Facebook remains the top social media platform. Its popularity has made it a great place to advertise upcoming events and activities without paying an arm and a leg for marketing.
More than 700 million people use Facebook to market their events each month. At least 35 million people view those public events each day. That’s a lot of traffic and potential visibility! Then again, it’s also easy to get lost in the sheer volume of events on Facebook.
Have no fear! You can do a few things to stand out and make your event more visible and attractive on Facebook. Just like Google, Facebook has an algorithm that you can use to your advantage. We rounded up some Facebook event marketing tips and tricks to help you get greater visibility for your next fundraising event!
Optimize Your Facebook Event
- Facebook Official Events for visibility
- Use a simple event name
- Select an event category and location
- Mobile-friendly Facebook Event pages
- Use Facebook Publishing Tools
- Facebook ad targeting
1) Make it a Facebook Official Event to get better visibility
Facebook Official Events show up in people’s “event” tab on their Facebook accounts, making them easy to find and share with others. Take advantage of this feature to help your next fundraising event show up in people’s “recommendations” and general Facebook feed.
Another advantage to making your next fundraising event Facebook Official is that you can include a link to purchase tickets on the event page.
Ensuring your next event is Facebook Official also makes it easier for partners, sponsors, and co-hosts to share and promote the event. It also reduces the chances of duplicating events (which can lead to confusion for potential attendees).
2) Use a simple event name for better Facebook event marketing
We’ve all been there, staring at the computer screen, trying to remember the name of that thing we were going to sign up for (or search for). It’s frustrating, and, at worst, it could lead to fewer attendees at your next event!
Names that are too long, too complicated, or include symbols or emojis are difficult to find. That’s why industry experts recommend using simple, concise event names when you launch your Facebook event. Instead, choose a simple name and add an interesting event description and event photo that helps tell the story of what your upcoming event is about.
3) Select a relevant event category and add an event location
Facebook has many algorithms that help decide what shows up in your feed or in search results, just like Google. Taking the time to select relevant categories for your Facebook event and adding an event location will help Facebook suggest your event to users who express interest in similar topics or live in the area.
Just like you optimize your website on Google, these steps are the equivalent of “optimizing” your event on Facebook and can make a big difference in who sees your event invitations!
If you want to take this “optimization” to the next level, consider using relevant or custom hashtags and encouraging attendees to use the hashtags as well. It’s a great way to help people join the conversation early and continue it long after your event is over.
It’s also good practice to tag any major partners, donors, performers, or noteworthy contributors who will participate in your upcoming fundraising event. Not only does it grant them recognition and praise for their generosity and partnership with your organization, but it also encourages them to help spread the word!
4) Make sure your Facebook Event page is mobile-friendly
As always, it’s critical to make sure everything is mobile-friendly. The majority of Facebook traffic is from mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.). Your guests will appreciate a mobile-friendly experience when purchasing tickets or signing up for your next fundraising event. Nobody likes zooming, pinching, and scrolling to read text or fill out a form.
Also, make sure the “sign up” or “purchase tickets” buttons are easy to find and click on a small phone screen.
Great news! Soapbox Engage’s apps are mobile-friendly, so you won’t need to jump through any extra hoops. Everything is easy to use and customize, from the ticket forms to the payment processing forms, whether you’re on a laptop or smartphone.
5) Use Facebook’s Publishing Tools to manage event marketing on Facebook
Using Facebook Publishing Tools makes editing, updating, and publishing your events easier and more streamlined, especially if you’ve got several events to keep up with. Everything is in one, easy-to-access dashboard.
The Publishing Tools also gives you valuable data about who is looking at or engaging with your events.
6) Facebook ad targeting helps Facebook event marketing
Many nonprofits and businesses choose to spend a little money on targeted advertising on Facebook for their upcoming events. If done correctly, this can be a very effective advertising strategy to grab the attention of new audiences (or boost your connection with your current audience).
Using the targeting method lets you reach out to new audiences based on identifiers that are helpful to you, like their location, interests, or other specific demographics. You can even opt to send users to your website or event page where you’re selling tickets!
The great news is Facebook advertising and event “boosting” can be very cost-effective. Because Facebook’s main goal is to present well-curated options to its users, you’ll actually pay less when you target your ads to the right audience. That means knowing your ideal audience can literally save you money.
Use Facebook’s targeting parameters to dial in your ideal audience and make your advertising more relevant--and cheaper. More importantly, you’ll bring the right people to your next event and raise more money for your cause!
The bottom line is that event marketing on Facebook can be a powerful and cost-effective tool for your nonprofit fundraising efforts. If done correctly, you’ll be able to reach new audiences and increase attendance without spending big bucks in advertising.
Now that you’ve got Facebook event marketing under your belt, here are three more resources to help you boost your fundraising efforts!
- 3 Ways to Boost Your Current Fundraising Campaign: Fundraising is about more than just raising money for your cause; it’s meant to help you forge strong relationships with your donors and community members. If done well, fundraising can also acknowledge and recognize your donors in a way that leads to greater fundraising opportunities over time. This blog offers a few best practices for helping your organization boost your current fundraising campaigns for greater long-term success.
- 5 Tasty and Effective Food Fundraisers for Nonprofits: People love gathering together around food. And events that engage all five senses tend to help people make fond memories and enjoy the experience. Whether you’re into pie-eating contests or fancy dinner galas, there’s a food fundraiser for every type of audience--including yours! This blog is packed with some fun and effective food-oriented fundraising events that everyone will love!
- Email Marketing Tools for Nonprofit Success: In addition to Facebook and other social media platforms, email is a popular and effective marketing and communication strategy. (And many industry experts recommend using email strategies alongside social media strategies to attract broader audiences.) With email updates you can do everything from share updates about accomplishments and needs to engage new audiences--for very little money! This blog will help you choose the right email marketing tool or software to equip your nonprofit for greater success.
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