Content Management Systems (CMS) are well established in many organisations. Some B2B marketers use them not only to manage their websites but also to promote events and handle registrations. However, this is exactly where the limitations quickly become apparent. In this article, you’ll learn when a CMS is sufficient and when a professional event management tool is the better choice.
A CMS is software that allows you to manage the content (text, images, media) of a website. It typically offers a user-friendly interface (WYSIWYG, drag & drop), various page types, templates, plugins/extensions, and features such as user management, roles, or a media library.
Typical CMSs include WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, Shopify (for e-commerce), and Typo3.
Many organisations already use a CMS. It therefore seems obvious to use it for creating event pages and handling registrations.
A typical scenario looks like this: you create an event landing page on your website where visitors can find all key information such as date, location, agenda, and perhaps a few words about the speakers. To allow participants to register, you embed a form – often via a CMS plugin or an external provider. Interested individuals enter their contact details, and you receive a notification by email or can access the entries via the backend.
For small events with a manageable number of participants (around 50 guests), this approach can work well, especially if the registration process is simple and no complex logic is required. However, as soon as you plan for more registrations, multiple booking options, or automated communication steps, this setup quickly reaches its limits.
Das eigene CMS für Event-Anmeldungen zu nutzen bringt gewisse Vorteile. Wenn du dein bestehendes CMS zur Eventregistrierung einsetzt erreichst du:
Using your own CMS for event registrations offers certain advantages:
If your CMS is already in place, there are no major investments required for additional software or licence fees.
Your visitors remain on your website, view your content, and navigate seamlessly between event and other pages.
You benefit from your existing domain, SEO strategy, and rankings. The event page can also be directly integrated into your site structure.
Registration data can be exported (e.g. as CSV) and imported into other systems such as newsletter tools or CRMs.
These advantages make a CMS a quick and pragmatic solution for small and simple events. However, as events become larger or more complex, this approach soon hits its limits.
Anyone who has organised larger or more complex events knows the weaknesses of a CMS and the challenges that come with it. To manage events efficiently and automatically, a specialised event management tool is essential. The most common weaknesses of CMSs are:
If your event allows only 250 attendees but more try to register, there’s no automatic closure or waiting list mechanism.
Complex conditions such as “If A is selected, then B is required” or dynamic forms are often not possible.
Payments (credit card, invoice, payment processing) are often not integrated or require cumbersome workarounds.
You can hardly control who can participate (e.g. exclusive B2B events, customers, or partners). Website access restrictions are usually very limited.
You get a list of registered guests, but no clear status per contact or visibility of invitation history. The lack of segmentation makes participant management cumbersome.
A CMS does not provide comprehensive analytics for your event. There are no metrics such as registration or no-show rates. The lack of reporting means you cannot improve your events based on data.
Tracking event entry is an important factor in measuring event success. Without an integrated event check-in solution, access control cannot be automated.
Dynamic functions for specific event interactions, such as displaying guest lists, chats, or networking, are generally not available.
Personalised event links or customised registration forms for different target groups are hardly achievable with standard solutions.
Many CMSs do not offer integrated workflows for automated event communication such as invitations, reminders, or follow-ups.
As the number of participants increases or events become more complex (e.g. with parallel tracks or workshops), a CMS can quickly become unstable or difficult to manage.
These numerous limitations make it clear: a CMS can only support event organisation up to a certain level of complexity and for smaller events.
Using a CMS for events brings several limitations that directly impact the successful execution of event marketing.
A CMS offers little ability to tailor content or registration processes to individual participants. You can’t send personalised invitations or use dynamic forms that adapt to specific audiences or interests. As a result, your event marketing remains generic and loses relevance for individual customer segments.
Many processes in a CMS must be handled manually – confirming registrations, sending reminders, processing cancellations. Automated workflows that update participant data in the background or trigger emails based on certain actions are usually missing. This costs time and makes your event marketing more labour-intensive and less scalable.
With a CMS, you have little transparency about who has registered, attended, or cancelled. Tracking status changes or coordinating between different event phases is difficult. This lack of control makes it hard to manage marketing activities effectively or measure campaign success.
Because many tasks are manual, the risk of mistakes increases. Duplicate entries, incorrect data, or missed cancellations are common problems. Without automated validation or synchronisation with other systems, data quality suffers — and with it, the basis for reliable decision-making.
A CMS rarely provides detailed analyses of registrations, attendance rates, or engagement. It’s difficult to identify which channels convert best or how guest behaviour evolves across multiple events. Without these insights, you lack the foundation to strategically optimise your event marketing.
