You’ve put countless hours into planning your event—from securing crucial permits to mapping out the perfect course. But here’s something many event directors overlook: your event registration page is often the first impression participants get of your event. It’s not just a sign-up form; it’s a marketing tool and a communication hub.
Turn your registration page into an impactful tool that not only drives registrations and additional revenue but also is engaging and informative for participants. Let’s dive in!
Your Registration Page: More Than Just a Sign-Up Form
Whether you maintain your own event website or not, your event page is part of your suite of marketing and communication tools. For event directors with websites, think of your event page as another valuable channel to reach and inform participants.
Don’t have a dedicated website? Your event page can serve as your complete event resource, hosting everything from course information and event schedules to course maps and merchandise sales. Either way, you’ll have a centralized location that makes it easy for participants to find the information they need.
Creating an Eye-Catching First Impression
The visual elements of your page are crucial in drawing in potential participants. Events with complete, visually appealing registration pages generate excitement and establish credibility with participants. Here’s what to prioritize:
- Cover Photo: Choose a high-quality image that captures the spirit of your event. Action shots from previous years or stunning course views work best. Check out our top tips!
- Event Logo: If you have one, a professional logo helps build trust and strengthens your event’s recognition.
- Event Video: Including an event video brings your course to life, giving participants a thrilling preview of what to expect while showcasing the energy and atmosphere they’ll experience on event day. The Macedonia Gravel Grinder course preview shows riders the scenic forest trails, paved country roads, and single track, helping them understand exactly what they’ll encounter on event day.
Making Information Accessible and Engaging
Your event page should answer popular questions a potential participant might have. Use Event Notes to organize crucial information into easily digestible sections:
- Course details and elevation profiles
- Schedule and wave start times
- Parking and venue information
- Aid station and beverage and food information
- Lodging options and travel tips
- FAQ section addressing common questions
Use your registration page as a living document to keep participants engaged and informed throughout their event journey. Share valuable training tips as the event approaches, provide timely updates on course conditions, and highlight your supportive sponsors and their special offers. Don’t forget to prominently feature important deadlines and updates – your registration page is the perfect platform to ensure participants stay in the loop and prepared for event day.
Leverage Interactive Course Maps
Don’t just tell participants about your course—show them. Our registration platform integrates with popular mapping platforms:
- Trailforks: Perfect for mountain and gravel bike events – Event page example
- MapMyRide: Ideal for road cycling events
- MapMyRun: Great for running events of all distances
- RideWithGPS: Cycling route creation and navigation
Add your map to your event page by using the Event Maps tool within the Event Setup menu. These interactive maps let participants study the course, plan their strategy, and get excited about the challenge ahead. Watch the MapMy tutorial and the Trailforks tutorial to add your map to your event page.
Turn Your Page into a Revenue Generator
Enhance your event offerings by setting up merchandise sales directly on your registration page. You can create additional revenue streams while building excitement for your event through branded gear. Plus, offering pre-event merchandise sales helps reduce day-of logistics, letting you focus on what matters most – delivering an exceptional event experience.
“Merchandise sales have varied each year. We shoot for having great graphics and using higher quality shirts,” said David Schwartz, event organizer from Macedonia Gravel Grinder. “We also include a mix of soft triblend and tech Ts. Key is having designs ready when we launch the registration site and having staff on hand to sell additional items at the event.”
Document Sharing Made Simple
Need to share important documents with participants? Your registration page can host helpful resources for your event. From detailed event guides and course files to waiver forms, event policies, and training plans, you can provide participants with easy access to all the essential documents they need in one convenient location.
For example, the Mansfield Nordic Skiathlon at Sleepy Hollow effectively uses their registration page to share critical race documents, including detailed start times for their time trial format – providing participants with essential information they can download and reference offline.
Showcase Your Event’s History with Race Results
By adding previous years’ results to your registration page, you give returning participants an easy way to track their progress and accomplishments. Athletes can quickly search their previous times, reflect on their personal journey, and set meaningful goals for the upcoming event. This feature not only helps participants prepare but also builds excitement as they aim to achieve new personal records. Event Organizer, Colin Reuter, showcases his race results in his annual Gnar Weasels event located in Brownsville, VT.
Add your event’s race results! If your event’s results are posted on USA Cycling, just send the link to [email protected], and we’ll get them posted on our results platforms. Have your results in a spreadsheet? We can handle that too. For the quickest processing, include all results on a single tab with category/event in a separate column. Want to manage results yourself? Request access to upload directly to road-results or cross-results – we’re happy to set you up with the permissions you need.
Take Action
Ready to optimize your registration page? Log into your event director account and:
- Update your event cover photo
- Add a logo
- Review and enhance your event notes
- Embed a course map
- Set up your merchandise store
- Add a promotional video
- Upload important documents
- Include previous race results
A well-crafted registration page turns interested prospects into registered participants. Make yours stand out.
Need help maximizing your registration page’s potential? Our support team is here to help you optimize your registration page. Send us a message or call us at 888-956-9560.
Insights have been compiled by the athleteReg team, who collectively have logged thousands of miles, directed and volunteered at hundreds of events, and processed millions of registrations across every terrain and distance.
