A recent report from Bizzabo indicated that about 78% of event organizers consider in-person events their most impactful marketing channel. However, promoting an event can be a daunting task, whether it’s in-person or virtual. Not only do you have to plan the event itself, but you also need a strategic promotional plan to attract attendees.
But don’t worry—the team at Redefine has you covered. In this guide, we’ll explore practical Local SEO strategies to ensure your event’s success, covering everything from optimizing your website to utilizing off-page SEO and social media marketing. Let’s dive in!
Leveraging event pages to foster event success
One of the first steps in ensuring your event’s success is creating a dedicated events page or calendar on your website. This page should serve as a centralized hub where users can easily find details about your upcoming events. Make sure essential information—such as the event date, time, location, and any updates—is prominently displayed.
Conducting thorough keyword research is also critical when building your event page. Tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs can help identify the best keywords for your industry and region. Some effective keyword examples include:
- “[Event Type] near me”
- “[City] [Event Type] 2025”
- “[Event Type] in [City Name]”
Once you’ve completed your research, incorporate these keywords strategically into your page titles, meta descriptions, headers, and content. Additionally, high-quality visuals, video content, and clear calls-to-action (CTAs) play a crucial role in encouraging users to sign up or purchase tickets.
Enhancing visibility through technical & off-page SEO
Technical SEO can further amplify your event’s reach. If you’re unfamiliar with SEO, don’t worry—we’ll break it down for you.
In the context of event marketing, technical SEO refers to optimizations that improve how search engines understand and display your event information. One powerful strategy is implementing “structured data” or “event schema.”
Event schema is a snippet of templated code that helps search engines like Google display key event details—such as date, time, and location—directly in search results. Here’s an example of how it looks:
To implement event schema correctly, follow the Google Event Schema Guide. You can also use tools like the Schema Validator or Data Highlighter to test your setup.
Off-page SEO strategies are equally important. These refer to optimizations outside of your website that boost your event’s visibility. Some essential off-page SEO tactics include:
- Building backlinks from reputable local websites, directories, and blogs.
- Listing your event on platforms like Eventbrite, LinkedIn, and Facebook Events.
- Collaborating with local influencers or community figures to expand your reach.
These strategies provide search engines with signals that your event is valuable and relevant, improving your rankings in search results.
Amplifying reach through press releases and content
Press announcements can be a powerful tool for event promotion. We recommend distributing press releases about your event to local news outlets, recreation departments, and community boards to generate buzz. Ensure your press release includes all key event details, such as the purpose of the event and relevant schedules.
Content marketing is another highly effective way to engage attendees. It includes producing blog content, promotional videos, and social media posts. To promote your event, consider creating blog posts with topics like “5 Reasons to Attend [Your Event Name]” or “Behind-the-Scenes at [Event Name].” If your event features guest speakers, you can also publish content discussing their topics. Video content—such as event teasers or interviews with key speakers—can further build anticipation.
Don’t forget to leverage social media platforms to share this content. You can maintain buzz around your event through countdowns, updates, and interactive posts. Using Google Posts to feature your event on your Google Business Profile can help attract local searchers, while Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter) remain excellent platforms for creating event-specific campaigns.
Time is money
All the tactics we’ve described are valuable, but timing is crucial. If you don’t allow yourself enough time to promote your event, even the best strategies will fall short. Time is the most impactful marketing asset here.
We recommend planning your Local SEO strategies well in advance. Begin your promotional activities approximately 3-4 months before the event to give search engines time to index your pages and potential attendees enough time to make plans.
For virtual events, a shorter promotional timeline of 2-3 months may suffice. Creating a marketing calendar—including timelines for content creation, press releases, and social media campaigns—can help ensure a well-executed promotional strategy.
Final thoughts
Local SEO is a powerful tool for making your event promotion efforts more effective. By optimizing your website, leveraging off-page strategies, and creating engaging content, you can significantly increase attendance. However, the biggest takeaway here is: start early, stay consistent, and make the most of the tools and platforms available.
If you need help with Local SEO, our experts are always available to assist you. Drop us a line today! You can also sign up for our complimentary Office Hours, held every Thursday at 4 PM PST, to get real-time advice on your event marketing strategy.
