Promoting an event on the web not only boosts awareness for your event and your brand, but it can also help with SEO through backlinking strategies. Not sure how to do this effectively? Try the 8 tips below to garner the most attendees at your events, as well as the most online visibility.

  1. Tell your Facebook fans. This should go without saying, but just in case: be sure to post information about the event on your Facebook wall. Use intriguing posts to grab the attention of your fans, encouraging them to attend your event and engage with your brand in a social setting. Note: Don’t bombard your fans with too many communications about your event; it will have the opposite effect of what you’re trying to achieve.
  2. Tell your Twitter followers. Don’t just send out tweets about the event, also directly tell your followers about it. Pick the followers that you’ve chatted with before and who you already know is an avid fan of your brand (higher chance of a retweet) and mention them in the tweet.
  3. Create a Facebook event page. Updating your Facebook status with information about the event is important, but it shouldn’t stop there. Also create a Facebook event page and send an invite to your fan base to join you. Note: Make the event public and allow guests to invite other guests.
  4. List the event on classified sites. Classified advertising is one of the best, most inexpensive forms of direct consumer advertising and marketing, so it would be a shame not to take advantage of its potential. Thousands of people visit sites like Craigslist and Backpage on a daily basis, so be sure to list your event on sites like these. Note: list your event in the proper categories so you don’t run the risk of having your post deleted by the site’s administrator.
  5. Announce the event on local listings sites. Local listing sites like Google Places allow you to add announcements to your business listings. Use this feature to your advantage and add information about your upcoming events.
  6. List the event on event listing sites. Seems simple enough, but most businesses aren’t using sites like these to their advantage. There are hundreds of event listing sites that will allow you to list your event for free, so do some Googling to find the event sites that make the most sense for your demographic. Note: Use both national and local event sites.
  7. Distribute a press release. Write a press release about your event, submit it to your media contacts and distribute it through the hundreds of free press release sites that are available. Note: To maximize visibility, use as many links in the press release as each site allows you to use.
  8. Send an email blast. Design an email blast promoting your event and send it out to your list of contacts. Include a catchy subject line, links to your Facebook and Twitter pages, and a link to the Facebook event page you created. Note: If possible, send two eblasts prior to the event’s date. Make sure the mailings are spaced out as to not bother your email list with too many communications.