After putting pen to paper (or cursor to Google Doc) and crafting a stellar event description, you’re in a strong place to kick off promotions for your event. Now comes the fun part: versioning out your copy to suit each channel you’ll be using to advertise your event.

That’s because you can’t just copy and paste your text from one channel to the next. Each one has its own rules and best practices, so if you want to make an impact, it’s important to tailor your description to suit its online location.

Here are four different places where you might post your event description online and how to make the most of them:

Here’s how to tailor your event description for four different channels online.

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Event Description #1: Event website or listing

Most people’s quest for something to do starts with a Google search. That’s where an event website or listing comes into play — helping you rank higher in results through search engine optimisation (SEO), answering questions, and providing more details to event-goers. A website gives you more room to dive deeper, but you can start off with just a listing.

Tips for tailoring your event description to your listing and/or website:

  • Keep in mind that Google rewards websites that contain unique writing (e.g. copy that is different from your event listing or social profiles) with better search rankings
  • Be sure to optimise your copy for mobile search by using geographic terms like “Greater Western Sydney”
  • Answer the most common questions with an FAQ, but keep it short
  • State your refund policy clearly to ensure event-goers understand how it works

Learn more in Work Smarter, Not Harder: How to Turn More Website Visitors into Attendees.

Event Description #2: Email

91% of people check their email every day. To stand out in an event goer’s noisy inbox, your event emails need to be both concise and compelling. While there are many email marketing strategies you can use, the first place to start is with your email copy.

Here’s a breakdown of how to use your description to write the perfect email invitation:

  • Use a short subject line (under 70 characters is best), personalise it with the recipient’s name, and create a sense of urgency (e.g. “Don’t miss out!”) to drive more opens
  • Let your reader know you’re a trusted source at a glance with a recognisable sender name, such as your company or event brand name
  • Always use an active call to action (e.g. “Buy Tickets”). Avoid burying it in the top or bottom of your email and make sure to link the CTA to the right webpage

Check out 7 Email Copy Templates to Sell Out Your Next Event for examples you can use.

Event Description #3: Social media and event discovery sites

Most event creators use discovery sites and social media to promote their event and it’s easy to see why — they’re free to use, half of the Australian population log on to Facebook every day, and the platform offers robust targeting capabilities to help you get your event in front of the right audience.

A shortlist of tips for breaking out your description into social posts:

  • Get up to speed on character counts and social media best practices, such as including an engaging image with your post to drive clicks
  • Break up your post using bullets on Facebook or LinkedIn to make it easier for readers to skim your copy
  • Don’t be afraid to use humour (if appropriate with your event’s voice and tone) to grab people’s attention

There’s a lot to be said on using these channels, so be sure to check out How to Promote an Event on Facebook and 51 Social Media Ad Copy Templates to Sell Out Your Event.

Event Description #4: Display and search ads

Although you can use Facebook to create and run very effective advertising campaigns, sometimes you’ll want to promote your event through ads online. You have two choices, depending on your budget and your goals: display or search ads.

Display ads can appear anywhere online, use text and images together, and are great for retargeting people who have shown interest in your event but haven’t bought tickets yet. Search ads, on the other hand, are text-only and show up at the top of search engine queries.

Regardless of which ad type you choose, keep these copy tips in mind:

  • Keep your copy super short, as there’s nothing worse than unreadable display ads
  • Use the right keywords in search ad to target relevant searches
  • Don’t forget your call to action and do a quality assurance check to test your link

It’s not just what you say, but how you say it

Hungry for more tips to help take your event description from meh to amazing? Discover advice from the experts, before and after examples of description copy, and tone suggestions in More Than Just Words: How Your Event Description Drives Attendance.