Promoting an event online can seem like a daunting task With so many platforms and strategies to choose from, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. But having an effective online promotion strategy is crucial to driving awareness, engagement and ticket sales for your event.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down the key steps and best practices for promoting your event across digital channels. Whether it’s a small local event or a major conference, these tips will help you connect with your target audience and maximize attendance.
Start With Email Marketing
Email marketing should be the foundation of your event promotion strategy. Collecting email addresses and nurturing subscribers over time is the most effective way to drive awareness about your event Here are some email marketing best practices
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Build an email list. Encourage visitors to opt-in to your email list through a popup or by offering a content upgrade like an ebook or checklist. You can also collect emails through contest entries or event registrations.
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Send a “Save the Date” email. Give your list an early heads up about your event by sending a Save the Date 3-6 months in advance. Share key details like the date, location, and theme.
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Promote early bird pricing. Offering discounted tickets for early registrations is a great way to drive sign-ups. Promote this in dedicated emails.
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Send weekly event updates. Keep your event top of mind with regular email updates leading up to the event. Share speaker spotlights, agenda announcements, contests and other relevant content.
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Send reminder emails. People forget things! Send reminder emails leading up to the event to prompt registrants to attend.
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Automate post-event follow up. Thank attendees and share photos, videos and other recaps from the event via email. This keeps your event memorable.
Leverage Social Media
Social platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are fantastic for promoting your event and driving ticket sales. Here are some tips:
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Create an event hashtag. Hashtags help attendees and speakers easily discuss and share content related to your event. Promote it everywhere.
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Post video trailers. Create short teaser videos to generate excitement for your event on social media.
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Spotlight speakers. Share speaker spotlights, interviews and quotes across your social channels. This helps convince people your event will be worth attending.
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Go LIVE. Broadcasting live video from your event increases FOMO. Share live sneak peeks, interviews and sessions.
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Run contests. Boost shares and engagement by running ticket giveaways and other contests. Ask people to like, share or comment to enter.
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Use paid ads. Investing some of your promotion budget into Facebook/Instagram ads can help get your event in front of many more people. Target by location and interests.
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Share user-generated content. Reposting photos, videos, testimonials or other UGC from past attendees helps new people see value in your event.
Create Valuable Content
Developing original content like articles, ebooks and videos related to your event is an excellent promotion tactic. Useful content helps position you as an authority in your niche while driving website traffic from search and social media.
Some content ideas include:
- Articles showcasing your speakers and their expertise.
- Lists of tips or key takeaways targeted to your event audience.
- Industry research reports, case studies or whitepapers.
- A video series answering common questions people have about your event topic.
Make sure to embed calls-to-action to register for your event within all content you create and promote. This content also gives people more reason to share and engage with your event online.
Host a Free Webinar
Hosting a free webinar in the weeks leading up to your event is a smart way to generate interest. During the webinar, you can provide a preview of your event programming and content.
Some best practices for hosting effective pre-event webinars include:
- Featuring a high-profile speaker from your event as the presenter. This gives people a taste of the caliber of experts at your event.
- Sharing 3-5 key event presentation topics or lessons. Don’t give everything away!
- Running polls, Q&As and other interactive elements to engage the audience.
- Promoting the webinar across email, social media and paid ads.
- Making event sign-up or promotion a key call-to-action throughout the webinar.
Webinars allow you to reach a wider audience and get them excited about attending your event in-person. Convert these webinar attendees into registrants!
Create an Online Community
Developing an online community such as a Facebook Group or Subreddit for your event attendees can help drive excitement leading up to your event. These groups allow attendees to connect with each other and dive deeper into event-related topics.
Some best practices for managing effective event communities include:
- Launch the group 3-6 months before your event. This gives it time to develop.
- Identify group moderators who can facilitate conversations and provide value.
- Share event updates, speaker Q&As, polls and other exclusive content.
- Encourage attendees to introduce themselves and start discussions.
- Monitor for event-related questions and feedback you can incorporate.
Having an engaged pre-event community results in higher attendee satisfaction. People will show up already connected and excited to meet each other in-person.
Amplify With Influencer Marketing
Identifying and partnering with relevant influencers provides a major signal boost for promoting your event. Micro-influencers with engaged, targeted niche audiences are ideal.
Some smart influencer partnership ideas include:
- Asking influencers to help promote your event through posts, stories and lives.
- Providing complimentary event tickets for influencers to attend and cover.
- Interviewing influencers on event podcasts or virtual sessions.
- Inviting influencers to be guest contributors on your event blog.
- Developing co-branded event content like guides, webinars or videos.
Make sure to give influencers creative freedom to express themselves authentically. Provide them with all the event assets, information and access they need.
