Hosting an event is only half the battle; the real challenge is getting people to show up. While organic social posts and email blasts are great, they often lack the reach and speed needed to fill seats before a deadline.
This is where Paid Search and Social Ads come in.
Unlike “evergreen” campaigns that run year-round, event advertising is a race against the clock. It requires a unique approach to budgeting, targeting, and ad copy. Based on expert insights from Search Engine Journal, here is how to structure your paid media strategy to maximize registrations and ROI.
1. Don't "Set It and Forget It" – Create Standalone Campaigns
A common mistake is tossing event ads into an existing campaign. This dilutes your budget and confuses your data. Events have hard deadlines and specific goals (registrations, not just clicks).
- The Fix: Create a dedicated campaign for your event.
- The Benefit: This gives you total control over the budget. You can aggressively spend two weeks before the event without draining funds from your general brand awareness campaigns. It also keeps your data clean, allowing you to see exactly what the “Cost Per Registrant” is.
2. Pin Your Details (The “Who, When, Where”)
In standard Google Ads, you might test vague headlines to see what sticks. For events, clarity is king. Users shouldn’t have to click your ad just to find out when the event is.
- For Search Ads (Google/Bing): Use the “pinning” feature in Responsive Search Ads (RSAs) to ensure the Event Date and Location always appear in the headline or description.
- For Social Ads: Put the date and time directly in the visual creative or the very first line of your caption.
- The CTA: Change your button from “Learn More” to “Register Now” or “Get Tickets.”
3. Master the Timeline: The Three Phases of Event Ads
Your ad strategy should evolve as the event gets closer.
- Phase 1: Early Bird (Awareness): Focus on the “Why.” Highlight speakers, networking opportunities, and early-bird discounts.
- Phase 2: The Push (Urgency): Focus on the deadline. “Prices go up Friday” or “Only 10 seats left.”
- Phase 3: Last Call (Day-Of): If it’s a virtual event, run ads on the day of the event targeting people searching for last-minute links.
4. Target the “Event-Goer” Mindset
Your standard customer persona might not be your “attendee” persona. You need to adjust your targeting to find people looking for experiences.
- Competitor Targeting: Bid on keywords for competitor conferences or events in your niche.
- Lookalike Audiences: Upload your registrant list from last year’s event to Facebook or LinkedIn and create a “Lookalike Audience.” These platforms will find new people who share similar traits with your past attendees.
- Radius Targeting: For physical events, restrict your ads to a drivable radius (e.g., 20 miles) unless you know people fly in for your industry.
5. Don’t Ignore the Post-Event Opportunity
The event is over—turn off the ads, right? Not exactly.
Post-event ads are a goldmine for retaining interest. Run a small “Thank You” campaign targeting attendees with a link to photo galleries, slide decks, or a “Save the Date” for next year. This keeps your brand top-of-mind and warms up the audience for your next big announcement.
The Bottom Line
Paid ads act as an accelerant for event marketing. By separating your campaigns, being hyper-specific with your dates, and creating urgency, you can turn passive scrollers into confirmed attendees.
Ready to launch your next event campaign? Start by auditing your past event data to see which channels drove the most registrations last time.
