We get asked often how to use Facebook Events and if they actually work. The answer is YES! Facebook Events can be very effective and are a great tie in with any event promotions that you may already be doing. It goes without saying that the success of an event lies in the marketing and promotions behind it. In today’s day and age, sending out an email just doesn’t cut it anymore. In order to generate buzz and attendance, it takes a multichannel approach and Facebook Events is the perfect way to top off your advertising efforts.
First, create your Facebook Event using your business page. Make sure to include all of the event details. This can also include a link to purchase tickets or pre-register. Put the most important details of your event at the top of the description. Add anyone who is involved in the event as a host. The more hosts that you have, the more traction and exposure that your event will have as it can be shared within multiple networks!
Every good Facebook Event needs an eye-catching cover photo. Event photos can be 714×264 pixels. Be sure when creating your image that it does not appear to be blurry or pixelated. What do we mean by this? Be creative! Avoid stretching your logo to fill the space and create an enticing image. Think of it as your event’s first impression in the social media world.
To target or not to target? Facebook made it possible to target a specific audience when creating your event. Targeting options include a variety of demographics, from gender and relationship status, to educational status, interests, location and more. Targeting event posts has actually shown increased engagement. If you do decide to target, create catchy headline text to make your chosen audience feel special. For example, if you are hosting a ladies’ night out, perhaps include “Hey Ladies!” in your text so that the event has an exclusive feel and they are honored to be chosen.
Once all of the details are put in place and you have an enticing cover photo, start inviting people and sharing the event. Once the event is made public, you can actually use your personal profile to begin inviting people. Go through your Facebook friends and invite those who you feel would attend or share your event.
Be direct when asking people to share your event. Ask all event hosts and your staff to help spread the word on their social networks. Once you have added guests to the event, encourage them to share as well. A lot of them will take the liberty upon themselves to share with their friends. The event will also be given a unique URL, which you can then post everywhere from Twitter, Linkedin and beyond!
Engage with your event guests leading up to the event. Be sure to check your settings so that anyone can post to the event wall. You want your guests to post questions, comments as well as upload photos and videos to your wall. This goes for before, during and after the event. Staying active on the event page not only generates buzz and excitement for the event, but can also lead to additional likes on your Facebook page and interest in your business. Think of those who have been invited by friends and have never heard of your business!
Check your insights! Facebook Event Insights are always available on your event page. You can see how many people saw a link, clicked on a link and the overall engagement. These insights are handy and a great way to gauge if your event is actually working. If you aren’t seeing desired interaction, then perhaps your material needs some modifications.
Are you planning to launch your own Facebook event? Have you used Facebook events in the past? We’d love to hear about it!
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