Online events have become essential for:

• engaging your audience
• generating leads
• building brand authority
• and creating a community around your business.

Whether you’re hosting a webinar, virtual workshop, or live Q&A session, the success of your event heavily relies on how effectively you market it. This guide provides step-by-step strategies and creative ideas to help you market your online event across various platforms and channels, leverage events as lead generators, and choose the best format for your goals.

The Importance of Using Events for Lead Generation

Events provide a unique opportunity for lead generation by enabling direct interaction with your target audience, building trust, and demonstrating
your expertise. Unlike traditional ads or content marketing, events create a two-way conversation where potential leads can ask questions,
experience your brand’s value firsthand, and feel more connected to your business. To maximise the lead generation potential of your events,
ensure there is a clear registration or sign-up process to capture essential information like names, emails, and interests. Follow up with personalised
content to get them to show up. Post event, nurture these leads with special offers.

Types of Events for Lead Generation:

• Webinars: Educational sessions on relevant topics to establish authority and capture leads.
• Virtual Workshops: Interactive, hands-on learning experiences that engage and educate participants.
• Live Q&A Sessions: Direct engagement with potential leads by answering their questions in real-time.
• Product Demos: Live demonstrations showcasing your product or service’s features and benefits.
• Panel Discussions: Insightful discussions with industry experts to provide valuable content and build credibility.
• Online Challenges: Fun and engaging challenges that require participants to sign up, driving lead capture.

1. Strategies for Marketing Your Online Event Facebook Marketing

• Create a Facebook Event: Start by creating an event page with a clear, catchy headline that conveys the benefit of attending (e.g., “Master Social Media Marketing in 2024: Free Virtual Workshop”). Include all the relevant details topic, key speakers, schedule, and registration process  and use engaging visuals or promotional videos to highlight the event’s theme. Ensure you add a compelling call to action (CTA) to encourage immediate registration as apposed to them clicking GOING.
• Utilise Your Facebook Group: Pin the event to the top of your group as an announcement, and host short Facebook Live sessions to build excitement by sharing insights or sneak peeks. Regularly post reminders with unique angles, such as introducing speakers, sharing testimonials, or highlighting key takeaways. Use the in group event feature to invite your community. Consider adding the event to the banner photo.

• Create an Event on GMB: Add your event to your Google My Business profile to reach local audiences and improve visibility on
  search results. Optimise the event listing with relevant keywords, high-quality visuals, and a direct registration link.
  

LinkedIn Event Promotion

• Create a LinkedIn Event: Leverage LinkedIn’s professional network by creating an event page with all necessary details title, time, description, speakers, and a CTA to register. Share posts about your event from your company page and personal profile, highlighting different aspects like speaker profiles, key topics, or exclusive content.

Facebook and Instagram Stories and Reels

• Stories: Promote the event using Stories with countdown stickers, polls, and behind-the-scenes content. Share videos that explain the benefits of attending and what participants can expect. Add a registration link.
• Reels: Create short, engaging Reels using trending sounds or creative content to highlight event details or sneak peeks into the content. Encourage viewers to check out your registration link in the BIO.

Meetup and Eventbrite

• Meetup: Create a Meetup event to tap into local communities interested in your topic. Provide a clear event description, a catchy title, and a registration link. Engage with group members by contributing to discussions and adding value before promoting your event.
• Eventbrite: Set up an Eventbrite listing to reach a broader audience. Optimise it with an attractive headline, engaging description, high-quality visuals, and a strong registration CTA. Encourage registration in one place (ie. Your form)

Leverage Your Email List

• Segmented Email Campaigns: Target different segments of your list, such as past attendees, VIP clients, or prospects who showed interest in similar topics. Send teaser emails leading up to the event to build excitement, and follow up with reminder emails a week, three days, and the day before the event.
• Post-Event Follow-Up: After the event, send a thank-you email with a replay link (if applicable) and nurture them into your post event offer.

Collaborate with Partners

• Joint Promotions: Partner with influencers or businesses that share your target audience. They can promote the event to their followers via emails, social media, or website banners, creating a win-win for both parties.
• Cross-Promotions: Offer to promote their content or events in return, enhancing mutual reach and engagement.

2. Choosing the Right Hashtags for Events

3. Paid vs. Free Events: Pros, Cons, and Suitability

4. Event Listing Template

Here’s a template to help you create a compelling event listing:
Headline: [Catchy Title – Highlighting Benefit]
Example: “Transform Your Social Media Strategy: Free Live Workshop on October 5th!”

Event Details:

• What: Briefly describe what the event is about.
• When: Include the date and time, with time zones if necessary.
• Where: Virtual event – provide the link for registration.
• Why: Explain why someone should attend (highlight key benefits or pain points).
• Who: Mention key speakers or presenters.

Call to Action:

“Register now to reserve your spot and start transforming your strategy today!”
Visuals: Include engaging images or videos related to your event theme.

5. Marketing Timeline

1. 4-6 Weeks Before Event:

• Set up event pages (Facebook, LinkedIn, Eventbrite, etc.)
• Announce the event to your email list.
• Share initial posts and teasers on social media.
• Start reaching out to potential partners for collaboration.

2. 3-4 Weeks Before Event:

• Create and share Reels and Stories on Instagram.
• Send follow-up emails to your list.

3. 2 Weeks Before Event:

• Host a teaser live session on Facebook or Instagram.
• Publish guest blog posts or articles related to the event.

4. 1 Week Before Event:

• Send reminder emails to all registrants.
• Share countdown posts or Stories on all platforms.
• Engage with your audience in Facebook groups and forums.

5. 3 Days Before Event:

• Send final reminder emails.
• Continue sharing countdown content.
• Host a Q&A session to answer last-minute questions.

6. Day of the Event:

• Send a ‘last chance’ reminder email.
• Share a “going live” post across social media channels.

Stuck? Want help? Maximise Your Event Registration with a Marketing Strategist
If you’re ready to take your event marketing to the next level and generate high-quality leads that convert, consider partnering with a marketing strategist who can create a tailored strategy for your specific goals. Working with a strategist can save you time, provide expert insights, and ensure that every aspect of your event promotion is optimised for success.

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