Wes Web built a website for Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) competition that brings together competitive pitmasters, backyard teams, vendors, sponsors, and hundreds of community members. The website needed to cater to all types of audiences and make registration and event management as seamless as possible.
In this case study, we will take you through the strategy behind the website and the custom features we developed to help Twin Valley Fire Department run a successful annual event.
The Challenge: Create a Website to Serve as a Hub For the Entire Event
The site had to:
- Help competitors to quickly register for the right competition
- Include information on the event for the spectators
- Allow vendors to register
- Highlight sponsors
- Simplify registration requirements
- Be volunteer-friendly and easy to keep up without constant web upkeep
We could have made some complicated system that needed constant developer input, but we wanted to keep it simple and intuitive to allow functionality but also be easy to use long-term.
Create a Converting Homepage
The homepage immediately guides the visitor to the most important action: registering.
The hero section is comprised of:
- A short intro to the contest
- Simple registration calls-to-action
- Event Details button that competitors and spectators easily can find
The main goal of the website was registration, so we intentionally gave visitors several opportunities to register throughout the page instead of having one button.
Further down the homepage, visitors can choose the registration option that best suits them right away, including Backyard Series, Master Series, Food Vendors, and General Vendors. This reduces unnecessary searching and helps users find the right form in just a few clicks.
Organization Credibility
The homepage also adds credibility to the host of the event, Twin Valley Fire Department, by including things like:
- TVFD information
- Event sponsors
- Event location and contact info
We wanted to increase readability and accessibility while keeping a uniform visual, particularly in the event sponsors section. We added a clean, white background to give a consistent visual presentation and also ensures that each sponsor is clearly visible, regardless of the colors of their logo.
Custom Registration Forms For Each Participant
The Registration Form Registration system was one of the most customized and complex parts of the website to design. Each registration form was custom-built to meet the needs of Twin Valley’s events so participants have all the information they need to submit their application.
The forms include:
- Competition categories
- Grand Champion and Reserve Champion eligibility
- Event rules
- Participation requirements
- Optional add-ons
- Team information
Instead of using generic forms, every registration experience was tailored to the needs of each participant type to streamline the process for Twin Valley as the organizer.
A Payment Process Without Expensive Registration Software
Many online event registration platforms charge processing or subscription fees that simply didn’t fit the organization’s budget. Instead of forcing Twin Valley into an expensive system, we developed a streamlined alternative.
After submitting the registration form, users are taken to a custom “Pay to Complete” page where they can make their selection of how to pay their registration fees. Registration fees are transparently broken down so participants know what they owe and organizers can easily correlate payment methods with submitted applications.
It was a cost-effective, seamless registration experience.
Designing Usability for Longevity
One of the main objectives for this project was to maintain the website in house. Since the organization did not plan to purchase an ongoing maintenance plan, we intentionally avoided building features that would require technical knowledge to update.
For the Participants and Results pages, we selected a plugin that operates like a spreadsheet behind the scenes. Instead of expecting the Twin Valley Fire Department to learn how to maintain HTML and CSS code, volunteers can simply update information through an easy-to-use interface, and the data is automatically displayed on the website using shortcodes. This means the client has full control of future updates without the need for developer assistance.
As volunteer leadership can change from year to year, we wanted to make sure future organizers would feel comfortable managing the website.
We also created personal tutorial videos for the website explaining:
- Updating participant lists
- How to edit competition results
- How to use selected plugins
Other Features and Highlights
Other features and highlights include the Event Details page where visitors can easily find the date and time of the event, location, and the full competition timeline. We again used a plugin that can be easily maintained by the client with custom styling from our design team to keep everything cohesive and branded.
To prevent repetitive questions, we also have dedicated pages for:
- An event FAQ
- Competition categories
- Contact information
These pages also provide simple links for the organizer to include in emails when replying to frequently asked questions from competitors or attendees.
Registration is also always the central CTA on the site. If someone wants to register as a competitor or vendor or just get information about the event, it is clear from the website what the next step is without unnecessary friction.
Results of the Twin Valley Fire & Smoke Website Launch
The Twin Valley Fire & Smoke website is now a one-stop shop for competitors, vendors, sponsors, volunteers, and spectators.
The new site includes:
- Easy, streamlined registration
- Integrated Square and Venmo Payments
- Easy-to-maintain pages for participants and results
- Event information and schedules clearly displayed
- Sponsor acknowledgement with accessible design
- Resources to reduce administrative burden for organizers
With an eye on usability, accessibility, and long-term maintainability, Twin Valley Fire Department now has a website that supports one of the community’s signature annual events and is easy to maintain year after year.
Looking For a Website That Works as Hard as Your Team?
If you run a nonprofit organization, community event, or local business, your website should not only look professional but also make things easier, improve user experience, and help your organization run more smoothly.
We build custom websites with intentional design and pragmatic functionality to provide your team with the tools they need to succeed long after launch. Ready to develop a website that functions for your organization? Get started by contacting Wes Web today.