In this article, we'll go through nine distinct methods for advertising your online events on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook.
Before we go any further, a general disclaimer: The steps or suggestions listed here are not guaranteed to get more people to attend your event. The article is meant to give you some ideas on the possibilities available to you and your non-profit organization. It's up to you and your team to put in the effort and figure out which works best. Some links may lead to websites that may include services or products for sale, for which I may receive a small commission that has no impact on your price. The opinions in this post belong to me and not any of the websites listed.
Moving on, These are some of the ways I've seen organizers promoting events online in recent months, so I'm hoping they'll be helpful.
1. Event Marketing Tip No. 1 - Invite your Friends on Social Media
On Facebook, find the Create an Event icon at the top right and follow the simple instructions.
On LinkedIn, you can create an event on the left-hand side of your page by clicking "Add Event".
When writing the description, be sure to include all necessary information for a user to attend - for example, if tickets are required, including registration information.
Add a link to your event by copying and pasting the URL into a status update in your social media platform of choice.
2. Use Social Media to Spread the News
Here are some ideas for using Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to promote an event:
Set up a hashtag specific to the event (e.g., #FOMGL)
Upload photos of attendees and sponsors.
Post updates from the event as it progresses (e.g., "Wow, a minute in and 300 people already showed up. There is room for 200 more, so, what are you waiting for, sign in now to be part of history!")
Here is an example of what this may look like:
"Announcing our #FOMGL event! Learn more about it here, or by reaching out to us via our various social media channels.
You can also tweet about the event from your website's Twitter and Facebook accounts.
3. Advertise on Eventbrite, Meetup.com and Similar Sites
As an online event organiser, you may not realise the full potential of digital marketing, but it's a goldmine. You can potentially reach a global audience and promote your event to people from all over the world.
These platforms are free for you to use for the most part.
Eventbrite and meetup.com are reputable websites, with many people using them daily. I encourage you to advertise on these sites for free to get more attendees at your events.
Doing this will generate revenue by increasing the participation of attendees without you spending any money upfront.
4. Host a Giveaway Contest
If you are running an event, you probably want to get as many people there as possible.
But how do you do that when not everyone can come?
This is a tactic where giveaway contests come into play because they allow most people to participate at no cost. All you, as the organiser, must do is select a winner of what could be a free ticket to the event itself. You can even allow the winner to say a few words about the event or even the winner.
It would be best if you run a giveaway contest on social media to get more people there. You can ask your event attendees to kindly share the game with their friends, which will further amplify its reach.
This approach is both free and highly successful in increasing attendance at an event.
5. Promote the Giveaway Contest on Reddit
There is no doubt that Reddit has millions of users.
It is one of the best places to get traffic, as most people trust what they see there. They are also likely to spread it to their friends.
If you are hosting a giveaway contest, then you should promote it on Reddit.
6. Create a Sweepstakes
A sweepstake is like a giveaway contest, but there are no winners.
All the participants win something, and they don't have to pay anything to enter.
If you are hosting an event, you should let your attendees know about the sweepstakes by advertising it on social media and email correspondence.
7. Promote Your New Service at your Event
If you plan to launch a service and want people to know about it, you should promote it at your event.
You can easily do this by hosting an educational presentation on the service or solution.
An event creates an excellent opportunity to get feedback from attendees because that will allow you to improve the solution before you roll it out for the benefit of the people.
8. Give Out Digital Flyers via Email for All to Sign Up
Doing this will cause more people to go to your event, which means more revenue generation.
You can do all of this effortlessly without having to spend any money upfront, and that's why you should do it if you want to increase revenue from your event.
9. Use Metatags
You might have heard of SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) before. The idea behind it is to use the right keywords when creating content to rank higher in search results.
If you are hosting an event, you should use metatags on every page of your website to let search engines know about your upcoming event and increase attendance.
The easiest way to do this is by including relevant keywords within all the pages of the website. This will help ensure that potential participants find your event when looking for something similar on Google or other search engines.
10. Sell Tickets Online
If you want to generate revenue from an event, then selling tickets online is one of the best ways to do it, and both Eventbrite and meetup.com allow you to do this.
The principal advantage of doing this is that it allows you, as the event organiser, to sell tickets to your event without ever going anywhere in person - an advantage during these pandemic times.
It also prevents you from dealing with complicated credit card transactions as the online platform facilitates the entire process.
The good thing is that selling tickets online is very cheap, so whatever expense you incur will never exceed the revenue generated from ticket sales and sponsorship.
It's also worth noting that selling tickets online allows you to reach people worldwide. This is an excellent way for you as a non-profit to attract the attention of supporters and potential future members and volunteers to your organization.
11. Contact a Giveaway Directory
Suppose you want to boost attendance at your event and generate some extra revenue.
In that case, you should contact a website that lists giveaways on their pages.
Every time someone visits one of these websites, they will see your listing, allowing you to generate some extra revenue.
If your listing is attractive enough, it might even cause many people to buy tickets and attend the event.
Most giveaway websites are free to use, so there's no reason not to take advantage of them if you want more money for your business.
12. Send out a Press Release!
If you wish to promote an event, sending out a press release is one of the most effective methods for getting attention.
Even if the event isn't significant, press releases can still generate much interest, leading to more people showing up.
Before creating your press release, you need to ensure that it is error-free, so you don't get a bad reputation as an organiser.
13. Contact Local Media Partners about your Event
It's essential to reach people in your local area about your event, so try contacting local radio stations, newspapers, and TV channels.
Many of these outlets are looking for content that isn't just about national and international issues. They want to keep their readers and listeners informed about what is happening in their community.
So, contact them!
You can mention it on the news or find a way to get coverage in the paper.
14. Encourage Attendees to Write Reviews
As a follow up to the event, I encourage you to work hard to get positive reviews after all events.
In fact, not all event organizers know how valuable reviews can be in generating attendance and revenue and sponsorships for future events.
Suppose someone writes a positive review about the event and posts it on Facebook or other social platforms. In that case, it will increase the event's internet presence, which will draw more people to attend future events.
This method is free but highly effective for increasing attendance at an event, so anyone who wants to generate revenue should try it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is undeniable that the internet can be a powerful tool for hosting events and generating revenue.
The above article has provided you with some simple but effective methods to do just that, such as selling tickets online or contacting local media partners about your event.
However, the most important aspect of these strategies is understanding how your customers think at different stages in their purchasing process or lead funnel.
Note: This article was originally published on Linkedin on 21st August 2021.
A Word from the Author
If you’re struggling to win more customers and generate revenue through an event, it may be time to re-evaluate what strategy you are using and whether it's working well enough for today’s market conditions.
Let me help!
I am a marketing strategist specializing in implementing digital marketing plans by considering how your customer thinks so you can sell tickets to your events without any effort.
Schedule your free 30-minute complimentary call with me using the scheduler below. We can start by examining what you are doing right, and where I can help you improve.
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