and promotions rather than relying on image-based invitations. Text in images is not accessible to screen readers and cannot be copied or searched. Does this mean you can't include text in your images, no, but all critical information should be repeated in text along with it.
• Alt text is not enough: While adding alt text to images is important and better than no text at all. This said, it cannot replace the clarity and accessibility of well-organized text on the page. Use headings, lists, and clear formatting to make information easy to follow for everyone.

Maximize the impact of your event content

By following these strategies, you’ll not only keep your event content up-to-date and engaging but also create a valuable resource. Keeping event pages accessible and updated helps build credibility, enhances SEO, and provides lasting value to different stakeholders, from attendees and sponsors to community members and potential partners. Your event content can tell a story, showcase impact, and serve as a powerful asset long after the event has concluded.