Making a positive first impression is crucial, whether it’s a sharp outfit, a firm handshake, or a friendly smile. And positive first impressions are just as important when it comes to virtual events - that first click on the registration link sets the tone and expectations for your audience. If it’s messy or confusing, your event will reflect that. Conversely, a clean and user-friendly registration process builds trust and excitement about your content.
While some organizers view registration as merely a means to collect data, at Revent Consulting, we believe it’s a core part of event planning. Let’s dive into why!
1. Who, What, Where, and When?
Clicking on that initial link, only to find essential details like the event date, time and details missing or hidden, is frustrating. As an attendee, I will be hesitant to give you my information if I have no idea what it’s for, and I’m likely to abandon the registration.
Tip: Clearly outline all necessary information in a concise manner. To avoid overwhelming text, use bullet points or images to highlight key details.
Must Have:
Event Date
Event Start Time
Event Duration/End Time
Short Description
Nice to Have:
Your logo
A contact email address
Speaker pictures and bios
Basic agenda
2. How Long is This Registration?
According to Eventbrite, 23% of people abandon registration when the process is too complicated. That’s significant!
Solution: Simplify your registration by keeping the number of fields to five or fewer. Focus on collecting only the essential information to streamline the process.
If you need more details from attendees, consider capturing that information during the event using poll questions or a post event survey. This approach not only gathers the data you need but also fosters interaction - two birds with one stone!
3. Check the Mobile Experience!
With 50% of all web traffic coming from mobile devices, it’s likely that a similar percentage of attendees will register via mobile. Poor mobile design can lead to registration abandonment.
Solution: Test your registration links on various mobile devices before launching. Use an iPhone, iPad, and Android devices to cover the most common scenarios. Complete the registration process to ensure there are no hiccups at any point.
4. I Registered… Now What?
Congratulations on getting an attendee to register! However, if they don’t receive a confirmation email with a clear option to add your webinar to their calendar, the chances of them actually attending quickly goes down the drain.
Tip: Automate confirmation emails and send a reminder one hour before the event, including a calendar invite. This can increase your live attendance by around 20%. It’s also an excellent opportunity to showcase key messages, highlight speakers, and generate excitement about your content!
Now that you have the tools to make a great first impression, implement these changes for your next virtual event. Monitor your registration numbers compared to past webinars, and we’re pretty confident that a few simple tweaks will enhance both your registration rates and live performance!
If you’d like a free review of your registration page, don’t hesitate to book a FREE 30-minute consultation with one of our streaming experts here at Revent!