So, the last attendee has gone home. Your event is accomplished, achieved, closed, come to an end, concluded, consummated, discharged, dispatched, done with, ended, executed, finalized, fulfilled, over and done, realized, resolved, settled, terminated, through, worked out, wound up, wrapped up…. it was a hit, smashing, successful, super… now what do you do with that damn website.
I would take a page from the Google I/O (developers conference) playbook and not let your website or attendee excitement go to waste.
Be simple. Be Bold. Be creative. But do something. An idle website is a waste of good cyberspace.
10 Ways to Use Your Conference Website Once the Event Is Over
- Archiving Resources: Create an archive section on the website to store presentations, keynote videos, session recordings, and other valuable content from the conference. This allows attendees and non-attendees to access these resources for reference and learning.
- Post-Event Surveys: Conduct post-event surveys to gather feedback from attendees and use the website to host these surveys. Analyze the data to understand what worked well and what needs improvement for future events.
- Announcing Future Events: Use the website to announce dates, locations, and details for future conferences or events organized by the association. Provide early registration options and discounts for returning attendees.
- Networking and Community: Maintain a discussion forum or community platform on the website where attendees can continue networking, sharing insights, and connecting with fellow professionals who attended the event.
- Blog and News Updates: Publish blog posts and news updates related to the conference’s industry or niche. Share insights, trends, and developments to keep the community engaged and informed.
- Sponsor Recognition: Highlight sponsors and exhibitors on the website as a way to express gratitude for their support. This can include logos, links to sponsor websites, or dedicated sponsor pages.
- Recap Content: Create recap articles or videos summarizing key takeaways and highlights from the conference. Share these on the website and through social media channels to keep the event’s momentum going.
- Job Board: If the association focuses on a specific industry, consider adding a job board to the website where companies can post job openings and attendees can search for career opportunities.
- Resource Center: Expand the website’s resource section to include industry-related whitepapers, reports, and educational materials. This can position the association as a knowledge hub.
- Membership Promotion: Use the conference website to promote association memberships. Highlight the benefits of joining, exclusive access to resources, and the opportunity to attend future events at discounted rates.
By utilizing their conference website in these ways, associations can extend the value of their events beyond the actual dates and continue engaging with their community year-round. We do stuff like this all the time and I can tell you from experience…. the most important step is knowing where you want the journey to end.
