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Build Guide

Build a Event/Conference Site Without WordPress

Event WordPress plugins are designed for recurring meetups, not polished conference sites. Build a site that matches your event's production quality.

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The Old Way

The WordPress Approach

Required Plugins

1The Events Calendar ($99-299/year) — event management
2Events Calendar Pro ($199/year) — recurring events and views
3Event Tickets Plus ($199/year) — WooCommerce ticketing
4EventON ($25 one-time + addons) — event calendar
5WP Event Manager ($39-199/year) — event listings

Limitations

Calendar widgets load heavy JavaScript and CSS on every page
Ticketing requires WooCommerce, adding significant overhead
Schedule views are rigid — can't easily build multi-track timelines
Speaker profiles are basic custom post types with no rich features
No real-time updates for schedule changes during the event

Typical Cost

$300-700/year in plugins + ticketing service fees

The Modern Way

The Modern Approach

Next.js (or Astro) + headless CMS + Tito/Luma + Vercel

Build a custom event site with Next.js or Astro. Use a headless CMS for speakers, schedule, and sponsors. Integrate Tito or Luma for ticketing and registration. Deploy on Vercel for instant updates.

Custom schedule builder with multi-track timeline views
Speaker pages with bios, talks, and social links for SEO
Real-time schedule updates without page refresh
Ticketing embedded or linked — no WooCommerce overhead
Event schema markup for Google event rich results

WordPress vs. Modern Stack

WordPress

  • Calendar widgets load heavy JavaScript and CSS on every page
  • Ticketing requires WooCommerce, adding significant overhead
  • Schedule views are rigid — can't easily build multi-track timelines
  • Speaker profiles are basic custom post types with no rich features
  • $300-700/year in plugins + ticketing service fees

Modern Stack

  • Custom schedule builder with multi-track timeline views
  • Speaker pages with bios, talks, and social links for SEO
  • Real-time schedule updates without page refresh
  • Ticketing embedded or linked — no WooCommerce overhead
  • Event schema markup for Google event rich results

Recommended Tools

Sanity

Speakers, schedule, sponsors, and venue content management

Free up to 100K API requests/month

Tito

Event ticketing and registration management

Free up to $1,000 in sales, then 3% + 50¢/ticket

Luma

Event pages, registration, and attendee management

Free for free events, 3% for paid

Next.js

Custom event site with dynamic schedule and speaker pages

Free and open-source

Vercel

Hosting with ISR for schedule updates

Free hobby tier, $20/month pro

Step-by-Step Build Guide

1

Set up Sanity with content types for Speakers, Sessions, Tracks, Sponsors, and Venue

2

Build the Next.js site with pages for schedule (multi-track timeline), speakers, sponsors, and venue info

3

Create individual speaker pages with their talks, bio, and social links

4

Integrate Tito or Luma for ticketing — embed their checkout widget or link to their hosted page

5

Add Event schema markup to the homepage and individual session pages for Google rich results

6

Build a countdown timer and live schedule indicator for the event day

7

Deploy to Vercel and use ISR so schedule changes propagate to the site in real-time

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I handle ticket sales without WooCommerce?
Yes. Tito and Luma handle registration, payment processing, and attendee management as dedicated services. Embed their widget on your site or link to their hosted checkout — no WooCommerce needed.
How do I build a multi-track schedule?
Model your schedule as Sessions with time slots, tracks, and speaker references in your CMS. Build a timeline component that groups sessions by track and renders them in a grid layout.
What about a mobile app for the event?
Your Next.js site works as a PWA on mobile with offline support. Add it to the home screen for an app-like experience. This is simpler and cheaper than building a native app for a single event.

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