An event management tool (or event management software) addresses the challenges of professional event management and is specifically designed for them. Here are the key advantages:
You can import guest data and view the current status of each contact at any time. This forms the foundation for professional participant management, giving you full visibility of your event capacity.
Invitations, reminders, follow-ups, and notifications can be sent automatically with personalised content directly from the tool.
Flexible registration rules allow you to fully automate and simplify event sign-ups, including capacity limits, automated waiting lists, or varying numbers of accompanying guests per group.
For paid events, integrated payment providers handle ticket transactions automatically. Early-bird pricing or discount codes can be used to manage demand flexibly.
Event management tools typically include a dashboard displaying metrics such as registration numbers and no-show rates. This allows you to track event success in real time and make targeted planning decisions.
The tool provides features to boost engagement, such as networking functions, live chat, or automated matchmaking, increasing the event’s attractiveness and adding real value.
Agendas and individual sessions can be dynamically customised for different audience segments, offering a personalised event experience.
Integrated check-in solutions ensure smooth and fast entry. Combined with badge printing, this increases efficiency and reduces waiting times.
Modern event software can connect via interfaces to existing CRM systems, automatically synchronising data and eliminating duplicate work.
High-demand B2B events often experience a surge at go-live. Event management tools are built to maintain performance and stability even with hundreds or thousands of participants.
These points demonstrate that a good event management tool simplifies a large part of event organisation and provides the essential data foundation to continuously improve event marketing, ultimately generating greater business value for the organisation.
There are cases where a CMS remains indispensable for events, particularly when high flexibility in website design is required or when the user journey needs to occur on a specific page of the organisation’s website. For example, a conference may operate a year-round website to build a community, with the main event as the highlight. In such cases, combining a CMS with an event management tool is recommended.
Use your CMS for content (blogs, SEO, marketing pages) and add a “Register now” link to the event registration page in the event management tool. The tool then handles all other event processes, including registration, confirmations, reminders, check-in, and reporting. This is the simplest combination with minimal technical effort, though users will leave the CMS when registering.
Implement the registration form as an embedded solution, for example via an iFrame or plugin, so participants remain on your domain without disruption. This approach is useful if the event management tool only handles registration logic and no further interactions are planned.
Integrate elements such as event calendars, event details, or guest lists directly into your website via an API. Flexible interfaces allow you to use the event management tool’s features and display them as needed. This approach is technically complex and requires specialised expertise, making it suitable for organisations publishing multiple events on their website.
These combination options allow you to maintain a strong brand presence while providing professional and automated event management.
A CMS provides a pragmatic starting point, especially if you already use it and run small events. However, once you aim for more ambitious events with capacity limits, automated marketing, analytics, or interactivity, a CMS reaches its limits.
An event management tool delivers the missing capabilities for event marketing and brings everything together in one place: registration, communication, reporting, guest experience, and integration.
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The 2m2c - Montreux Music and Convention Centre is a multi-purpose exhibition center on the shores of Lake Geneva. Known for the Montreux Jazz Festival, the location offers space for up to 1,500 participants for congresses. Even after the ongoing renovation until 2025, the location will remain known for its unique atmosphere and views.
The Beaulieu Congress Center in Lausanne describes itself as a combination of the tried and tested with modernity. Modular rooms offer space for up to 4,700 participants. Thanks to two bus lines, the location can be reached with a direct connection from Lausanne's SBB train station.
Better known as a trade fair location, Bernexpo will be offering new, different rooms for conferences in the federal city of Bern from 2025. The new construction of the "Festhalle" will create interesting possibilities with a capacity of up to 1,300 guests in one hall.
With five spacious halls and 25 conference rooms, the Congress Center in Basel offers many possibilities for a wide variety of events. In addition to its central location in Basel's city center, the congress location has the advantage of being directly connected to the exhibition grounds, making it the largest congress center in Switzerland in terms of space.
The Convention Center (Kongresshaus) Zurich describes itself as the newest congress center of its kind in Switzerland. It is located directly on the shores of Lake Zurich and, thanks to its flexible room layout, offers options for a wide variety of event types and parallel break-out sessions for up to 4,500 participants. A breathtaking panorama on the terrace offers ideal conditions for relaxing breaks.
The Lucerne Culture and Convention Center is located in central Switzerland on the shores of Lake Lucerne and offers space for conventions with up to 2,815 participants. Numerous break-out rooms offer the opportunity for parallel sessions. The concert hall is known worldwide for its outstanding acoustics and is therefore ideal for a musical show to round off a conference.
This classic venue in the federal city of Bern is the largest cultural and congress center in the region to date and offers 28 rooms for conferences. The "Arena", the largest hall, can accommodate up to 1,357 guests.
