No matter what event you're putting on whether it's a wedding, product launch or a festival, creating a Facebook event is a great way to get people interested in attending or telling them of any special updates, dress codes, timings etc.
Below we explain how to create and update your Facebook event along with giving you some handy tips to guarantee you make the most out of this useful feature.
Firstly, it's important to know there are 2 types of Facebook events, private and public.
Private Facebook Events - This type of event is only visible to those people you invite; however, you do have an option to allow guests to invite their friends.
Public Facebook Event - This event type will be visible to anyone on or off Facebook.
Creating A Private Facebook Event
Step 1 > On your News Feed, click on Events in the left menu.
Step 2 > Click on Create New Event on the left side.
Step 3> Click on Private Event and the select Next. Remember: Once a private Facebook event has been created you won't be able to make it public in future.
Step 4 > Complete the Event Name, Location, Date, Time and Description.
Step 5 > Finally, click on Create, from here you will be able to invite guest, add a cover photo / video, share posts and edit event details.
Remember: Only Facebook business pages can create recurring events and cannot be done from personal accounts.
Creating A Public Facebook Event
Step 1> On your News Feed, click on Events in the left menu.
Step 2> Click Create Event on the left side.
Step 3 > Select Public Event, then click Next. Remember: Once you have selected public event, you will not be able to change it to a private event later.
Step 4> Now fill in the Event Name, Date, Location, Time and Description.
Step 5 > Select the Keywords that best summarise your event to help relevant users find the event better. Example: Jazz Festival
Step 6 > Finally, click Create, you will now be able to invite guests, add a cover photo / video, share posts and edit event details.
Facebook Event - Tips & Tricks
Adding More Hosts To My Facebook Event
To add a co host, simply click on Edit found on the top right of the event, below Edit An Event, scroll down and click Add Co-Hosts, now type in your friend's name or page's name.
Remember: Friends you invite to co-host the event will not be sent a request and will automatically become admins of the event if they RSVP as interested or going.
Creating Facebook Event QR Codes
QR Codes (Quick Response Codes) can be used to share information with users in a quick interactive way. In this article Digital Marketing expert Neil Patel showcases 5 unique ways companies have used QR Codes.
If you're hosting a public Facebook event you can create a QR Code to promote your event. To create a code for your public event, select Events from your news feed, now click on Hosting found on the left hand side, from here found your public event and click the 3 dots found in the top right hand side. Finally, select Create QR Code and then Download.
Run Facebook Event Competitions
To generate more interest in your event try running a competition, you could do a ticket giveaway or tempt users to engage by entering a competition by leaving a comment on the events wall and doing the draw on the day of the event to make sure people turn up to the event.
How To Invite People To A Private / Public Event That Has Already Been Created:
Simply go to the event page and click Invite found below the cover photo, from here you can search for people by name, email address or phone number. After this, just click on the persons name to invite them individually or you can group them together, either by location or by those who have attended past events and click Send Events.
How To See Who Has Responded To A Facebook Event Invitation?
For A Public Event - From your news feed, click on Events in the left menu, select the event from the section marked Your Upcoming Events and click on Going, Interested or Invited to see who has responded.
For A Private Event - From your news feed, click on Events in the left menu, select the event from the option Your Upcoming Events and click on Going, Maybe or Invited to see who has responded. Please note, for these private events, hosts and other guests can see when you have viewed an event invitation.
How Do I Remove People From My Facebook Event?
If you're hosting an event on Facebook you can remove anyone who has been sent an invitation except for the events creator.
Removing People From Public Event -
From your news feed, click on Events in the left menu, click on going or interested and simply click Remove next to the person you would like to remove. The person removed will not receive a notification about this, they simply won't get any future message from the event and it will not appear in their events list.
Removing People From Private Event -
From your news feed, click on Events in the left menu, below on the Guest List click on Going, Maybe or Invited. Finally, find the person you would like to remove and click on Remove next to the name of the person. If someone removes themselves from a private Facebook event they can not be added again.
How Many People Can I Invite To My Event On Facebook?
Facebook limit the number of people any one person can invite to 500 people per event. However, on Private Events you can allow guests to invite friends and on Public Events it is encouraged to share the event on your timeline to get the word out.
How To Send Messages To Your Facebook Guest List
Private Facebook Events -
Step 1 > On your news feed click Events in the left menu and choose your event.
Step 2 > Below Guest List select Message which is found next to the name of the guest you would like to message.
Step 3 > Enter a message and press the arrow symbol.
Step 4 > Public Facebook Events - For public events, you are usual not able to message your guest list especially if the event has a large number of guests. Your are recommended to post in the event discussion and to add an embed event calendar on your site.
The More Detail The Better
The more detail you can give people the better chance you have of them turning up and less chance of them keep sending across queries about the event. Include all the information you can about available facilities, parking, timings, schedule, dress code and security measures. And if you get asked a relevant question include this to the information to ensure this query is not asked again.
Clear USP's
Make sure from the very start the events Unique Selling Points are made clear, this could be anything from free drink on entry to buy 2 tickets get 1 free. With so many events taking place every week this will help yours stand out from the crowd. It is recommended you create a post showcasing these selling points perhaps showing them off with a graphic or video and pin this post to the top of your timeline ensuring this is the first thing people see when they visit your events Facebook page.
What Does Your Company Profile Look Like?
If you're a company using Facebook to promote your event it is important to remember what your actual company Facebook page looks like as people may check this out before deciding if they should attend the event or not. If your company profiles look amateurish or is not kept up to date people may be put of and decide not to attend the event.
The Power Of Video & Images
To help your guests visualise the event it is recommended to add any related videos and pictures to your events page, such as, this could be of last year's event or videos of the performers attending. Not only will this get your guests more excited about your event, it will get people talking about your event and start sharing the event with friend's. Remember though to only use high quality videos and images, as poor-quality videos and images could have a negative outcome and deter people from attending.
Location, Location, Location
The selected site is vital, it needs to be somewhere that is accessible and easy to get to for those you have invited. Remember to also add the exact location on your Facebook event so people do not get lost trying to find it.
Clear Pricing
The right price can be a make or break for many people. To be transparent make sure your pricing is clear on the event listing, this includes any special offers such as early bird deals and if the event is free make sure you shout about this.
Boost Your Event Via Facebook
If you want more people to know about your event, Facebook offers an affordable way of doing this by simply boosting your Facebook event page, it is simple to set up and means you can target people who could be interested in your event in specific locations. The great thing is you can spend as little as £1 and still reach a group of people so is a fantastic marketing tool for any budget.
Offline Promotion
Although online advertising in the future, the old-fashioned offline marketing is still effective, therefore, it should not be forgotten. You can get attractive leaflets printed for a small cost these days, so why not hand out leaflets / post through doors (when right) in the local / targeted areas of the event to attract even more people to the event, bare in mind, not everyone used the internet / Facebook frequently and if the event doesn't have a dedicated website direct them to like your Facebook page and get more information about the event there.
Sharing Is Caring
Make sure all your friends and co hosts share the event and why give those attending an incentive to share the event on their Facebook timelines, such as, a free drink for those who share the event.
And We Are Facebook Live
Facebook Live allows you to broadcast live video to your followers / guests. During the live broadcast people can tune in, comment and like. Since launching in 2015, many event organisers have used this handy feature to show off their event, attract new followers and increase attendances for the rest of the event or the following year.
You can use Facebook Live via your iOS or Android device on the Facebook app. To use this feature, simply go to your Facebook event page and click the Live Video button and enter a description.
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Resources: Facebook / Eventbrite / Business Insider / Billetto / Sproutsocial / Social Media Examiner / Neil Patel