Optimize With Paid Advertising
While organic social media and content marketing should make up the bulk of your promotion strategy, investing in paid ads can provide a valuable boost.
Some of the top paid channels to amplify your event reach include:
Facebook/Instagram Ads
Great for targeting by demographics, interests, behaviors and more. Drive conversions with video views, website clicks and ticket purchases.
Google Ads
Keywords like “top conferences in [niche]” and “[niche] industry events” help you appear when people search for events like yours. Location targeting also works.
Event Listing Sites
Paid listings on niche event directory sites puts your event in front of more planners and consumers searching for relevant happenings.
Retargeting Ads
Remarket to people who already engaged with your site or ads but haven’t registered yet. Effective for nudging sign-ups.
Monitor performance closely and pause ineffective ads. Event promotion requires constant testing, optimization and measurement.
Track and Measure Results
It’s essential to closely track key event promotion metrics so you can double down on what’s working and refine what’s not.
Some key metrics to monitor include:
- Email and social engagement rates
- Website traffic and which channels drive the most visitors
- Content consumption and conversions from assets
- Webinar attendance and post-webinar conversions
- Paid advertising costs, impressions delivered and conversions driven
- Event registrations and revenue over time
Using robust analytics will enable you to continuously optimize your event promotion strategy leading up to the big day. This will maximize your reach, boost registrations and ensure your event is a success.
Promote Smarter with These Event Marketing Tips
Promoting an event online takes consistent effort across many different channels and strategies. But thoughtfully executing the tactics covered in this guide will attract more registrations and create buzz as your event date nears.
Focus on:
- Building a subscriber list through robust lead generation
- Developing engaging social media and content campaigns
- Driving conversions with targeted paid advertising
- Closely tracking KPIs using analytics
With well-rounded event promotion across email, social, content, influencers and more – you will pack the house and delight attendees. Now get out there and effectively promote your next awesome event online!
1 Showcase your event on YouTube
Make the most of YouTube by unveiling captivating teasers about what attendees can expect. Utilize the free event posting sites features of YouTube: tags, compelling titles, and thorough descriptions. With the burgeoning number of event postings, its essential to ensure your teaser stands out, so brevity and punchiness are key.
The 12 best event discovery sites
Many event organizers are turning to online event directories to help decide on the next event to attend, be it virtual or in-person. Did you know that there are renowned event discovery platforms where you can promote your event without spending a dime?
Boosting your revenue can be as simple as knowing the right platforms to showcase your events for free. Heres the exciting bit: You can achieve significant returns on investment for every event you list, often with a higher visibility rate than paid promotions. And the best part? Just a bit of research can lead you to these free platforms, setting the stage for your upcoming events success. Below are some of the best websites to post events for free:
Meetup is a tried and tested event website designed to bring people together based on shared interests. If youre looking to target a local community or a specific group of enthusiasts, Meetup is your go-to platform. The site also encourages recurring events, which can help in building a loyal audience over time.
- Log in to Meetup and navigate to your profile.
- Click on âStart a new groupâ if you havenât created one.
- Set the location, name, and theme of your group.
- Once the group is created, click on “Schedule a new Meetup” from the groups dashboard.
- Enter the event details and click “Announce Meetup” when ready.
Yep, it may surprise you, but the social media giant remains one of the best places to promote your event online. Facebook Events leverage the immense user base of Facebook – an active and bustling event community. By creating an event, you can easily invite your friends, and your events can be shared, making its reach even broader. The platform also provides insights about the audiences response, helping in fine-tuning your promotional strategies.
- Log into Facebook and go to the Events section on the left sidebar.
- Click on the â+ Create Eventâ button.
- Fill in the event name, location, date, time, and other relevant details.
- You can set the privacy of the event (Public or Private).
- Once done, click âCreateâ to publish the event.
DICE is a leading platform dedicated to music and event discovery. Â One of the top free event listing websites, DICE enables you tap into an enthusiastic audience thats keen on exploring new experiences, music, and cultural events. Given DICEs specialization, your event is more likely to resonate with the platforms audience, ensuring it reaches the most relevant attendees.
(Note: The direct event posting feature might differ, so heres a generalized guide.)
- Sign in to your DICE account.
- Navigate to the section designated for event creation or listing.
- Input your event details, emphasizing what makes it unique or noteworthy.
- Provide a link or a method for potential attendees to get tickets or further information about your event.
- Submit your event listing, ensuring it meets DICEs platform guidelines.
Dont knock the old-school! Craigslist still remains an effective platform on which to advertise an event. As a vast local classifieds platform, Craiglist has categories for nearly everything, from goods for sale to local free events. Its localized nature means that you can target specific cities or regions, ensuring your event gains visibility among the local community. Plus, its free and straightforward to use.
