Afterpages: a visit doesn’t end at the exit

Attended a performance, concert or film? For visitors, the experience may seem to be over, but as a cultural organization, you can extend that experience online. With an afterpage, you can offer visitors something extra even after their visit.

A great opportunity to strengthen your audience’s connection with your organization, program or creators. And perhaps even turn visitors into fans.

What is an afterpage?

An afterpage is a dedicated online environment featuring content related to a performance, concert, film or other activity someone has attended. Think of an interview with the creator, behind-the-scenes footage, photos, videos or additional information about a topic explored during the visit.

You can give visitors access to this content afterwards through a link in a follow-up email, a QR code at the venue or personal accounts on your website, for example. This way, the digital customer journey doesn’t end the moment someone puts on their coat and heads home. Instead, you create an additional touchpoint while the experience is still fresh in their mind.

From visitor to fan

The potential of afterpages is also reflected in research by the Dutch Association for the Performing Arts (NAPK). For the From Visitor to Fan* pilot, NAPK worked with nine performing arts companies to explore what audiences need after a performance and the role an afterpage could play.

The research showed that visitors are interested in reliving and deepening the experience, gaining additional context and having opportunities to share their thoughts. What works best varies depending on the performance and its audience. While one visitor might enjoy watching video clips or learning more about the performers, another may want to explore the story or themes in greater depth. Providing space for reflection or allowing visitors to share a response can also add value.

The key takeaway: an afterpage works best when its content genuinely reflects the experiences and needs of your audience.

What can you share on an afterpage?

The possibilities are almost as diverse as your program. For example:

• interviews with artists, creators or other people involved;
• behind-the-scenes footage;
• photos and videos;
• background information about the creative process;
• additional insights into the story or themes;
• podcasts, articles or other relevant content;
• responses from creators or artists;
• opportunities for visitors to share their own experiences;
• recommendations for performances, concerts, films or activities related to what someone has just experienced.

An afterpage can therefore serve several purposes. You can offer visitors something extra, deepen their experience, encourage interaction and strengthen the relationship with your audience.

Someone who watches an interesting interview with an artist after a great evening remains engaged with the experience for longer. By also featuring relevant or related events and content on the afterpage, you can inspire visitors to come back. This means an afterpage can not only increase engagement, but also lead to new conversions.

EXTRA: your ticket as a key to more content

A great example is De FilmHallen’s EXTRA. Anyone who buys a ticket for a film with the EXTRA label gets access to specially curated bonus material, such as interviews, behind-the-scenes content and video essays.

Some of the content is available immediately after purchasing a ticket. Material containing spoilers, for example, only becomes accessible after the film has been shown. This turns the ticket into more than just admission to the cinema: it also becomes the key to an extended digital film experience.

It also demonstrates that an afterpage doesn’t necessarily have to be exclusively after. By carefully considering which content to offer and at what point, you can enrich the entire visitor journey: from anticipation and preparation to deeper engagement and reliving the experience afterwards.

Think beyond the follow-up email

A follow-up email is already common after a visit. How was your experience? What did you think of our service? Valuable questions for your organization, but perhaps not the most exciting message in a visitor’s inbox. So why not use that touchpoint to give something back as well?

The NAPK research shows that visitors are indeed motivated to explore an experience in greater depth afterwards. One of the challenges lies in guiding them towards that content: visitors need to know where to find the afterpage and have a compelling reason to click through.

So don’t think of an afterpage as a standalone webpage where you simply collect some additional material. Consider the entire journey leading to it. Which content genuinely adds value for your audience? When should you make it available? How do you draw visitors’ attention to it? And how does the page connect with your website, ticketing system, email marketing and, where applicable, the visitor’s personal account?

Which afterpage is right for your audience?

An afterpage can be as extensive or as simple as your organization needs. You might start by offering additional content for just a few productions.

Or there may be opportunities to connect your ticketing system and website in a smart way, automatically offering each visitor relevant content. Alternatively, you might want to reconsider the entire customer journey and explore opportunities to increase engagement both before and after a visit.

We’d be happy to explore the possibilities with you. From concept and UX to design, technology and integrations with your existing website and systems.

*The ‘From Visitor to Fan’ pilot was initiated by NAPK and financially supported by Cultuurloket Digitall. Participating companies: Jakop Ahlbom Company, ISH, De Toneelmakerij, Scapino Ballet, NITE, SHIFFT, Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw, Bureau Vergezicht, Theater Oostpool. Experts involved in the project included Sara Oomen (data-analyst), Bonny Ruijter (UX-specialist), Anna Elffers (researcher) and Joyce Van Lievenoogen (project manager).