Facebook event pages still get the job done. I’m a fan of Facebook event pages for smaller events that attract 5,000 or less people. Just this year I’ve used Facebook event pages to promote Reno Mardi Gras, the Rotary Club of Reno Fundraiser, and Brew HaHa the fundraiser for Sierra Arts. Both pages were very successful and helped spread the word about the event without spending too much money on advertising.
The event page offers some great benefits including giving invitees a link to see all of the other events you’ve created, a link to your page, a link to your personal profile or company profile, and the ability to directly message and invite your personal profile contacts to the event.
Here are 10 tips for using a Facebook Event Page:
1. Make it easy for attendees to find the key information. The first form Facebook has you fill in when you create an event page is the most important to make your event successful. Make sure to fill out the form, be concise and supply all the important information.
2. Make it easy for attendees to buy tickets. Highlight the link and make it easy to find.
3. Title the event appropriately. Make it easy for the Facebook search tool to find your event. If the event is an annual event make sure to make it easy for attendees to see that in the title.
Image Credit: Rotary Club of Reno Facebook Page
4. Photos are important! Make sure to post a cover photo that is the appropriate size. I also like to post event advertisements and other photos to engage invitees. For Reno Mardi Gras we post a lot of pictures from Pinterest to encourage guests to dress up, and it works!
5. Try to use Facebook recognized locations for your event location rather than just the address. Usually the venue pops up when you type the name slowly. Make sure the map is working because that is really helpful to your event attendees.
6. Allow anyone to post on your event page, encourage attendees to post before and after the event. This is the best place to add content and interact with event attendees. This also helps invited guests communicate with you if they have questions about the event.
7. Encourage invitees to invite their friends. Ask them to share it on their page or to use the “invite all your friends” to the event. Be careful though not to become a spammer.
8. Keep adding content up to the day of the event by making new posts on the event page. Also post after the event to continue to add more content to keep people engaged. If it is an annual event make sure to post a “Save the Date” message for the event the following year on the event page.
9. Promote your event on other social media. Don’t forget to add the event invite to your Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Yelp.com, Blog sites and other social media sites.
10. Advertising – Buy Facebook advertisements if you can afford them. I personally like to promote the posts for events on Facebook Event pages, for example, Reno Mardi Gras and Brew HaHa because the pictures get a lot of attention, our guests like to share them, and they have a more viral response. It is hard to prove if the ads actually add attendees but I know I’ve seen them have an effect on attendee behavior. We’ve had social media contests and encouraged people to dress up in the ads. We had great results!
Facebook Event pages aren’t for all events, but if you are planning a local charity event or something that has a niche market, an event page will help you promote the event and increase attendance at the event.
Do you use Facebook Event pages to promote your special events? Feel free to brag about your success using Facebook Event invites in the comments!
Mad About Events Blog 
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