Known for the International Motor Show, Palexpo offers eight conference rooms of different sizes with a maximum capacity of 2,500 participants. The venue, which has been established for many years, underwent a further expansion in autumn 2023, adding 12 new conference rooms to its offering.
The SwissTech Convention Center in Ecublens is one of the largest convention centers in the Lake Geneva region. It can accommodate 3,000 participants in up to three halls. The less than ideal accessibility is compensated for by a modern and impressive auditorium.
"The Hall" in Zurich Stettbach offers around 2,000 square meters of space for congresses and conferences with up to 3,051 seats. The adjoining room can accommodate up to 500 guests for break-out sessions. "The Hall" is located right next to Stettbach railroad station and can therefore be reached from Zurich in a short time.
ACO Hospitality in Büdelsdorf features the ACO Academy, a modern conference centre with eleven high-quality rooms, ideal for congresses and specialist seminars. The adjacent exhibition hall, covering 2,900 m², enables the hosting of large-scale events such as trade fairs and exhibitions. Its open architecture, featuring large glass surfaces, creates a comfortable atmosphere for up to 2,000 attendees, supported by top-tier audio and video technology.
Arena Berlin is a versatile event venue in the Alt-Treptow district of Berlin, perfectly suited for congresses. The listed site comprises six indoor and outdoor locations, including the impressive 6,500 m² Arena Hall, which can accommodate up to 9,000 people with its free-span roof structure. Thanks to its flexible space design and modern infrastructure, Arena Berlin offers optimal conditions for congresses, trade fairs, and conferences.
The CCD Congress Center Düsseldorf is a state-of-the-art convention centre with a total capacity of up to 7,500 people and 41 modular rooms that can be combined as needed. Its central location in Düsseldorf, just 3 km from the airport, and excellent transport links make it an ideal venue for national and international congresses.
The CCH – Congress Center Hamburg is one of Europe's most modern and largest congress centres, offering flexible spaces for events with up to 12,000 participants. With top-class event technology, sustainable design, and a central location in Hamburg, the CCH provides optimal conditions for international congresses and conferences. Its excellent transport connections, extensive service offerings, and proximity to hotels and cultural attractions make it a premier choice for organisers.
The CCP CongressCentrum Pforzheim offers flexible spaces for congresses, conferences, and events with up to 2,000 attendees, centrally located between Stuttgart and Karlsruhe. With modern event technology, adaptable room concepts, and first-class service, it provides ideal conditions for professional congresses. Its direct connection to hotels and picturesque location on the banks of the Enz River make the CCP an attractive venue in Baden-Württemberg.
The Congress Center Essen offers three congress centres with a total of 28 adaptable spaces, including ten halls and thirteen conference rooms, providing flexible solutions for congresses and conferences of various sizes. Its direct connection to the Grugahalle and exhibition halls allows events for several thousand guests. Each year, around 800 events with a total of 80,000 attendees are held here, demonstrating the centre's versatility and capacity.
The Congress Center Leipzig (CCL) is a premier congress venue, distinguished by its modern architecture, flexible room concepts, and direct connection to the Leipzig Exhibition Centre. With facilities for events of all sizes, high-quality event technology, and a comprehensive service offering, the CCL provides ideal conditions for national and international congresses. Its excellent accessibility and strong ties to science, business, and culture make it a key conference destination in Germany.
The HCC Hannover Congress Centrum is a historic yet modern congress venue with versatile space options for events of all sizes. With state-of-the-art event technology, a sustainable infrastructure, and excellent transport links, it provides ideal conditions for national and international congresses. The combination of historic charm and contemporary facilities makes the HCC a unique event venue in the heart of Hannover.
HALLE MESSE in Halle (Saale) is a versatile event centre, ideal for congresses. With flexible halls and conference rooms that can be individually arranged with seating, stages, and screens, it offers tailor-made solutions for events. Thanks to its modern infrastructure and central location, HALLE MESSE is an attractive venue for successful congresses and conferences.
The ICM – International Congress Center Messe München is a cutting-edge congress venue, distinguished by flexible room concepts, first-class technology, and a capacity for up to 6,000 participants. Directly connected to the Munich Exhibition Centre, it provides ideal conditions for international congresses, conferences, and corporate events. With sustainable infrastructure, top-tier service, and state-of-the-art event technology, the ICM sets new standards in professional event organisation.
