How to Use Facebook to Market Your Next Event

Since it began in 2004, Facebook has moved from being a way to converse with friends to a powerful marketing tool for businesses. It has added many features, including special pages for groups, charities and businesses. Along with posting pictures, giving status updates and offering promotions, people or businesses can plan and market events for free. Facebook event marketing requires a certain steps, a consistent effort by administrators and good planning ahead of time. Read more to find out how to use Facebook to market your next event.

 

 

Facebook Event Preparations

1. 1
   Gather your marketing tools before you sit down to create your event on Facebook. You will need a high-quality photo for your profile picture, promotional photos, an "elevator pitch" that sums up the event and people with already established Facebook pages who can act as "administrators."
2. 2
   Choose the best way to promote your event on Facebook according to the style and goals of the event. People use the Fan Pages, Group Pages and the Event application, depending upon their event. Choose 1 or more of the following according to the type of event you are throwing:
   • Set up a Fan Page if you are throwing a large or annual event. This page is important if you want the event to be considered unique and grow a following over months or years. This is also a good plan if it is a charity or memorial event. Fan Pages have access to applications and they are great for sharing and posting. People become fans and then they can post and add content to your wall.
   • Set up a Group Page if the event is exclusive. The Group Page is linked to an individual, so the individual must have some clout and a lot of friends to gather a lot of members. Instead of becoming a fan by hitting a "Like" button, people must choose to become members. Group Pages cannot use applications so you cannot use the Facebook Event application. This is best for an individual starting a Book Club or member-oriented group, rather than a large event. However, it may be great as a promotional tool for a DJ or popular promoter because you can message up to 5,000 at 1 time.
   • The Facebook Event application allows individuals, Fan Pages, Charity Pages and Business Pages to create individual event listings and invite their followers to partake. The followers can then invite more people if it is a public event. This application should be used in conjunction with a Fan Page. It is also recommended if you are a business or charity that has a lot of events in their calendar year. It is more important that you focus your efforts on getting followers or fans to your Fan or Business Page and then use the application to market each event individually and invite people to participate.
3. 3
   Create the Facebook page for your business or charity, if you have not already done so. If you are going to use a Group Page, you can do this from your personal Facebook account. At Facebook.com, click on the link that says "Create a page for a celebrity, band or business," below the green "Sign Up" button.
   • The Facebook Page will ask you to choose a type of Fan Page, such as business or place, corporation or institution, celebrity, brand or product, or cause or community. Follow the directions to upload your logo or profile picture and be as specific as possible with your info. Once you have completed these steps, you can begin using applications, such as the photo album and event applications.
   • Post links to this Fan Page on websites, email blasts and printed materials. Put a "Like us on Facebook" button wherever it is available. Many websites, blogs and email creation programs already include this as an option. Also, post your page link on printed materials.
4. 4
   Begin posting content to your page in regards to the event. Post links to news stories, announce people who will be featured, or start discussion threads. You ideally want to create a community around the event that encourages people to engage, post on your wall and invite other friends.
5. 5
   Assign administrators to your page that will dutifully post content and engage with your event community. Click on the "Edit Page" button in the upper right hand corner. Click on the tab that says "Manage Admins" in the left hand column.

Facebook Event Promotion

1. 1
   Create an event on the event application. Click on the "Event" application link on the left hand column of your page, under the profile picture. Click "Create an Event," and input the name date, time, description and upload a profile picture.
   • If you cannot see the "Event" link, you should click the "Edit" button below your list of applications. You can find the event application and add it to your page. Take extra care when choosing an appealing name for your event because this cannot be changed in the future.
2. 2
   Post the event to your profile, if is not done automatically. Then share the event with all of your page fans. Send an email to your event partners, businesses, friends and colleagues asking them to say they are coming to the event and to send it along to their friends or fans.
   • Make sure the event is listed as "Public," so that anyone can be invited. If it is a private event, only those who are invited can take a look at the details. Also, ensure you have enabled the ability for people to see who is coming and write on the wall.
3. 3
   Respond to people when they accept the invitation or post on your page. Respond under their comments or go to their personal pages, depending upon what fits the situation better. Ask people, such as authors or band members, to engage regularly on the event page and your Fan Page.
4. 4
   Create a contest for tickets through Facebook. You can ask trivia questions and say the first person to answer will receive 2 tickets. Do this occasionally to encourage people to keep checking back on your site.
5. 5
   Offer contests for merchandise available to those who are a fan of your page. On the day of the event, encourage people to post their pictures, videos and notes on your page. Moderate the content and remove anything that isn't appropriate.
6. 6
   Create a Facebook Ad, if interest is lagging. These ads are available for a fairly low cost. You can choose the demographic, area and timing of the ad according to what is appropriate to your event.

Edit Tips

• You can create a Facebook Group for your event by going to the home page of your personal Facebook account. Scroll down the left hand side until you see the "Create Group" link. Click on the link and input the information for your event, and then invite your friends.
• The more rare and original the event is, the more time you should give to promote the event on Facebook. For example, if it is an annual event, you may want to post 3 to 4 months in advance. If it is a small, regular event, you may be able to start creating buzz around the event 1 month to 2 weeks before the event.