Promoting an online event: 8 strategies for more visitors

You have planned a great event, have a professional sales page, and tickets are ready. But how do you ensure that people actually find it—and that your seats or places get filled? Online promotion is the key. In this article, you will read eight proven strategies to promote your event online, sell more tickets, and increase your visibility on Google.

1. Start early — at least four weeks in advance

The biggest mistake organizers make is starting to promote too late. Many people plan their schedules weeks to months in advance, and if you only start two weeks beforehand, you miss a large part of your potential audience.

As a rule of thumb: open ticket sales as soon as the basic details of your event are finalized — even if not everything has been filled in yet. The first announcement already generates interest. Then communicate at regular intervals: at the opening of sales, when half of the available tickets have been sold, and in the week leading up to the event.

2. Social media: Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Social media is the primary promotional channel for most events. The approach differs by platform:

• Instagram — visually strong and ideal for events with atmospheric footage. Use Stories with a swipe-up link to your ticket page, create a Reel of the venue, or a behind-the-scenes moment. Use relevant hashtags such as #event , #concert , or the name of your city.
• Facebook — create a Facebook Event and personally invite all your followers and friends. Facebook Events are indexed by Google and appear in search results. Post the link to your ticket page as the first comment on the event.
• LinkedIn — relevant for business events, conferences, and workshops. Share a short article about the event, tag speakers and involved organizations.
• WhatsApp broadcast — don't forget groups. Send a short, personal message to your existing network. Personal messages have a much higher readability than organic social posts.

You can read more about social media promotion in Selling tickets via social media .

3. Email and WhatsApp: reach your network directly

Do you have an existing mailing list? Use it. On average, email has a higher conversion potential than social media because recipients have already shown interest in you or your organization.

A good event promotion email contains:

• A catchy subject line (“[Event Name] — tickets now available”)
• The key data: what, when, where
• One clear call-to-action button: “Buy your ticket”
• Optional: a limited offer (“Only 15 early bird tickets left”)

Don't have a mailing list yet? Start one now. Ask attendees from previous events to subscribe, or use the email details of previous ticket buyers — provided you have consent in accordance with the GDPR.

4. Google My Business for local visibility

If your organization has a fixed location, Google My Business (now: Google Business Profile) is a powerful and free channel. Organizations that host events can post an “Event” via their business profile. This appears in local search results and on Google Maps.

Ensure your company profile is complete:

• Current opening hours and address
• Photos of the location and previous events
• A direct link to your ticket sales page in the description
• Regular new posts to keep the profile active

5. Collaboration with local media and partners

Regional media — local newspapers (online and print), event calendars, radio, and news websites — are always looking for events to announce. Send a short press release with the basic details and a link to your ticket page.

Also consider co-promotion with partners:

• Sponsors can mention the event in their newsletter or on social media.
• Speakers or artists also share their performances themselves — encourage this by giving them a personal link.
• Hospitality businesses or venue partners can display flyers or announce the event to their customers.
• Local event calendars such as Uitagenda.nl , Eventbrite overview pages, and municipal websites accept free registrations.

Moreover, every mention on an external website with a link to your sales page is good for your SEO.

6. Discount codes and early bird rates

Discount codes are an underrated marketing tool. They create urgency, reward loyal visitors, and are easy to distribute. At Kaartjie you can create discount codes with just a few clicks — as a percentage or a fixed amount, valid per ticket or per order.

Use discount codes smartly:

• Early bird discount : 10–15% discount for the first buyers, valid until a fixed date.
• Group discount : a code that activates with 3 or more tickets, ideal for groups of friends.
• Ambassador code : assign a unique code to volunteers, speakers, or partners that they can share. This way, you also measure who generates the most reach.
• Last minute : if there are still many places available a week before the event, send a discount code to your mailing list.

7. Paid advertisements on Meta and Google

Organic reach on social media has declined sharply in recent years. As a result, paid advertisements are the most reliable way for many events to reach new target audiences.

Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram) are particularly effective for events due to the extensive targeting options: you can target by age, location, interests, and even people who have viewed your Facebook Event but have not yet purchased a ticket (retargeting).

Google Search Ads are useful when people actively search for terms like “[event type] [city]”. They have a higher intent than social media ads, but the cost per click can be higher.

8. SEO: making your sales page findable in Google

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the most sustainable way to attract visitors: once well-positioned, it costs you nothing per click. For events, there are specific SEO techniques that yield quick results.

Use a descriptive page title

The page title (title tag) is the most important SEO element. Use the format: [Event Name] — [Date] — Buy Tickets in [City] . This way, your page ranks for the name of the event as well as for local search queries.

Add structured data (Event schema)

With Event schema markup, you explicitly tell Google that your page describes an event. Google can then display a rich result with the date, location, and a direct link to buy tickets — visible before the regular search results. At Kaartjie this is automatically added to every event page.

Mention the date and location explicitly in the text

Google places great value on context. Ensure your event page clearly displays the date (written out in full), the city, and the event type in the main text — not just in a widget or schedule. This helps Google classify the page correctly.

Build links from external websites

Every website that links to your sales page sends a positive signal to Google. Request mentions:

• Events calendars (municipal, regional)
• Websites of partners, sponsors, or speakers
• Local news sites and blogs
• Social platforms (LinkedIn, Facebook) with a clickable URL

Speed and mobile-friendliness

More than 70% of ticket buyers visit a sales page via their smartphone. A slow or poor mobile experience costs you both conversions and Google rankings. Kaartjie 's sales pages are optimized for mobile and score well on Core Web Vitals by default.

Conclusion

Promoting a successful event online requires a combination of channels. Start early, use social media and email for immediate reach, ensure your event is discoverable via Google My Business and SEO, and consider paid advertisements for an extra push. Discount codes and early bird rates accelerate the first wave of sales.

The foundation of all promotion is a professional, fast, and mobile sales page. If you sell tickets online via Kaartjie , you can have it live in five minutes — including iDEAL payment, automatic e-tickets, and an Event schedule for Google.

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