I worked a bunch of odd gigs in college to get extra money (for beer). One of my favorite was being hired as a “brand ambassador” which meant I was promoting the sponsor’s event by passing out flyers or putting postcards underneath windshield wipers. But gone are the days of brands relying on gum chewing teenagers to help get the word out, thanks to “Event Response” ads.
Event Response ads can work with either B2B or B2C events because you get to choose the targeting criteria. Facebook layers thousands of targeting categories on everyday users, like where they are, their job title, their age, gender or interests. On the left side of your Facebook Business Page is a link called “Events”, where you create a free event with the date, address, and all other pertinent details:
From there, we use that event to target potential attendees inside their News Feed. When someone expresses interest in your event by clicking “Interested”, the event details will automatically be added to their calendar on Facebook. Facebook continues to gain frequency on those interested by posting alert reminders about the event as it draws closer. Your event also will show up in your friends News Feed as something they could be interested in. Here’s an example of an Event Response ad with advertising power behind it:
Facebook allows you to run a single image of an event, or even a video ad. The last campaign I ran with a video Event Response ad had a 3.2% click through rate and resulted in an increase in attendees from the year prior! Results that you can see online and in-person make Event Response ads a critical piece to your event marketing.
