What is event advertising?
Event advertising, as the name implies, is the practice of advertising your event. That means tapping into every possible channel to maximize reach, promote, and make sure your event gets the most attention.
Why is event promotion important?
We could have arranged everything for the event. We could have hired top stars, rented a great venue, organized lavish catering, and had all the staff and support we needed. But all those efforts will be for nothing if no one shows up. Not only will you or your client face a financial loss, it will also greatly affect your brand or reputation.
For an event to be successful at any level, it has to be well known. You don't have to sell out tickets, but you do need enough attendees to make the event look crowded, create the right atmosphere, and make attendees feel like they're attending an exclusive event. permission. All of which is why event promotion is so important.
How to successfully advertise the event
We could just write on the topic of successful event advertising, but we won't. Instead, we'll provide the most important factors you need to know to successfully advertise an event.
Define your target audience
You need to have a clear understanding of the type of people you are trying to attract to the event. Keep this in mind when advertising your event and put it first in your mind from this point on.
Consider where your target customers can be found, and what advertising and communication mediums you can use to reach them.
If your target audience is a high-income company who is over 40, a Snapchat ad campaign won't reach them. Similarly, if your target is young people, placing ads in the neighborhood message board won't work either. Use the most appropriate advertising channels for your target audience to maximize its potential.
Make a standard website
Your website is the platform for promoting your event. Whether it's a landing page or a full-fledged website, it needs to be ready to go, providing all the information needed for readers to make a buying decision, and then a simple buying process. Use graphics, use calls to action, and make sure your site loads quickly, works on mobile devices, and is capable of handling heavy traffic.
Run ads on advertising platforms
Taking advantage of advertising platforms to bring your event, your product to reach more potential customers is a very effective method. Compared to distributing leaflets, running ads is much more effective. So if everyone runs ads, how do you make your ads stand out?
Google Ads: Make the most of photo ads, use the "Pay per conversion" feature to optimize advertising costs
Microsoft Bing Ads: Take advantage of new features that Google Ads does not have, such as extensions that Microsoft Ads is updating daily such as video extensions, action extensions, multi-image extensions or the Microsoft Audience Network Planner feature
Facebook Ads: Leverage lookalike audiences to find new customers similar to your existing customers
LinkedIn Ads: Use Lead forms ads to get customers' emails. On May 25, LinkedIn launched the LinkedIn Event Ads feature, allowing users to run ads on LinkedIn to promote webinars, webinars, etc. to help reach potential audiences. functionality on a professional social network becomes simpler and more effective.
Use the listing site
The internet is full of websites that list events. Use them to your advantage. Once the event website is up and running, list it everywhere you can. Sites like The List, WeGotTickets, Billetto, Ticketea, Eventbrite fit the budget. There are hundreds of such sites. Pick the top 10 or 20 and make sure you're on the top.
Don't forget your email marketing
Email still plays an important role in event promotion, so make sure it's part of your marketing mix. Target your email list carefully and make sure to craft a compelling email that showcases your event at its best.
Use social networks
Keeping your target market in mind, social media is very important in any event promotion campaign. Consider the channels your target will use and make sure your event shows up on those platforms. The corporate audience will most likely use LinkedIn and Facebook while the younger audience will use more channels.
Content Marketing
Back up your event promotion efforts with a steady stream of good quality content. Diversity is key here, create graphics, blog posts and articles, shoot videos, and include the mediums that your target market will be most relevant to. Place your content on sites that also appeal to your target.
Top tips for promoting events
Here are some tried and tested tips around event ads. Feel free to use some or all to promote your own event.
Timing is everything: Get early notice so guests can book days in advance. Gradually build up your promotional event as you get closer to the event. Older guests will plan earlier while younger guests tend not to plan quite far ahead.
Enlist a celebrity or influencer: Find a celebrity your target market will identify and hire them or enlist their help. Social media influencers work best for younger markets and reach more people in a single Tweet or Facebook post than it could take you weeks to reach.
Ticket offers, gifts and prizes included: Never underestimate the power of a free man. If one person wins a ticket, they can bring other people who will buy their tickets. It creates buzz, will be shared widely, and can do a lot of good for your event.
Never forget offline advertising: The Internet and social media are powerful mediums, but they are not everything. Remember magazines, news, radio stations, signs, billboards and other offline methods. Use what works best for your target audience.
Conclusion
Advertising and promoting an event is a huge topic and will take as much planning and execution as the event itself. The key lesson here is to know your audience so you can advertise effectively, start early and gradually build the campaign up to date.
If you have a younger audience, put an emphasis on social media and use influencers to best effect. Transition planning is not so important here because they live more in the present. If you're dealing with an older audience, consider what they do, where they go, what they read, and use all of that in your mix.
Once you start promoting the event, it won't stop until the night. Adjust the pace yourself and make sure you have the resources you need to keep the effort going until the event takes place. That way you have the greatest chance of a sell-off event!