What makes an effective website? - Emerald City Comicon

Analysis of Coachella's official website proves that there are loads of details you have to take care of in order to create a successful website. Whether you decide to mainly focus on content, or design - you cannot simply forget about other parts of 7C's rule (which as we already know is very helpful). Why? Because even a smaller mistake can have a huge impact on whole project.

Has ECCC found harmony between particular parts of 7C's rule? Well, we're about to find out.

1. CONTEXT

(layout and design)

To be honest with you, main page of ECCC official website is a great example of "more doesn't always mean better" rule. As long as the header looks good and seems to be really easy to use and helpful while navigating through website, some of the ads that you can find below are just unnecessary and very distracting. I would even say that it gets to the point when you don't know what to look at and simply lose interest in the whole thing.

Anyway, colours chosen - green and blue - are really positive and fit well together with simple design (including some 'comic' themes). And you have to admit that it represents this particular event in a good way.

CONTEXT: 7/10

2. CONTENT

(what's in the site; including multi-media)

It's all about content and ECCC surely knows it. Official website offers everything you would expect to be there. From general information about the event including place, times, rules and regulations...

... through gallery of guests and more information about each and every one of them (considering two different kinds of guests, one linked with comics' world and one linked with film)....

 Comic guests

Entertainment guests

... to ticket selling options with different packages and dates.

UPDATE: Tickets for ECCC are now sold out.

There are also schedules of particular panels and screenings available, so that everyone can find right dates and times of things that most interest them. The other thing? Photo gallery, which gives you an insight at previous editions of the event.

Schedules for particular panels and screenings

Photo gallery showing previous editions of the event

And you are given a chance to sign up for newsletter (which as we know works really well), or to be redirected to social media's official accounts of ECCC.

At this point of analysis, ECCC is getting the exact amount of points as Coachella (7/10). But I still have a couple of things to talk about... Beside the fact that we can actually find some photos (it's pretty obvious that pics make every website more interesting), ECCC shows us videos as well:

It's show time!

What to expect when you're exhibiting

What's more, it's not only about multi-media... Emerald offers 'news page' which we can't find on Coachella's official website. No wonder it deserves more points than our music festival.

CONTENT: 8,5/10

3. COMMUNITY

(how the site enables user-to-user communication)

And here's the point where Coachella stays at the 1st place. Community provided on ECCC website is nothing else, but links redirecting you to social media platforms.

Number of people following ECCC on social media platforms

People can communicate through comments section on fb...

Comment section next to a photo posted by ECCC.

They can also retweet each other's posts on twitter or share pictures on Instagram, or Snapchat. But that's all. And as Coachella offers a forum to make communication between people taking part (or simply just interested) in event easier, ECCC relies on social media only.

COMMUNITY: 7/10

4. CUSTOMIZATION

(site's ability to tailor itself to individual users)

Same as with Coachella, ECCC website enables you to create your personal account (but only if you've already bought and registered your ticket).

This particular personal account enables its users to get some more information about panels, screenings, artists and guests of the event. It also allows you to 'plan your day' with specially designed calendar, or sends you recommendations based on your interests and chosen events.

CUSTOMIZATION: 7/10

5. COMMUNICATION

(how the site communicates with users or vice versa)

First thing worth mentioning when it comes to ECCC-to-user communication is social media, of course. We are already given the idea of how many people actually follow Emerald City Comicon's accounts (of course the number of followers is constantly changing), so it is obvious that it is their main way of advertising.

ECCC replies to comments on Twitter.

They reply to fans' comments, but most of all, they use social media to share news, photos and videos. And that's a good and effective way of getting people's attention. Same as newsletter...

And we already know that it is way better than the one provided by Coachella (still hasn't received even one single email). What else? Same as with Coachella, Emerald offers an official app available for Android and iOS.

Result? Ways of communication provided by both events are basically the same, but because of the fact that Coachella doesn't send you any emails at all (at least hasn't sent me any so far), I am going to give Emerald City Comicon one point more.

COMMUNICATION: 10/10

6. CONNECTION

(how the site is connected to other sites)

Emerald City Comicon's website is connected to:

1) Social media accounts + Google Play and App stores

2) Official websites of different events organized by ReedPOP Events:

3) Show Clix (ticket selling website):

4) Twich TV (live stage channel):

CONNECTION: 8/10

7. COMMERCE 

(site's suitability for transaction and purchase)

Tickets for show are already sold out, but fans can still buy photo OPs with their favourite actors. 

You can choose the date and time of photoshoot, number of prints or 'digital copy' option.

Saying that transaction is fast and easy seems a little bit awkward, especially that we are talking about meetings with human beings... but that's what it is. Pretty fast and easy to order.

COMMERCE: 8/10

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EMERALD CITY COMICON: 7,9/10

COACHELLA FESTIVAL: 7,7/10