Why You Need Social Ads To Sell Out Your Event

February 13, 2020

David Gater

David Gater is the founder and lead strategist of Brown + Blonde Social, a social-media-first ad agency for ticketing and events. With a background in creating branded content for over 15 years, David helps event companies across the world build digital ad campaigns that sell.

If you’re organizing an event, online exposure is critical to sell admission and get people through the door. Social media has quickly emerged as the single most crucial factor in online digital marketing campaigns, with Facebook and Instagram leading the way. While organic social media has been an important force over the years, the potential reach of organic campaigns is often much lower than people think. In order to make a real impact, it’s more important than ever to focus on the paid side of social media. 

Organic growth seems to be diminishing before our eyes, with Facebook recording 16 percent growth in 2012 and just 2.27 percent in 2015. Making waves on Instagram with organic marketing alone is also getting much harder due to multiple algorithm and structural changes. As the platform is tweaked to preference its commercial income, events relying on organic results alone are often left out in the cold. 

According to Gary Vaynerchuk, “Instagram’s organic reach is finished. So just as we figured it out, it’s over.”

Types of Paid Media Ads 

Organic and paid social media campaigns are often easily distinguished, but that doesn’t mean all paid ads are the same. Event organizers can benefit from multiple options across platforms, with each campaign strategy benefiting from an expansive and considered approach. Social platforms often appeal to very different demographics, so it’s important to choose a platform and ad type capable of meeting your target demographic. 

For example, while 37 percent of U.S. adults use Instagram on a regular basis, this number almost doubles to 67 percent in the 18-29 age group, and more than doubles to 75 percent in the 18-24 age group. In this demographic, Instagram is practically as popular as Facebook, which enjoys 76 percent coverage among the 18-24 age group and a much higher reach among all adults at 69 percent. 

Overall, there are 2.41 billion active monthly Facebook users, with Instagram hitting the 1 billion mark earlier this year. 

It’s not all about reach and age brackets, however, with different platforms also offering different ad types, customization options and pricing structures. 

Photo Ads 

Image-based ads are the cornerstone of both Facebook and Instagram. On Facebook, you can include 125 characters of text plus a headline and link description in addition to the image. Facebook also includes Boosted posts, which is adding spend behind an already highly engaged organic post, but doesn’t allow for additional customization. Instagram in feed photo ads look just like regular posts, only with the “Sponsored” text in the top right corner. 

Video Ads 

Video ads can be incredibly effective for events because they allow you to showcase past iterations of your event or highlight future assets and artists. Facebook video ads come in all shapes and sizes, from small snippets to huge 240-minute promotional videos. While video ads can be effective on Instagram, the image-based nature of the platform does lead itself to still images in some situations. 

Mixed Ads 

Both Facebook and Instagram include various options that mix and match images with video content. On Facebook, Slideshow ads create videos from several images, Carousel ads combine up to 10 photos or videos with separate links and Collection ads highlight various products directly in your Facebook feed beneath a cover image. Instagram also includes Carousel and Collection ads, with the carousel swiped through by the user and the collection allowing up to 90 characters of text, and multiple pieces of content which allow for authentic storytelling. 

Create stories and make memories 

When organizing an ad campaign for your event, it’s important to create stories for your audience in order to make memories and inspire action. While image and video-based ads can be highly effective, both Facebook and Instagram also include a Stories feature for a more immersive experience. Rather than being specifically selected, Facebook Stories are an option under Automatic Placements. Instagram Stories function in a similar way, with photos or videos up to 120 seconds long displayed between people’s organic stories. 

The trick here is to create highly native, authentic content that looks as if it’s a “friend,” as the consumer is viewing multiple stories rather than over-produced or repurposed content that seems “ad-like.”

Get Personal With Messenger 

In the age of social media, advertising is not all about reach, it’s also about creating conversations and building authentic relationships. Facebook Messenger continues to make waves as a promotional tool, especially for event organizers. With Messenger, you can interact with your audience in real-time, utilize chatbots and answer questions about the event. This allows you to reach out to people on a personal level without the negative associations of some advertising forms. 

People are 3.5 times more likely to open a Facebook message than a regular marketing email, with more conversations leading to greater community engagement and more ticket sales. 

Running a successful event requires a forward-thinking and multi-pronged approach. While organic social marketing and various other avenues can still be highly effective, the paid end of social media is fast becoming a major player. In order to create a real buzz around your event and get more people through the door, it’s important to add social media ads to your arsenal and integrate them carefully with your wider event ecosystem.

 

Don’t miss any event-related news: Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter HERE and engage with us on TwitterFacebookLinkedIn and Instagram!

Add new comment

Partner Voices
Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact