Increase Attendance with These Event Promotion Ideas

It’s no secret that creative event promotion is essential for success. But how do you keep your ideas fresh? 

Don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with these innovative suggestions taken from the playbooks of some of the most imaginative event creators on Eventbrite. 

From leveraging social media platforms as a service differentiator to leveraging promotional products effectively, these strategies will help ensure your event attracts the attention it deserves. 

Social media event promotion ideas

As an event creator, you know that all good promotional ideas start with social media. But simply posting isn’t enough — especially in 2024. 

It’s more important than ever to use your social media presence as a portfolio of your brand identity to give viewers a glimpse into the world of your events. 

People want authenticity. So, focus on curating a ‘vibe’ that captures the heart and soul of your event rather than ‘hard sell’ advertising. In one video or photo, a potential attendee should be able to grasp exactly what kind of experience you offer — if not, they’ll lose interest. 

As Gary Vee outlines in the video, the future of digital marketing is not in unintentional posting but rather authentic content that represents your unique brand values. This is because more users are steering away from overly promotional or ‘sales-y’ content and instead engaging with posts that have a creative flare or ‘down-to-earth’ energy. 

Eventbrite can help you create social media content that reflects your unique brand identity while also attracting new potential attendees to your events and boosting engagement. Taking the learning of 65,000+ event ad campaigns that have generated $111 million in gross ticket sales, Eventbrite offers you a range of cutting-edge social media marketing tools, such as: 

• Conversion tracking that indicates what’s working in your content 
• A/B audience testing for different aspects of your post such as text and images 
• Budget optimization that helps optimize your ad spend 

1. Create a ‘behind-the-scenes’ Instagram reel showcase  

As an event creator, you know that the anticipation leading up to a big event is almost as exciting as the event day itself. One of the best ways to build suspense around your event is by creating behind-the-scenes Instagram reels. 

This gives attendees a sneak peek of what’s to come and highlights the exclusive elements of your event. For example, you can start a ‘10 day countdown’ where you reveal different stage set-ups or performing acts.

You want your attendees to feel excited, but you also want those who haven’t bought a ticket yet to start panicking and get on it before ‘time runs out’. 

To maximize your impact, try to: 

• Invite micro-influencers to share a ‘sneak peak’ of the event grounds 
• Post interactive footage, such as 360-degree live photos or virtual tours of the event space 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sound On Sound (@soundonsoundct)

💡Pro tip: Sound on Sound used a 3D-model simulation to give their followers a sneak peek into what their upcoming festival is going to look like. The video showcases different stages, food vendors, and attractions to build excitement and anticipation for the event. By leveraging cutting-edge technology Sound on Sound was able to create a memorable experience for their attendees before the event even began.

2. Post striking event photos 

Have you ever come across a photo on your feed that was so striking that you couldn’t help but take a second look? 

That’s exactly the kind of reaction you want your audience to have.

Social media is only getting more popular. As of 2023, there are 4.88 billion social media users around the globe. This staggering number shows that Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok are no longer just a way to connect — they are our leading channels for entertainment. 

To get noticed, directly message past attendees and ask if they can tag you in pictures they’ve posted of your event so you can share them to your Instagram and Facebook stories. Not only will this help boost your credibility, but it can also expand your audience reach to a group of people who are interested in the same events as your past attendees. 

Try to select images that: 

• Focus on the attendee experience 
• Utilize photography techniques like, flash photography or harsh color contrast  

💡Pro tip: Nonsense Atlanta nails this technique by including event photos, like the one above, on their Instagram feed that highlight the fun and quirkiness of their brand, while also making people wonder ‘what in the world is happening there’. In one photograph, the folks at Nonsense are able to capture the unforgettable experience of their events and make the most of the FOMO effect. 

3. Build social media collaboration into contracts 

One of the best ways to expand your audience reach is to collaborate with your event partners. Get them to repost your promotional material across their social media pages or create original content about your event.

Social media collaborations can be incredibly effective because they function like a recommending system (RS), where customers are more inclined to buy a product recommended by someone they trust. Just like how influencers can increase trust in a brand, re-posting acts as an endorsement of your event and boosts credibility.  

