Why (and When) To Use Event and Offer pages
Getting the word out about your upcoming event or offer does not have to be complicated or costly. As Facebook closes in on nearly two billion monthly active users, it has proven itself to be a perfectly suitable social platform to promote just about any event from small business holiday sales, to fundraisers for nonprofits, and even nationwide events like concert tours. But how do you know when to use Facebook events for your brand? The answer is easy – as soon as possible.
Why Facebook Events?
Creating a Facebook event is free and simple and offers multiple benefits for your brand. And, Facebook event pages allow you to provide more than just the date, time, and location. You can share all kinds of details to help persuade people to attend. Details may include describing a popular keynote speaker, live music, or free food. You can also check off whether your event is kid friendly, offers free admission (or both). The option to include an alternate URL for attendees to learn more or purchase tickets. You’re also provided the option to tag a reputable co-host, in which case the event will appear on their Facebook events page as well.
Facebook Events allows you to upload a cover photo, which is your opportunity to upload a fun, relevant photo that captures the essence of your event and encourages people to want to click to learn more.
Who will see my event page?
Facebook provides users with notifications about events near them, which is a great promotional feature. Facebook also recognizes millions of venues, so you should always ‘tag’ the exact location where your event will take place in order to allow Facebook to “suggest” your event to people in that area. Tagging the location of your event also allows your guests to see the venue in a map view. Another good practice is to make your Facebook event public so your guests can invite their friends and post comments on the event wall. Guests will also be able to see who they know that is attending your event, which may encourage them to go as well.
Ideally, many of the people you invite to an event are already fans of your company page and follow your activities on Facebook, leading to more positive RSVPs. It is worth noting that sending your Facebook fans invites versus simply posting the event on your Facebook page will result in more eyes on your page.
It is also a good idea to have a list of keywords handy so you can include them in the tags section. This could be keywords such as, “live music”, “wine tasting”, or “fundraiser”. You are not limited to branded keywords, once you start typing a keyword Facebook will provide additional suggestions. By including relevant keywords your event’s, users can search your event type by typing, “fundraiser” for example, into Facebook’s search bar and a list of fundraisers will appear.
Set it, but don’t forget it!
Creating your Facebook Event and inviting guests is only the beginning. Now that all your event information is in one place, you can begin to post periodic status updates within the event page and pin important updates to the top of the wall. Consistent updates will circulate your event to your fans newsfeeds again and again. The same goes for when your guests post comments or photos on the event wall. Not only will guests see updates, the event will also show up in their friends’ newsfeeds, generating even more eyeballs.
Keep your fans in the know and watch your guest list continue to grow.
Want to learn more about Facebook events? Check out our online Social Media courses on Caster Academy. Catch us on Twitter @CasterComm @megannicole_pr.