Trade show events and websites: Andrea explains how he brought the Bologna Mineral Show online

It's the amazing world of minerals and of the many scholars and collectors who inhabit it. Andrea Ortelli, holder of a degree in economics and employed by a multinational company, is one of them: a mineral enthusiast who, along with a group of friends, founded the Bologna Mineral Show, a company who manages the major mineralogical trade shows throughout Italy.

Andrea, though not an expert in web design, with the help of WebSite X5, has himself created the official websites of the trade shows he organizes: http://www.bolognamineralshow.com and https://www.euromineralexpo.it.

We met up with Andrea. Here's what he told us about his experience.

«Actually, my interest for websites stems more from curiosity than from a true need. At first, I just wanted to find out how an internet domain works and how to get a personalized email address. From there, I began a journey which led me to better understand how the Internet works and to gain more insight into the "behind the scenes" of the web. Of course, I didn't stop there and soon started searching for the necessary tools to create my first site. This research led me to make some preliminary attempts with a few web-assisted platforms. Early results, however, proved insufficient. I encountered a lot of inflexibility and little room for customization.»

«Yes, indeed, in fact I eventually came across WebSite X5. Credit goes to a good friend of mine, someone who kept up- to-date by checking out IT blogs and portals.

About seven years ago, he asked me, "Why don't you try this program?" He had downloaded the free trial version, and so did I. Needless to say, after the first few weeks of using it, I quickly upgraded to the higher versions which allow for a lot of flexibility in building the desired site.»

«The first site I created with WebSite X5 centered around another one of my passions: sports. That site was a kind of gym, where I learned about all the program's functions. I immediately appreciated two features that, for me, were essential:

At one point, I realized the software's true potential. Above all, I realized that I could also use it for our trade show organization business. We wanted to improve on the situation we were in.»

«That's right, I jumped in and created the official sites for our mineralogy trade show activities.

Incidentally, having a presence on the Internet and effectively communicating the content/services offered is now a fundamental requirement for any business. People expect to find the information they're looking for quickly and easily on the Internet. If you don't meet this expectation, you can be sure that you'll be cut out of an increasingly large slice of the business.

I believe that being present on the web and responding to the expectations of users with your own easily recognizable domain, rather than with a simple social media page, allows you to portray a much more solid and professional image.

Now, after some time, I am nothing but satisfied with our choice to create our own websites. We were able to better communicate all the activities offered by the trade show and available to the public. This has led to a significant increase in average visitors over the last five editions. It's truly an amazing accomplishment!»

«I believe the beauty of the Internet lies in the fact that it's a world without limits, where everything has a place and everyone can get the visibility they deserve. At its foundation, there's the content. Without it, the site practically doesn't exist.

Once you have the contents, then you can take off, and the altitude at which you'll fly can be freely determined by the pilot.

This is the beauty of the Internet. It's the only place where both the "little boat", created from the heart of an amateur, and the super-advanced "ocean liner", created by a professional, can find equal opportunity.

If I had to give three simple suggestions, I would always recommend:

But I'm convinced that what makes the difference is and always will be the content.»

«Absolutely, I would recommend the use of WebSite X5 to anyone who wants to get involved, and especially to anyone who has the need and the desire to ultimately gain independence in the management of their own website.

Unfortunately, for many of us, the lack of knowledge makes the web a "taboo" and forces us to turn to a third party, even for creating a basic website for our business. This is the beginning of a sort of dependent/subservient relationship with intermediaries who often perform this service with a poor "quality/price" ratio. It often happens, in fact, that after getting a website up and running, significant amounts of money and time are required for any modifications. It's a dynamic that may be fine for a large company, but for small and medium-sized companies, it represents a perfect stumbling block.

Instead, what I'd like to share is a message of trust: Understanding the basic mechanisms of how the Internet works is not impossible, it's within everyone's reach! Additionally, with a tool like WebSite X5, you can really make something beautiful with just a bit of effort, and if you want to go further, you can even obtain very advanced solutions with database integrations and e-commerce dynamics.»