Event badges serve a dual purpose: they identify attendees and they reinforce your event’s brand. A well-designed badge makes networking easier (people can read each other’s names), improves security (staff can spot unauthorized guests), and adds a professional touch that attendees remember.
Most event organizers either spend too much on external badge printing services or too little time creating badges in Word documents that look amateurish. There’s a better way: design them directly in WordPress alongside your ticketing setup.
Not every event needs badges. A concert or one-evening workshop probably doesn’t. But for conferences, trade shows, multi-day festivals, corporate events, and any gathering where attendees need to be identifiable, badges are essential.
Good badges include the attendee’s name (large enough to read from a conversation distance), their organization or role, the event name and dates, and often a QR code that can be scanned for session check-ins or lead retrieval.
The Premium version of Event Tickets with Ticket Scanner includes a badge designer alongside the PDF ticket designer. Both use the same visual, drag-and-drop interface.
Standard badge sizes that fit common badge holders are the safest choice. The designer lets you set custom dimensions, so you can match whatever lanyards or badge holders you’ve purchased. Common sizes include the standard credit-card size (86mm × 54mm) and the larger conference badge (105mm × 148mm).
Start with your background — this sets the visual tone. Use your event’s brand colors or a subtle background image. Keep it clean; the badge’s primary job is readability.
Place the attendee name prominently. This should be the largest text on the badge, ideally 16-24pt depending on badge size. Use a bold, sans-serif font for maximum readability. The name is pulled dynamically from the WooCommerce order, so each badge is automatically personalized.
Add the organization/company field below the name in a smaller size. Include the event logo in the header or footer. If you’re using role-based color coding (Speaker, Sponsor, Attendee), add a color bar or background section that changes based on ticket type.
The QR code on a badge serves a different purpose than on a ticket. While ticket QR codes are for entry validation, badge QR codes can be used for session check-ins (scan at the door of each session to track attendance), lead retrieval at trade shows (exhibitors scan attendee badges to capture contact info), and gamification (check-in at different booths to earn points).
Position the QR code where it’s easily scannable — typically the bottom of the badge. Make sure there’s enough contrast (white background behind the QR code) and the code is at least 2cm × 2cm.
Once you’ve designed your badge, you have several printing options.
Office printer: For events under 100 attendees, a standard office printer with good quality paper works fine. Print the PDF, cut to size (or use perforated badge paper), and insert into badge holders.
Professional printing: For larger events, export the badge PDFs and send them to a print shop. The PDF format ensures consistent quality regardless of the printing method.
On-site printing: For large conferences where attendees register at different times, set up an on-site badge printing station. Generate badges as attendees check in, and print them on a dedicated printer. This eliminates the problem of pre-printing badges for no-shows.
Name visibility first. The entire point of a badge is that people can read each other’s names during conversations. If someone has to lean in and squint, your badge design has failed. Test readability from at least 1.5 meters away.
Role differentiation. Use color-coded lanyards, badge backgrounds, or colored strips to instantly communicate attendee roles. Speakers get blue, sponsors get gold, regular attendees get white — whatever system works for your event. This helps attendees find the people they want to connect with.
Double-sided badges. If badges flip around on lanyards, print the name and key info on both sides. Nothing is more frustrating than a backwards badge.
Include WiFi info. If your venue has WiFi, put the network name and password on the back of the badge. Attendees will thank you, and it reduces the “what’s the WiFi password?” question from event staff.
The advantage of having your badge designer in the same plugin as your ticketing system is that everything stays connected. The same attendee data that generates the ticket also generates the badge. No CSV exports, no manual data entry, no mismatched names. When someone purchases a ticket through your WooCommerce store, both their ticket and their badge are ready to go.
Ready to upgrade your event’s professionalism? Start with the free ticketing plugin and upgrade to Premium when you need badge and advanced PDF ticket design capabilities.