Plus, if you’ve carefully selected partners with an audience who share the same interests, beliefs, and desires as your own, then instead of filtering through cold traffic and paying for paid social media ads, you can put content in front of a custom audience — for free. 

The best way to approach social media collaborations is to include the terms in your contract at the beginning of the partnership. That way both parties are clear on their requirements and can start brainstorming ideas weeks before event promotion begins. 

To fully utilize collaborations, make sure to: 

• Take advantage of Instagram’s collaboration feature that allows you to co-author posts 
• Use social media hashtags and handle visibility 

💡Pro tip: Curated by Ryan Matthew Cohn partners with different artists on his TikTok to highlight the unique and spooky offerings of his ‘oddities flea market’. By using clear social media hashtags and handles, he not only increases visibility and buzz around his event, but also the artists themselves, increasing his ROI potential. 

4. Host a social giveaway   

The traditional giveaway campaign model of getting your community to comment or share a post to ‘enter the drawing to win a ticket’ is a bit overdone — so let’s give it a creative twist. 

Consider hosting a TikTok dance challenge or asking people to share their most embarrassing festival/party experience in exchange for a free ticket, special prizes, or VIP access. The possibilities are endless, and the crazier the idea might seem, the better your chances of going viral.  

@somethingdopefortheppl Our giveaways that we host every week for independent artists are getting epic! Three people showed up within 20 minutes on Hollywood Blvd! They were running to get there, freestyles started happening! It was crazy! We will continue doing these giveaways in Los Angeles, and any city that we come to! Stay tuned! Keep our notifications turned on! Open mic every Wednesday! Doors at 8pm! Follow @somethingdopeopenmic #independentartist #openmic #somethingdopeforthepeople ♬ original sound – Something Dope

For example, Something Dope For The People takes to the streets of West Hollywood, and holds competitions for a chance to perform at their next show. This innovative approach not only helps them discover new talent, but also creates a fun promotional video that all participants are likely to share, increasing their visibility. 

💡Pro tip: To increase your reach on TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram consider paying micro-influencers to create a reaction video to your giveaway campaign. The video could capture their genuine reaction to how entertaining your giveaway is, or the moment they get so excited by your event that they buy a ticket on the spot. 

Concert promotion ideas

As an event creator, it’s your job to cultivate an unforgettable experience and excitement through your event promotion ideas.  

But don’t limit yourself to traditional promotion tactics. 

To make promotional material that’ll cause viewers to feel the weight of missing out on this once-in-a-lifetime experience, you have to lean into their emotional experience.

For example, one TikToker captured attendees ‘after concert glow’ by writing the question ‘what did you think?’ on a piece of paper and attaching it to her phone. The footage she captured of attendees’ genuine reactions could then be used in TikTok videos, Snapchat highlight reels, or Facebook stories.  

@itscamillewatson Thoughts? Would you try it? #musicpromotion #socialmediatips #musiciansontiktok #concertpromotion ♬ original sound

5. Mini pop-up concerts

Mini pop-up concerts are short impromptu performances in public spaces, such as parks, plazas, and street corners. You can frame them as planned events or a surprise treat that people in the area ‘just so happen’ to stumble upon. 

For new attendees, pop-up events spark a sense of curiosity and excitement, and for your existing community, they reconfirm what they already know: you offer truly incredible live experiences. 

Here’s how to set it up: 

• Book a couple of your headline musicians to help attract as many people as possible 
• Set up an event registration station with a safe and secure checkout 

💡Pro tip: ‘Leak’ the performance by inviting micro-influencers as the first audience members to ‘discover’ your event. Offer them perks like a meet-and-greet with performers if they plug your pop-up. You can even provide them with a promotional code their followers can use to buy tickets to your upcoming concert.

6. Guerilla QR-code marketing

We all know that QR codes are a great way to streamline event check-ins — but have you considered using them as an unconventional marketing tool? 

