In the world of web and graphic design, the events page can be one of the most cumbersome. It changes regularly (sometimes on a daily basis) and needs to cram a lot of information into a relatively small space. This can make it challenging for responsive design and mobile readiness, especially if you don’t have a go-to web designer at the ready. While the site might look great on your work PC, you need to know it presents quickly and beautiful on any browser or device (regardless of age).
For example, if your website features a page of family-friendly events in the area, you already know stressed out parents are probably scanning it while walking their kid to the bus stop. They don’t have the time or patience to wait for a slow page to load or try to figure out a mess of information that’s all over the place. You can’t lose these valuable audience members, and fortunately there are some best practices at your fingertips. Here’s how to design an events page that works for you:
1. Embrace the white space
White space is a staple of responsive design and makes information seem more digestible and manageable. You can check out Creative Bloq’s mantra of why white space is so important but you already know: It looks cleaner, more professional and more organized. If you really want your audience to dive in and attend those events, make them seem accessible from the start. Jumbled information will lose your readers.
2. Use the right photos
Many people prefer scanning a photo to see if an event if something they’re interested in, but it needs to be non-stock looking and an adequate size. Too large and it’ll slow down a site, and too small and you may as well not bother. Get ideas from SlideShare on how to choose stock photos that don’t look like it, but whenever possible use your company’s own photos. If this is a recurring event, you should have images available from the past that will be the best matches.
3. Use links when appropriate
The rule with links is that you’re taking your audience away from the page, so it had better be to a page that moves them closer to fulfilling your call to action. In this case, the links should only be for registration. Otherwise, a “link” for “More” should open up additional text without taking them to another page. You don’t want to lose them right when their interest is piqued.
4. Embrace mobile readiness at times
Mobile readiness can mean a mobile version of a website, an app, or both. It’s not appropriate for all websites or event pages, but it can be a great complement in some cases. If your site is extremely popular or has a surplus of information, paring it down with a mobile version can help keep things organized for your mobile audience. If you’re not sure, ask in an informal social media poll what your audience wants.
5. Avoid pop-ups
A pop up registration, save the date, or special deal might seem like a good idea, but it will frustrate users on mobile platforms (and any other platform for that matter). Pop-ups are so annoying that Google considers an excess of them spam and your search engine optimization (SEO) rankings may suffer. A better approach is to have all the information on the page, and then link out to a registration if necessary.
Events are no easy task, and neither are their landing pages. However, you can keep in the game with these tips and thinking like your audience.