Your event website

We encourage all TEDx organizers to create an official website for their event. This will serve as their online hub for event info, updates, blog posts, videos, and more.

Your website’s domain name

Here are the general things to keep in mind when getting a domain name or URL for your TEDx event website:

Get your domain name

You aren't required to purchase a domain name, but we strongly encourage it. (A domain name will make your site more searchable via search engines.) Whether you decide to buy web hosting from a paid service, or opt for a free hosting account, is up to you.

The URL of your website's homepage should be the name of your TEDx event (e.g., TEDxTokyo.com, TEDxNYU.com). The .com top-level domain should be your first choice, followed by the top-level domain of your country (e.g., .pl for Poland). .org and .net should be your next choices.

License and domain ownership

When you purchase your domain name, you can keep the domain name as long as you are the licensee for the event (e.g., as long as you are the licensee in charge of TEDx(EventName), you can keep the domain name "http://www.tedx(EventName).com.")

If you decide not to renew your TEDx license after your TEDx event, or TED does not renew your license, you must transfer ownership of your TEDx domain name either back to your domain registrar (or web hosting service), or to another TEDx licensee.

Note: TED is not liable for expenses incurred during the purchase, transfer or re-sale of TEDx-related domain names.

Create your website

Here are the basics when it comes to creating your website:

Homepage

In addition to general info about your event, your site's homepage is required include the following:

  • Language that describes TEDx with a link to the TEDx program:

What is TEDx?
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TED has created a program called TEDx. TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. Our event is called TEDx[name], where x = independently organized TED event. At our TEDx[name] event, TED Talks video and live speakers will combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events, including ours, are self-organized.

  • Text in the footer (at the bottom of the site) that states "This independent TEDx event is operated under license from TED."

About page

Create an About TED/About TEDx tab that includes the following text:

About TEDx, x = independently organized event
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.)

About TED
TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading, often in the form of short talks delivered by leading thinkers and doers. Many of these talks are given at TED Conferences, intimate TED Salons and thousands of independently organised TEDx events around the world. Videos of these talks are made available, free, on TED.com and other platforms. Audio versions of TED Talks are published to TED Talks Daily, available on all podcast platforms.

TED's open and free initiatives for spreading ideas include TED.com, where new TED Talk videos are posted daily; TEDx, which licenses thousands of individuals and groups to host local, self-organized TED-style events around the world; the TED Fellows program, which selects innovators from around the globe to amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities; The Audacious Project, which surfaces and funds critical ideas that have the potential to impact millions of lives; TED Translators Program, which crowdsources the subtitling of TED Talks so that big ideas can spread across languages and borders; and the educational initiative TED-Ed. TED also offers TED@Work a program that reimagines TED Talks for workplace learning. TED also has a growing library of original podcasts, including The TED Interview with Chris Anderson, WorkLife with Adam Grant, Far Flung with Saleem Reshamwala and How to Be a Better Human.

Follow TED on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and on LinkedIn.

Website content

Naturally, your website should include general information about your event, including:

  • The event name, date and theme
  • The event venue and city
  • Names and backgrounds of you and your TEDx team
  • A list of the local speakers and performers
  • The session schedule (when it’s available)
  • A separate page thanking sponsors (Sponsors can't be thanked on the homepage)

You’ll also want to integrate other fun elements, like links to the event’s social media accounts, a blog, an email sign up form, and other promotional items we’ll talk about in the following pages.

Next: Social media

Great TEDx Websites


TEDx Tips
  • Your communications and marketing director, website manager, and designer should be the three people working closely together on the website’s development.
  • Keep it current. Make sure to have the most up-to-date info featured on the homepage, like blog updates, most recent tweets, and important event updates.
  • In terms of design, you want your website to be visual, fresh, exciting, and accessible. Make sure your designer uses the same color palettes and tone as your TEDx event logo and other promotional materials.
Rules to remember
  • You may only own the domain name that corresponds to your own event; you may not register domain names corresponding to other TEDx events without permission from TED.
  • Do not purchase a domain name until your license has been approved.
  • Your TEDx website may only be used for the purpose of promoting your TEDx event.
  • Never use the TED logo or TED conference images on your website or any other promotional materials. You may only use your TEDx event's logo and TEDx images.
  • Sponsor or partner logos or names may not appear on your site's homepage. Instead, create a separate page dedicated to your sponsors.
  • If including your sponsor's logo on your website, it must be smaller than your TEDx event's logo.
  • We do not permit any TEDx site to run advertising, so be sure that your hosting service does not require you to do so.
  • You may not display any content associated with: weapons manufacturers; ammunition companies; cigarette companies; online gambling organizations; sex-related businesses; other conferences or seminars.