Although QR codes were once considered a ‘fad’ that users didn’t respond to, they’re rapidly gaining popularity. In fact, by 2025, it’s predicted that over 100 million smartphone users will scan a QR code. Marketers are utilizing the fact that you can embed QR codes with a trackable link that can help measure opening and conversion rates. 

Try putting your QR code everywhere around town such as on the side of a bus, lamp posts, and even bathroom doors. 

QR codes are a great way to convert cold traffic because, with one click, people have access to all the information they need about your event, such as the location, featured photos, pricing information, and embedded checkouts. You can even generate a QR code linking to your customizable Eventbrite event page. 

Guerilla QR code marketing can also work to give your concert a rebellious, grungy vibe. ‘Breaking the rules’ can work in your favor, especially for event creators such as Set Underground who thrive on secrecy and exclusivity. 

To help your QR-code marketing campaign stand out, you can: 

• Provide value by offering exclusive discounts, behind-the-scenes footage, or early access to tickets through the code 
• Do a ‘soft launch’ of your QR code campaign with a cryptic Instagram post, such as ‘look out for us in the city – we’re watching’ 

💡Pro tip: Don’t be afraid to print QR codes on large areas. For example, an insurance company in the United Kingdom made a scannable QR code in the sky with 400 purple drones. Try plastering your code on billboards or even on the side of a building. 

7. Exclusive merch

Exclusive merchandise can significantly increase profit margins. For example, Travis Scott made $1 million from selling merchandise during his two shows at The Big Smoke. 

However, it also works as a powerful promotional tool.  

Attendees wearing your events’ branded clothing can spark conversation and generate interest among their friends, creating word-of-mouth buzz. Even random strangers seeing the clothing on the street may be intrigued. 

Event merchandise can create a sense of community and belonging, similar to how music unites fans. It fosters a tribe of passionate supporters who proudly identify with a brand and its values, but also builds an aesthetic. 

Try giving out free merch as a prize for a social media competition. This could be something like, ‘The first 100 people to comment, like, and share this post will be in the running to win one of our exclusive merch pieces for our upcoming show’. 

Some creative exclusive merch ideas include: 

• Customized tote bags 
• T-shirts with hand-drawn designs by featured musicians  

💡Pro tip: If you want to take your merch promotion to a new level, be a bit cheeky and include a scannable QR code on the back of your clothing that links to your event ticket page. 

Conference promotion ideas

Unlike concerts, parties, or festivals, your conferences’ promotional campaign should be focused on one thing: how much value are you going to offer your audience?  

Before buying a ticket, a potential attendee will want to know about the information and resources available at your conference and how likely they are to mingle with like-minded professionals. One study found attending conferences allows you to establish personal connections with your network in and out of conference sessions.

Instead of focusing on vague promises, use promotional ideas that directly communicate the value attendees will gain from your event. Make it clear what attendees can expect to learn, who they’ll meet, and how they will benefit from attending. 

One of the best ways to better understand your audience is by partnering with an event marketing platform like Eventbrite. 

With marketing tools like email marketing templates, tracking pixels, and performance reports as well as social media integrations, Eventbrite can help you create targeted campaigns that resonate with your community and drive ticket sales. 

8. Use Eventbrite Ads

One of the most effective ways to reach your target audience and increase your chances of converting is to use an event platform like Eventbrite. 

Eventbrite is the world’s largest marketplace for live event tickets, with thousands of users relying on it every day to find local events. 

You can create event ads to reach your target audience by giving you top visibility in the search results and providing up to 14 times more exposure for your event. 

Using Eventbrite ads can be even more impactful than Facebook or Google as they allow you to reach highly targeted traffic, who’re already interested in attending an event just like yours. 

When using Eventbrite you can: 

• Use hashtags for related keywords so your event shows up for multiple searchers 
• Receive real-time data showing how many tickets you’ve sold and where those sales are coming from 

💡Pro tip: Event creators like First Baptist Church Somerset use Eventbrite’s customizable features to create compelling event pages that double as an event website.

9. Industry influencer networking after-party

Hosting a networking after-party as part of your event can help set you apart from the sea of other conferences and tip the ‘value to price’ ratio in your favor. 

