Outdoor Events & Advance Ticket Sales

User traffic data varies significantly from one type of web site or industry to another.  Over the last 8 years I've been collecting data from various event web sites. Some of the event web sites included air shows, festivals, sporting events, and not for profit fund raisers. Regardless of the type of event, almost every event web site showed distinctively similar online user trending. Each event had various forms and levels of traditional and online advertising, yet each event had very similar user trending. It is crucial for every web organizer or event promoter to collect web statistics on their event web site.  Knowing event web site user trends can prove tremendously beneficial for event marketing and event promotion both online and for traditional advertising.

The Assumed Curve
One of the most interesting aspects of event web sites is that the observed user traffic trends are a-typical. Without data most event organizers logically estimate web site traffic trends. The logical assumption is that there is a gradual and constant increase in traffic leading up to the event and then a significant drop off after the event. Almost every event organizer I present actual event web site data to responds with "that's interesting" or "I wasn't expecting that."

The Actual Curve
Below you'll find a graph detailing a snap shot for an event web site. Every event web site I've managed or have data on for the last 8 years has shown a very similar trend. Leading up to the event user traffic anemically increases, it does not the gradually increase as most people assume. Within a few days of an event the web traffic increases almost exponentially, to a spike, and then rapidly decreases to a trickle after the event. The biggest discrepancy between various event curves is in the user traffic spike. Events that are supported by various forms of traditional advertising tend to spike sharper and higher. In my experience, traditional Business to Business or Business to Consumer web sites rarely spike like an event web site. If there is a spike on a traditional web site it is rarely as disproportionate as on a event web site.

By The Numbers

There is also some interesting data when you actually segment some of the statistical data. To the right is an graph depicting a six months in user traffic to a typical event web site.

Percentage of Total Web Site Users by Date Range
(6 Month Range)

• 80% of Web Site Users visited 25 Days before the event and 5 Days after the event.
• 54% of Web Site Users visited 5 Days before the event and 5 days after the event.
• 6% of Web Site Users visited immediately after the event to 5 Months after the event.

Knowing the information above should help event organizers better plan for their event and. It is important to remember that specific user data trending can vary from one event to another. If you have a web site that supports your event make sure you are collecting accurate and timely statistical data.

Want to get more great info? Check out the articles below:

• Why Well Planned Events Fail
• How to Get Them To Your Event
  
• Getting Them to Buy Tickets Early
• Turn Your Event Into an Experience
• Leveraging Your Sponsor's Digital Resources

• The Event Promotion System - Get 'FREE' Event Promotion & Marketing Video Training