A seamless event platform for millions of connections

the starting point

Messukeskus.com is an extensive site with multiple target audiences and goals. It provides inspiring content and support for companies participating in fairs, while serving as a space, event and conference lead sales as well as the base for communications. The previous Messukeskus site, built in 2015, had reached the end of its technical life. It had become slow and unnecessarily complex. We replaced it with a modern, fast site featuring a seamless user interface.

For the renewed website we wanted to implement the visual identity, tone of voice, and service promise of the new Messukeskus brand. This goal was central especially to messukeskus.com but also influenced individual event sites. The platform had to support sales for both consumers and corporate clients, with the addition of increasing add-on service sales. The user experience was to be developed for B2B clients, professional event visitors, consumers, and site administrators alike. High performance was at the heart of the renewal – site speed, intuitive functions, and clear guidance were key for such a large entity.

our solution

The new site was designed to elevate the Messukeskus profile, ensuring customers choose them over competitors. Strategically, we wanted the site to showcase the full Messukeskus offering and present Helsinki as an attractive event location. The site drives exhibitor acquisition and ticket sales, supports exhibitor success, generates leads for event and conference sales, and increases the understanding of fairs as a medium.

We began the design phase by mapping content structures and user journeys through wireframes. Based on these, we designed the visual identity following the Messukeskus brand and graphic guidelines. The layout is fully responsive, adapting to any screen size.

technical implementation

We implemented the website as a WordPress Multisite installation. In this environment, all sites run on the same codebase and server infrastructure. We started with messukeskus.com, the group’s main site, building the core theme there. Sites like expomark.fi and svv.fi use this same theme with their own color schemes, significantly increasing the project’s cost-efficiency.

Event brands like Helsinki Book Fair and Habitare also use this foundation but include unique features such as program calendars and exhibitor searches. Brand-specific colors can be managed directly through the admin panel. The multisite includes the Gutenberg editor for smooth content management, allowing editors to create pages quickly using versatile, pre-defined blocks.

the result

The technical implementation included several integrations with external systems:

• Event data is pulled from Microsoft Dynamics 365.
• Program schedules are retrieved from the Kongressi system.
• We built an external portal where exhibitors manage their own content and press releases.

We monitor these integrations with a custom plugin that displays statuses in the WordPress dashboard and alerts us to any issues. The infrastructure is designed to be fault-tolerant, running on multiple WordPress servers and a separate database. Cloudflare CDN ensures high performance and protection against attacks. We created a dynamic platform for Messukeskus that evolved with their strategic goals, ensuring Helsinki remains a globally competitive event destination.