We are very excited to release Websites V2 for races. RunSignup has always had fully customizable race websites that tens of thousands of events use as their primary website today. Websites V2 is still FREE and enhances all of the purpose-built race website features that we have today with a next-generation set of website capabilities: Content management with the point and click Website Builder, new design and layout capabilities, an extended library of integrated data components, Image Gallery, free domain and subdomain hosting, and built-in analytics.
Websites V2 Overview
The Website Builder makes it easy to add pages and dropdown menus to your website. Add system pages to feature photos, volunteers, results, and more content that is data-driven by your event. It’s seamless to rearrange your menu, navigate between pages, and view the content that you add in real time. Make updates and view your website in real time.
There are new options for designing custom headers. Furthermore, you can customize page banners (and even hide them entirely!)
Layout options give you cover page functionality on every website page with even more flexible design options. Use background padding, rounded edges, and more to create truly unique and one-of-a-kind designs. Website V2 resolves all cover page fixed width image issues – with even more design capabilities.
Any custom page can feature data components like countdown clocks, donation goal thermometers, sponsors, contact forms, and more. There are also new components to offer even more website customization, including the interactive Strava map, slideshow, and cards. You can feature customizable text, buttons, images, and video.
Image Gallery allows powerful image uploads, sharing, and management across Email V2 and Website V2, as well as across all events on RunSignup, GiveSignup, and TicketSignup. In addition, System Images provide galleries of real, professional event images that RunSignup has purchased to quickly add robust content to any page.
Websites V2 preserve custom domains and subdomains. More than 2,000 events use free custom domains and subdomains today for full branding. Check out our example Website V2 in this blog: https://www.scottcoffeerun.com/. Insights also works out of the box, and there is full analytics integration between Email V2 and Websites V2 so that you can track the impact of marketing campaigns from your race dashboard.
How to Use Websites V2
You can test out Website V2 (Beta) by navigating to Race >> Website V2 (Beta) >> Website Builder. You can immediately start building website content.
In order to view the content you create in the Website Builder, you must enable Website V2 by going to Race >> Website V2 (Beta) >> Website Settings. By default, we will enable system pages based on your event setup. For example, if you have uploaded Results or Photos, those system pages will automatically display as menu items.
Any event can seamlessly toggle between their current website and Website V2. That means you can take your time testing Websites V2 and moving your content over – you can enable Website V2 for your event, and then immediately disable it. We do not recommend enabling and disabling when you announce a registration launch, price increase, or other high traffic event because that may confuse participants looking for information on your website.
Note that we do not have current plans to automatically migrate your existing content to Website V2; you will need to recreate it.
We are releasing Websites V2 as a beta product. It is a mature product with a robust set of features that we initially released for TicketSignup ticket events in 2022, and have also made available for organization websites. There are several key features that are not available in the initial release for races: Event Tiles, Fundraising leaderboard, and header slideshow. These components are priorities and part of our near-term Website V2 roadmap.
Why Websites V2?
In 2022, we released Email V2. This year, we released next-generation Memberships and next-generation Invoicing. We continue to upgrade key products that RunSignup customers use to always deliver best-in-class and free event technology.
Websites V2 and Email V2 are particularly strategic. More than 170,000 events have created websites on RunSignup since our company started. And events are on track to send well over 800 Million emails this year, after sending 553 million last year. This volume demonstrates the importance of these features to our customers. In addition, Websites V2 and Email V2:
- Help events save money: Many events pay thousands of dollars for email and websites. RunSignup’s Email V2 and Websites V2 offer the design capabilities of paid email and website platforms – but for FREE. You don’t pay any subscription fees, and RunSignup doesn’t block website design features with paid plugins like WordPress or restrict the number of emails you can send unless you upgrade to a higher paid tier like Constant Contact. We eliminate your main event marketing costs. This enables races to raise more, increase profits, and free up money for putting on a best in class event experience.
- Help events save time: The power of RunSignup’s Websites and Email Marketing is that they are fully integrated with your event. For example, price increases automatically get updated across your website pages. You don’t have to log into WordPress and manually make a ton of changes every time your prices increase. And your current vs past participant email lists are always up to date when you schedule an email. There are thousands of ways integrated Websites and Email Marketing saves time – and keeps information accurate.
- Help events make more money: All-in-one websites make it easy for participants to browse information and sign up, donate, volunteer, fundraise, etc. You don’t lose potential customers by redirecting them to different sites. RunSignup takes care of website basics for free: SEO optimization, mobile friendly, SSL certificates for secure websites, affiliate calendar listings like RunningUSA, and design options optimized to get more registrations. The Website Builder and Email Builder make website and email design professional, modern, and easy without any coding for clear and consistent event branding.
Email V2 and Websites V2 are Mailchimp AND WordPress in one platform – but FREE and purpose-built for events.
More Information
Websites V2 have a lot of features to explore. Check out our Website V2 blog series to learn more:
- Style Options: Headers, layouts, and new design options
- Structure Your Website with Pages, Menus, Dropdowns, Links, and more
- Create Custom Pages with components and the easy point and click Website Builder
- Image Gallery
- Website V2 Product Roadmap
Sign up for the Website V2 webinar on Thursday, May 9: https://info.runsignup.com/webinars_events/runsignup-websites-v2/.
Websites are how people learn about your event, understand your brand, sign up, donate, fundraise, volunteer, check their results, and share information with friends. We look forward to seeing how races use Websites V2 today. We will continue to release more Website V2 features and delivering the best technology to races.