Leveraging platform diversity: How to flexibly integrate your ticket shop and make it visible everywhere
Part 3: Maximising success in online ticketing
In the first two parts of this series, we looked at the basics of a successful online ticket shop and the potential of systematic upselling. Now we're going one step further, to where sales begin: the visibility and integration of the shop in digital touchpoints.
A ticket shop that can only be accessed via the main navigation of the website is wasting enormous reach. That's because visitors no longer get their information exclusively from traditional websites. They discover experiences via Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, newsletters, Google Maps or partner sites.
The key question is therefore:
How can I make my ticket shop available wherever my target groups are?
In this article, we will examine:
- The different ways of integrating a ticket shop
- When which option makes sense
- How you can enable decentralised ticket sales on different platforms
- And what advantages this offers for campaigns, reach and conversion
The three main forms of ticket shop integration
A modern ticket shop should be flexible enough to be integrated in different ways, depending on your needs and context. In practice, three options have proven successful:
1. Stand-alone web shop
This is the classic ticket shop as a separate page, accessible via a separate domain or subdomain, e.g.:
Advantages
- Structured independently of the main website
- Fast loading times
- Complete control over content, structure and campaign pages
- More flexibility for technical and content testing
- Better opportunities for SEO optimisation
Use cases
- Completely independent ticket sales
- High utilisation or independence from external web agencies desired
- Separation of marketing website and sales platform
Example:
An event organiser runs a separate shop for its annual ‘Summer Safari’ at tickets.sommersafari.de, where visitors can book tickets, food vouchers, shuttle bus options and fan merchandise. The marketing website provides information about the experience, while the shop focuses on sales.
2. Embedding as an iFrame in the existing website
The ticket shop is integrated into a subpage of the existing website as an iFrame (a type of embedded window). Visually, the shop appears as part of the page, but technically it is loaded from a separate system.
Advantages
- Easy integration without major technical effort
- Visitors remain visually ‘on the familiar page’
- No duplicate maintenance of design or navigation
- Ideal for smaller organisations or events
Use cases
- Website is managed externally, but the shop should remain flexible
- Ticket sales are part of a larger overall offering (e.g. amusement park with many pages)
Example:
A small zoo integrates the ticket shop directly into its website www.tierpark-musterstadt.de/tickets as an iFrame. The page remains familiar to the user, and the booking process runs smoothly and separately.
3. Deep links to specific offers or product groups
Instead of just promoting the ‘shop home page’ as the entry point, targeted deep links to individual events, product categories or packages can be created. This enables direct linking in social media, email campaigns, online ads or via QR codes.
Advantages:
- Visitors land directly on the relevant offer
- Fewer clicks, higher conversion
- Very well suited for campaigns and promotions
- Can be used efficiently across many channels
Use cases:
- Seasonal promotions (e.g. Easter holidays, Halloween event)
- Limited-time events
- Partner links (e.g. tourist offices, bloggers)
Example:
An amusement park advertises its ‘Winter Wonderland’ event on Instagram. The link in the story leads directly to the themed product in the ticket shop with the deep link: e.g. tickets.freizeitpark.de/lichterzauber
There, visitors can book their time slot directly without having to navigate through the general ticket offering.
Why platform diversity is crucial
The classic customer journey has changed. Visitors discover experiences through many different channels – and they expect the path to booking to be direct and intuitive. Those who turn discovery into a search rather than an experience lose many potential buyers.
With the right platform strategy, you increase:
- Reach: Your offers become visible in significantly more channels
- Conversion: Fewer clicks mean a higher probability of completion
- Flexibility: Promotions, special events or last-minute offers can be placed quickly
- Cooperation opportunities: You can provide partners (e.g. regional tourist offices, media or bloggers) with clear links instead of referring them to the home page
Integration into external channels: Recognising potential
Modern ticket shops should be set up in such a way that they can also be easily integrated or linked to the following external channels:
Social media
- Link in bio (e.g. on Instagram or TikTok)
- Direct link in Facebook posts or Facebook events
- Advertisement with link to specific offer (e.g. ‘Secure your spot now’)
- Story links or QR codes in reels
Example:
A zoo launches a TikTok challenge for its new animal feeding programme. The post contains the link: tickets.my-zoo.com/experience-feeding
Fans can book the limited experience directly and the campaign goes viral.
Newsletters & mailings
- Exclusive offers with direct links to the product
- Reminders of upcoming events with quick checkout
Tip:
Combine offers with voucher codes that are automatically included in the link (e.g. ‘newsletter10’).
Partner sites & tourism portals
- Direct link to partner offers or combination tickets
- QR codes in print media or brochures
Example
A holiday region bundles experiences in an online portal. The amusement park links to its shop there via a campaign deep link:
Events and microsites
- Special pages for specific events
- Booking directly in the context of the event, not via the general homepage
Example
A separate landing page is created for a Halloween special. The shop is integrated directly into this page and focuses solely on the event. Result: Significantly higher booking rates than via the general ticket shop.
Technical requirements and practical tips
A ticket shop that supports this platform diversity should have the following features:
- Generates individual URLs for each product
- Enables clean integration via iFrame or link
- Supports descriptive URLs for a better user experience
- Allows for easy design of themed pages
- Is responsive and mobile-optimised on all devices
- Allows campaign tracking via UTM parameters or internal analyses
Conclusion: If you want to be seen, you have to be flexible
Your ticket shop is not a static element, but an active tool in digital sales. The better you position it where your target groups are digitally active, the greater the chance that a prospective customer will become a buyer.
Platform diversity is not a ‘nice to have’, but a central prerequisite for successful online sales. And with a system that enables flexible integration, thematic targeting and a clear structure, you lay the foundation for reach, relevance and sales.
A quick note on our own behalf: our ticket shop (whether under our name or under KORONA.event) supports all formats – even simultaneously.
In the next part, we will show you how you can attract more visitors to your shop and market offers in a targeted manner with a well-coordinated social media and content strategy, including tips on linking, storytelling, SEO optimisation and collaboration with partners.
