Rakim Asher from CloserStill Media shares with us how their event websites have evolved - and what comes next.

CloserStill Media runs more than 200 B2B events across the Business Technologies, Learning and HR, Healthcare and Future Transport and Infrastructure sectors.

We’ve worked with the organiser since 2008, designing, developing and supporting websites across its growing event portfolio. Over that time, the partnership has evolved alongside CloserStill’s expansion into new markets, new event brands and increasingly complex digital infrastructure.

For Rakim Asher, Head of CX Technology at CloserStill Media, the longevity of the relationship comes down to something simple: understanding the industry.

"ASP understand our business. They understand the events industry, and that’s really allowed us to continue working together for such a long period of time."

Event websites have changed significantly over the past decade. They now sit at the centre of how organisers communicate with their audiences - supporting registrations, programme discovery, exhibitor visibility and attendee engagement.

As CloserStill’s portfolio has grown, their websites have evolved too. We’ve worked closely with their team to adapt platforms, integrations and content structures as their events and digital strategy have developed.

As Rakims says, the day-to-day relationship matters just as much as the technology.

“They {ASP} take the time to listen to us. That’s allowed us to continue working together successfully over the years.”

Looking ahead, the focus of the partnership is shifting again as the industry adapts to new forms of search and discovery.

Tools like ChatGPT and other AI-driven platforms are increasingly influencing how professionals research sectors, companies and events. For organisers, that means event websites need to be structured so their content is discoverable not only through traditional search engines, but also through AI-powered answers.

CloserStill already produces a significant amount of high-quality content across its events. The opportunity now is ensuring that content performs effectively in this changing search landscape, as Rakim explains:

“In the world of ChatGPT and AI-driven search, we’re seeing more and more people using these tools to ask questions about the sectors we operate in.

ASP are really investing in that area and supporting us on that journey. That support allows us to upskill and understand those areas where they have deeper expertise.”

To support this shift, we’ve invested in specialist expertise across SEO and Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO), helping organisers prepare their websites for a new generation of digital discovery.

After more than nearly two decades working together, the partnership continues to evolve - shaped by the same goal it started with: building event websites that support organisers as their events grow and change.

Watch the full conversation