You put a lot of work into crafting the ultimate event. Now it’s time to pack the house.
But a lot of people are cautious about investing heavily in them. We get it — how do you know you’ll get a return on that investment?
Well, you have to set yourself up for success. First, you’ll need to know how to create the ads and what makes an ad effective. Then, nail all the details with our 19 tips for getting the most out of those event ads.
We’ve developed these tips after helping creators sell 284 million tickets last year. Combing through the best event ads and throwing our own events has given us a unique perspective on what it takes to get the most registrations from your ads.
Advertising and promoting an event effectively takes strategic planning and creative marketing. You want high attendance and buzz, but not break the budget. This article covers 10 proven tips for getting the word out about your next event.
1. Create an Eye-Catching Event Page
A dedicated landing page provides a focal point to send all event promo to Include
- Event title and high-level description
- Date, time, location details
- Speaker bios and headshots
- Agenda with schedule breakdown
- Registration form or link
- Sponsor logos and branding
- Compelling call-to-action like “Register Now”
The page should quickly communicate key event details and make it easy for visitors to sign-up.
2. Offer Early Bird Pricing
Early bird pricing incentives get people to commit sooner. Offer discounts like:
- 10% off registrations 1 month out
- 15% off registrations 2 months out
- 20% off registrations 3 months out
This taps into the scarcity principle – people act to avoid missing out on a deal. Make sure to clearly communicate the early bird deadline.
3. Spread the Word Through Email
Email marketing is one of the top ways to promote events. Strategies include:
- Send “Save the Date” email 2-3 months out
- Regular reminder emails leading up to event
- Share speaker announcements, agenda sneak peeks via email
- Offer email subscribers exclusive early bird promo codes
- Send last chance to register emails right before event
Utilize email campaigns to keep your event top of mind with your audience Segment and personalize messages for the best open and click-through rates
4. Post on Social Media
Promoting your event on social media platforms expands your reach.
- Create an event Facebook page for attendees to RSVP to
- Post event teaser videos and photos on Instagram
- Share speaker Q&As and relevant articles on Twitter
- Run a contest on social – free ticket giveaway for shares/likes
Social media provides many opportunities to generate organic buzz around your event.
5. Run Retargeting Ads
Retarget people who visited your event site with digital ads reminding them to register. Facebook, Instagram, and Google all offer retargeting.
Other online ads platforms to consider include:
- LinkedIn – target by job title and industry
- Reddit – relevant subgroups and communities
- Quora – Q&A readers interested in the topic
- Industry blogs – event listing sponsorships
Digital ads allow highly targeted outreach at a reasonable cost.
6. Create Print Promotional Materials
Don’t forget about good old fashioned posters, flyers and signage too. Print collateral placed strategically raises awareness.
- Hang posters in venues your target audience frequents
- Place sign/banners at your business entrance
- Create flyers to hand out at other local events
- Partner with other businesses to cross-promote
Simple and inexpensive but an effective physical promotion tactic.
7. Pitch Media and Influencers
Earned media exposure lends credibility. Reach out to:
- Journalists at industry publications – offer exclusive stories
- Local newspaper event calendars – free listings
- Radio stations – ask to record a quick promo clip
- Industry bloggers – guest article by a speaker
- Influencers – invite them as VIPs to share with followers
Reporters are always looking for stories. Make it easy for media to cover your event.
8. Promote Through Partners
Find partner organizations who also serve your target market. Opportunities include:
- Ask partners to share event info with their email list
- Request promotions through their social media channels
- Add partners as event sponsors – display logos on all promo materials
- Set up cross-promotional displays at partner locations
Partnerships expand your reach exponentially. Offer to reciprocate cross-promotion for their events.
9. Create FOMO with Limited Tickets
Scarcity and FOMO (fear of missing out) can powerfully drive registrations. Tactics include:
- Note limited remaining tickets left
- State when specific sessions are close to selling out
- Use waitlist signups once tickets sell out
- Highlight VIP/premium ticket options with few seats
But don’t exaggerate scarcity – nothing hurts credibility more than an “sold out” event with empty seats.
10. Gather User-Generated Content
As the event approaches ask people to post:
- Social media photos/selfies wearing event swag
- Social media posts using the event hashtag
- Photos of their printed event tickets and promo material
- Reviews on Facebook and event sites like Eventbrite
Authentic social proof builds excitement. Incentivize with a free ticket giveaway for the best user-generated content.
With a multi-channel, multi-touch strategy, you can maximize exposure for your event. Allocate budget across tactics that best reach potential attendees. Execute early and sustain the drumbeat of promotion leading up to your event date.
Then deliver an incredible event experience that compels social sharing and buzz long after it ends! Consistently producing top events develops your reputation and loyalty over time.
1 Look for similar audiences
What to do: You have a solid list of people who previously purchased tickets to your events. You want to find more people just like that. With Eventbrite, it’s easy to figure out who your most likely attendees are and ensure they see your ads so you get the most registrations to make them even more effective. You can do this audience targeting with different tools on different sites, like Facebook’s lookalike audiences, or across many different platforms with Eventbrite’s marketing tools.
When to do it: Throughout the process. This continuously provides a useful perspective, from before creating the event to the final sales report.
1 Create a unique event hashtag (and overuse it!)
What to do: Launching a special hashtag campaign before your event helps monitor engagement and reach. Your hashtag is a form of free event advertising — every time someone uses it, your event gets promoted.
When to do it: Three–six months. Build your hashtag presence even before tickets go on sale.
How To Get Over 2,000 People At Your Local Event | Event Promotion With David Shands
How do I promote my event?
Work with keynote speakers, influencers, other brands, and sponsors. Collaboration is one of the best ways to promote your event. Consider having event sponsors that will want to promote the event for you. You can also have brand partnerships where you work with other companies who will tell their audience about your event.
How do I advertise my event?
One of the most effective ways to advertise your event is on social media pages because it’s free and can get you a lot of eyeballs. LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook are great ways to reach people that will attend the event. Facebook and LinkedIn offer affordable advertising that targets your audience. Create a page for the event on Facebook.
What is event advertising?
Typically, a major goal of event advertising is to communicate information about your event, including where it is, when it is and how event-goers can get tickets for your event. Consider making your copy in a way that captures the attention of the intended audience but is also easily understandable with a clear call to action.
When should you advertise your event?
When to do it: One–two months ahead of your event. Use online advertising as you would a social media ad. When using powerful tools like Eventbrite’s marketing suite, the more data collected, the better. Get started early to know where and how you should advertise. 8. Don’t forget about your event ad’s copy and design
