to serve your customers’ needs. Jud Ashman recommends these
key points when creating an event e-site:
■Structure
■Ease of navigation
■Style
■Technical requirements
■Consistency
■PersonalizationChoosing your event domain name is very important. Web site
addresses live and die by their ability to be recognized, according
toNet-Marketing: Your Guide to Profit and Success on the Net.All
domain names must be registered with Network Solutions Regis-
tration Services (http://www.internic.net).The registration process
is simple and can be completed online. New domain names cost
$100 for a two-year maintenance fee. After that, a $50 fee will be
charged annually. The process takes a few weeks.
If at all possible, your domain name should incorporate some
of the keywords in your event title so customers can easily find
your site. Keywords are an important consideration when devel-
oping your site, because, when you register with search engines,
they use the keywords section to find your site. One Web site,
however, should only focus on a few keywords in order to get high
rankings in the search engines. The search engines section de-
scribes this area in more detail.
According to Meeting News,Web surfers have a limited atten-
tion span. To grab their attention immediately, your opening page
should clearly define the focus of your event, the intended audi-
ence, and the benefits of participation. Meeting Newsalso lists
other important considerations when designing a Web site:
■Your Web site does not need to be elaborate, but it must be
attractive enough to motivate prospective attendees to read
your marketing materials.
■Make it easy for attendees to stay in touch with you. Visitors
of your site may not be ready to register immediately, but by
providing your e-mail address, organization mailing address,
other contact information, and a link to conference materials,
they can quickly get in touch with you.
■Materials should be easy to print. Many people need to getMarketing Your Event on the Internet 61