Make sure you include the after-party details in your event listing and marketing to let attendees know that they can enjoy additional perks for the price of a general conference ticket. 

Make your party high-value by: 

• Offering engaging activities and icebreaker games to help start meaningful conversions 
• Hosting a Q+A session or meet-and-greet opportunity with key speakers 

💡Pro tip: All Things Open promote themselves as the largest open source tech/web event in the East Coast (USA). They emphasize their ability to create real networking opportunities for attendees and the cutting-edge skills they teach.

10. Conference sponsorships 

Partnering with reputable sponsors can also be a powerful way to promote your conference and increase its perceived value to potential attendees. 

By associating your event with well-known and respected brands in the industry, you can enhance the credibility of your conference and attract a wider audience. 

Event-goers seeking advice on a topic are more likely to buy tickets for events backed by reputable sponsors — they don’t want to waste their money and time on unsatisfactory information. 

Highlight event sponsorships by: 

• Including their logo on your event listing and on promotion posters 
• Making a social media post thanking and tagging all sponsors 

💡Pro tip: Use Eventbrite’s event directory to help you find local businesses and organizations that have partnered with similar conferences in the past to give you an idea of who would be open to collaboration.  

Party and festival promotion ideas

Parties and festivals have one thing in common: they’re both an exciting escape from reality. 

However, there are many events out there that sell this feeling of euphoria. That’s why your promotional ideas must be just as show-stopping as the event itself. 

The trick is to not only make your promotional ideas creative but also unique enough that they highlight your brand’s distinct personality. For example, if you’re an event creator that throws underground techno raves, like Graveyard Shift, then leaning into the ‘dark and moody vibe’ is guaranteed to gain attention.  

Remember, the perception of your event is everything — so don’t hold back. 

11. Create custom VIP tickets 

The only thing that makes an event even more attractive is exclusivity — and nothing says ‘invites only’ like a custom VIP ticket. 

Exclusive VIP packages can increase the value of your event and encourage attendees to splurge on tickets — they create a once-in-a-lifetime experience that attendees are willing to pay more to experience. 

Therefore, it’s essential to create a unique and exclusive experience for your VIPs, adding special touches that make them feel valued and appreciated. The goal is to make your VIPs feel like they’ll be treated the same way a celebrity guest star would at your event. 

Some other ideas include: 

• Use a graphic design platform to create eye-catching and unique tickets that stand out from the rest 
• Consider putting the name of the VIP on the ticket to add a personal touch or even inscribing a short message 

💡Pro tip: We believe that the two most important elements of a VIP package are removing sources of frustration for VIPs and adding elements that enhance attendee experience. To do both of these things, consider including dedicated entrances and bottle service for your VIPs. 

12. Interactive art installations 

If you really want to capture attention, try creating an interactive art installation. 

Imagine walking through your local store and seeing a larger-than-life interactive poster for an event or a wall covered in neon lights that respond to your movements — if that doesn’t capture your attention, nothing will.

Set up photo booths in different locations around the city and include a QR code that leads potential attendees straight to your event registration page. 

Some other creative ideas include: 

• Setting up a ‘mind-reading’ mobile tablet that reveals what you’re thinking — that you want to attend the ‘X event on Friday night’ 
• Using a projector to create an augmented reality sculpture that shows what a snippet of what your party or event will be like to entice new attendees 

💡Pro tip: Partner with local artists that are closely related to the theme of your event. For example, hire a graffiti artist to come and draw a map of your event in chalk on the floor of a busy street. 

How to implement your event promotion ideas

Effective event promotion is essential — but, since every event is unique, it requires a tailored approach. To make your event stand out from the competition, you need to use creative and engaging ideas that resonate with your specific audience and fulfill their expectations for a memorable event experience.  

That’s where Eventbrite can help. 

Eventbrite’s marketing tools allow you to promote your event to a wider audience and increase ticket sales. In fact, 63% more tickets are sold pre-event by creators who use Eventbrite marketing tools. 

With features like social media integrations and AI-powered email marketing, we can help put your creative promotion ideas into action.