The ease of which guests can register for your event will directly affect ticket sales and overall turnout. If the process is tedious and time-consuming, you’ll have a lower turnout. This is why it’s important to avoid the following mistakes with your event registration.
Forced Account Registrations
Some event planners make the mistake of requiring users to create an online account when registering for their event. Known as “forced registration,” this tactic should be avoided, as it may discourage guests from following through with the registration process.
Captchas
While effective at combating spam, CAPTCHAs can have a negative impact when used on even registration forms. According to the website EventBrite, CAPTCHAs (Completely Automated Public Turing) reduce event registrations by roughly 12% Instead of CAPTCHAs, perhaps you should use other safeguards to protect against spam, such as automated spam detection services, temporary tokens or honeypots.
Not Performing Usability Test
What is a usability test and why is it necessary? A usability test is exactly what it sounds like: a test to ensure the registration form functions as intends. It’s performed by placing yourself in the shoes of a typical user, registering and buying a ticket. It’s a good idea to perform a usability test before making the registration live; otherwise, the form could be riddled with errors that prevent users from registering.
Not Compatible on Mobile Devices
Assuming your event registration form is hosted online (as it should be), you should check to make sure it’s compatible on both desktop computers and mobile devices. Statistics show that more people now access the Internet on smartphones and tablets than traditional desktop computers. So, failure to provide a mobile-friendly registration experience will likely cost you ticket sales.
Lack of Information
You can’t expect users to register if the form lacks the necessary information about the event. At the bare minimum, registration forms should list the date and time of the event, where it’s taking place (add Google Maps to provide directions), price, keynote speakers and entertainment. This will help users decide whether or not to attend, which should boost your ticket sales.
Hidden Fees
Does the event registration process contain hidden fees or other associates costs? If so, users may abandon the form before completing the registration. Statista cites hidden fees as the most reason why online shoppers abandon their shopping carts (56%). Granted, this statistic applies to the e-commerce website, but it’s safe to same hidden fees have a similar effect on event registration forms.