To reach more attendees and grow event attendance today, you need to hit a moving target. Event-goers are always on the go — and on their phones. In fact, 50% of online consumption is concentrated on a handful of mobile apps — most of which are owned by Google and Facebook.
So how can you reach these event-goers on these apps?
In Eventbrite research, two key types of event-goers emerged who use their mobile apps to find events differently:
- The Weekend Warrior: They’re looking for ways to grow as an individual — both personally and professionally. Your event needs to fits their very specific interests if you want them to attend.
- The Millennial Parent: They don’t have a lot of time to find events (babies are a lot of work). So they’re more likely to seek out family-friendly events.
Both are highly motivated by live experiences — but how can you make sure these event-goers know about your event? Easy. Make sure your event is prominent in these three places when they’re browsing their phones.
Free Download: The New Rules of Selling Tickets Online
Social media: Where social connections drive ticket sales
The Weekend Warrior and The Millennial Parent spend a lot of time browsing the Facebook app.
Both use Facebook to keep in touch with old friends and family. When they see someone is attending an event they’re interested in, The Weekend Warrior checks their calendar before deciding to buy a ticket or registration.
You’re likely promoting your event on Facebook already, but you might be missing some key steps to drive attendance. Share this guide with your team to help them master the world’s most popular social network. With a firm understanding of how your audience uses Facebook to find events, you’ll be better equipped to grab their attention.
Search engines: Where the hunt for activities ends
The Weekend Warrior and The Millennial Parent depend on search engines like Google to help them find events worth attending. And when they turn to search, their intent to purchase is strong.
The Millennial Parent, for example, might be looking for a family-friendly activity to do on a three-day weekend. So they’ll search for “family events next weekend in Austin.” As soon as they find the right event — something reasonably close to home and not too pricey — they’ll commit to buying.
For your event to show up in search results and be found by these two types of event-goers, your event site needs to be search engine optimised. If you’re not investing in search engine optimisation (SEO) for your event pages, you’re losing sales. For most events, search can be expected to drive between 5 to 10% of ticket purchases or registrations.
Make sure your team takes SEO seriously. This tipsheet covers the basics. But if you’re looking to get one step ahead of the competition, consider a ticketing provider that works with search engines like Google to make event discovery easier.
Email newsletters: How the inbox can become the ultimate event discovery platform
Email usage is on the rise. More than half of people check their email more than 10 times a day. And when they do check their inbox, it’s on their mobile phone.
Unfortunately, the average person receives over 170 emails per day. To avoid your email invitation being promptly deleted, you need an in.
Emails from event discovery sites and music streaming platforms can help you get noticed in these event-goer’s inboxes. They send event-goers email newsletters with upcoming event recommendations based on their past purchase behavior and listening habits.
The Millennial Parent, for example, receives emails from Spotify that let them know when their favourite artists are touring. The Weekend Warrior also receives Spotify’s email newsletter alongside tailored suggestions from the neighbourhood guides and event discovery sites.
These personalised recommendations help eager event-goers reduce their FOMO (fear of missing out). Personalised newsletters also increase the likelihood they’ll open the email.
Make sure your ticketing and registration partner automatically push your event to these sites and apps. That way you can reach these attendees without the adding another step in your process.
Double your ticket sales — today
To reach new attendees and grow your event, your promotion strategy needs to focus on a handful of mobile apps and online destinations. But it’s not enough to promote your event on the apps your attendees already frequent — you’ve got to make the purchase as seamless as possible on their phones.
Check out The New Rules of Selling Tickets Online to learn how your future attendees use their favourite mobile apps to find events and why the right partnerships can help you double your event sales.