The BALLHAUSFORUM at INFINITY Munich is one of the largest event spaces in the Munich area, featuring a 1,340 m² auditorium under an impressive glass dome, providing ideal conditions for congresses and conferences. It offers flexible room configurations for up to 1,400 seated guests in theatre-style seating or up to 2,750 people with 360° tiered seating. The adjoining hotel offers 40 additional event rooms and 439 guest rooms, ensuring seamless integration of accommodation and events.
The Kultur- und Kongresszentrum Liederhalle in Stuttgart combines listed architecture with a modernised conference area, providing an ideal setting for congresses. With 14 flexible meeting rooms and 5 halls accommodating up to 2,100 people, it enables a wide range of events. Its central location in Stuttgart’s city centre, direct hotel connections, and proximity to the Bosch-Areal with shops, restaurants, and bars offer attendees convenience and a variety of leisure options.
Messe Magdeburg is a modern exhibition and conference centre in Saxony-Anhalt, ideal for congresses. With three halls offering a covered exhibition space of 9,000 m² and an adjoining conference centre, it allows for flexible event planning for up to 2,314 people in theatre seating. Thanks to its high-end technical equipment and versatile room layouts, Messe Magdeburg provides optimal conditions for successful congresses and conferences.
Messe Magdeburg is a modern exhibition and conference centre in Saxony-Anhalt that is ideal for congresses. With three halls, which together offer a covered exhibition area of 9,000 m², and an adjoining conference centre, it enables the flexible organisation of events for up to 2,314 people seated in rows. Thanks to its state-of-the-art technical equipment and variable room concepts, Messe Magdeburg offers ideal conditions for successful congresses and conferences.
The Congress Centrum Bremen offers flexible spaces for congresses and conferences of various sizes, with five halls, seven salons, four breakout rooms, and two foyers. Its postmodern architecture and playful details create an inviting atmosphere for professional exchanges. Thanks to its central location in Bremen and direct connection to the Maritim Hotel Bremen, organisers and participants benefit from short distances and a convenient infrastructure.
The Musik- und Kongresshalle Lübeck (MUK) is a multifunctional event venue offering 15 rooms for 10 to 3,500 people, providing diverse options for congresses, conferences, and exhibitions. Its flexible room layout allows for tailored solutions for different event formats. With a total space of 4,000 m² and a capacity of up to 2,000 people, MUK is an ideal location for a variety of events.
The Rheingoldhalle in Mainz is a modern conference centre with a total of 9,000 m² of flexible event space and over 20 meeting rooms, some of which are flooded with natural light and offer views of the Rhine. The largest room, the Kongress-Saal, has a floor area of 1,744 m² and can accommodate up to 2,144 people depending on the seating arrangement. Following its renovation, completed in 2021, the Rheingoldhalle features state-of-the-art technology, sustainable amenities, and flexible room configurations, making it ideal for congresses and conferences.
The RuhrCongress Bochum is a modern event venue in the heart of the Ruhr region, making it an excellent choice for congresses. With its flexible, state-of-the-art spaces, it provides the perfect setting for events of all types and sizes, from business and science to trade fairs. Thanks to its excellent infrastructure, cutting-edge event technology, and well-planned logistics, your vision can be brought to life professionally.
The Schwabenlandhalle in Fellbach, near Stuttgart, is a versatile cultural, congress, and conference centre, ideal for congresses. With a total of nine bright and fully equipped rooms, it offers flexible event spaces for gatherings of all sizes. The largest hall, the Hölderlin Hall, has a floor area of over 1,100 m² and can seat up to 1,400 people in theatre-style seating, making it particularly suitable for large congresses and conferences.
The Tempodrom in Berlin is a multifunctional event venue with impressive architecture, perfect for congresses. Its main space, the Grand Arena, accommodates up to 4,200 guests and features flexible room elements that create adaptable spaces for different event formats, including conferences and congresses. With its central location near Potsdamer Platz and its modern facilities, the Tempodrom offers excellent conditions for successful congresses and events.
The Uber Eats Music Hall in Berlin is a state-of-the-art event hall, ideal for congresses and corporate events. With a standing capacity of up to 4,350 and seating for around 2,250 guests, it offers flexible space solutions for various event formats. The hall features excellent acoustics, optimal sightlines, and cutting-edge event technology, making it a versatile venue for conferences, product presentations, and corporate celebrations.
The myticket Jahrhunderthalle in Frankfurt am Main is one of Europe’s largest private cultural initiatives and offers a variety of congress and conference spaces, including its impressive dome hall and several conference rooms. The dome hall spans 4,800 m² and can accommodate up to 3,000 people, making it ideal for large congresses. Additionally, the venue offers modern technology and flexible space concepts that can be tailored to different event requirements.
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