- Navigate to the Craigslist homepage and select the city or region relevant to your event.
- Click on âPost to classifiedsâ in the top left corner.
- Select âEventâ from the available categories.
- Fill in event details like date, event name, location, and description.
- Once youve added all necessary details, click “Continue” and follow the prompts to finalize and publish your event.
Eventful, part of the Audacy network, is a dedicated platform for event discovery across a diverse range of categories, from concerts to classes. Its user-friendly interface, combined with the broad reach of the Audacy network, can significantly enhance your events visibility. Additionally, Eventful provides event recommendations to its users, offering an added promotional boost for your event.
- Visit the Eventful website and sign in to your account.
- Click on âAdd Eventâ usually found at the top navigation bar.
- Fill in the requested details about your event.
- After ensuring all information is accurate, click âSubmitâ or âPublishâ to make your event live.
Next in our free event listing sites is Patch, a community-specific news platform that allows locals to get updates about whats happening in their area. Posting here means directly targeting a local audience thats keen on community happenings. Its an excellent platform for town meetings, local fundraisers, or community fests.
- Navigate to the Patch site for your specific town or city.
- Sign in to your account.
- Locate the âPost on Patchâ or âAdd Eventâ option, usually in the navigation bar or the sites header.
- Fill in the event details in the provided form.
- Review and submit your event.
LinkedIn is the premier platform for professionals and a great place to advertise your event for free. If your event is industry-specific or targets professionals, this platform ensures visibility among a more refined audience. Additionally, users can share your event, increasing its reach among relevant professionals.
- Log into your LinkedIn account.
- Navigate to the âEventsâ option on the left sidebar or under the âWorkâ tab in the top navigation bar.
- Click âCreateâ or â+â to start a new event.
- Add all pertinent event details, such as name, date, time, description, and any relevant links.
- Once complete, click âCreateâ or âPublishâ to make the event live.
Yelp is a prominent platform for reviews and business listings, but it also features a section for events. By posting on Yelp, you can tap into a community that actively engages with local businesses and happenings. The platforms local focus ensures your event gains visibility in the right areas.
- Sign in to your Yelp account.
- Navigate to the âEventsâ section.
- Click on âCreate an Eventâ or a similar button.
- Input the necessary details about your event.
- After ensuring all information is accurate, click âPostâ or âPublishâ to list your event.
Eventcrazy is a platform tailored for users seeking events, shows, and festivals in their locality. Its localized approach ensures that your event reaches a community interested in area-specific happenings. The platform covers a wide range of event types, from craft shows to music festivals.
- Visit the Eventcrazy website.
- Look for the âSubmit an Eventâ or similar link, typically at the top or bottom navigation bar.
- Provide all the necessary details about your event.
- Once complete, submit your event for review and publication.
Fast establishing itself sd one of the best websites to promote events, Eventseeker is an event discovery app that tailors its recommendations based on user preferences. This personalization ensures your event reaches a relevant audience. From concerts to workshops, Eventseeker showcases a plethora of events to its user base.
- Access the Eventseeker website or app and sign in.
- Navigate to the event submission or listing section.
- Input all necessary event details.
- Review your event information, then submit or publish.
Youreventfree is a straightforward platform that, as the name suggests, allows free event listings. With its simple interface and no-cost approach, its a handy tool for organizers on a tight budget. Every event, big or small, can find a spot here.
- Navigate to the Youreventfree website.
- Find the âPost Your Eventâ or similar button.
- Fill in the required event details.
- Review your submission and then click âPostâ or âPublishâ.
Bandsintown is a dedicated platform for music events, concerts, and tours. If youre promoting a musical event or an artists tour, this platform will help you reach fans and enthusiasts directly. Not only can you advertise events for free, but Bnadsintowns integration with social media platforms also boosts your promotional efforts.
- Sign in to your Bandsintown account.
- Go to the âEventsâ section.
- Click on âAdd Eventâ or a similar option.
- Fill in all event details, particularly focusing on artist information and tour dates.
- Review and then publish the event
How To Get Over 2,000 People At Your Local Event | Event Promotion With David Shands
How to promote your event online?
Streaming online videos is always helps to maximize the impact on the current world. To promote your videos, you are suggested to go with the right and professional live streaming platform to make a unique experience for the audience. You can make your event available for all devices and live streaming technology.
How do I advertise my company’s event?
Here are a few steps you can take to effectively advertise your company’s event: 1. Promote the event on social media Social media offers a great opportunity to alert potential customers of your company’s upcoming event.
Where can I list my event for free?
Just For Events. We put in the work as your dedicated event marketing experts for events of all sizes . List your event for free on our SpinGo powered calendars in your local area. Sell tickets online with state of the art ticketing pages.
