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For many people Facebook is still the place to check what is on this weekend. An open day, a tasting, a sports day or a launch: whoever finds the event on Facebook sees the date, the address and which friends are going at a glance. That last part is the engine. Every "going" shows up for that person's friends.
Creating an event takes ten minutes. The gap between a full room and an empty terrace sits in the four weeks after that. Below you read what to do in which week, when a boost is enough and when Ads Manager is the better route. If you would rather hand it over, see our event promotion service.
Putting the event on your business Page
Create the event on your company's Page, not on your personal profile. Only an event on a Page can be boosted, and it stays with the business if you change jobs. Give it a title that says what happens, not just the event's name. "Autumn wine tasting in Ghent" gets found by more people than "Wine Night".
The cover photo is your poster. Pick a real photo of the venue or of last time, in the ratio Facebook uses for events; the sizes are in our social media image sizes guide. In the description, put the programme and the practical details first and the story after.
Adding partners as co-hosts
If you organise with a caterer, a venue or a sponsor, add their Page as a co-host. Once their Page accepts the invitation, the event appears there too and their followers see it. That is free reach with an audience that does not know you yet. Agree that every co-host posts about the event themselves at least once.
Two ways to advertise, side by side
The Boost Event button turns your event into an ad in a few clicks. Meta lets you choose between reaching more people and selling more tickets. The second goal needs a ticket link on your event. In Ads Manager you pick the Engagement objective with event responses, or you send traffic to your own page.
| Boost the event | Ads Manager | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you start | The button on the event | A campaign in Ads Manager |
| What it optimises for | Reach or ticket sales | Event responses, traffic or purchases |
| What you measure | Responses to the event | Responses, clicks and, with the pixel, purchases |
| Good for | Free, local, one evening or one day | Paid tickets, several days, bigger budgets |
What such a campaign costs depends on your area and your audience. Our Facebook ads cost guide lists prices per click and per thousand impressions. Work out what you can spend per visitor with the marketing budget calculator.
Four weeks of run-up, week by week
- Four weeks outThe event is livePage, co-hosts and cover photo are ready. Your first post in the event says why it is worth coming.
- Three weeks outThe programme in piecesA post in the event every few days: a speaker, a dish, a photo of the venue. People who are interested get those updates.
- Two weeks outThe boost startsYour ad runs to your area and to people who already know your Page. Keep an eye on the cost per response.
- The final weekPractical and urgentParking, times, what to bring. Say tickets are nearly gone only when it is true.
- On the day and afterPhotos and an aftermoviePost a few shots live and share an aftermovie within the week. It becomes the advert for the next edition.
Short answers for organisers
How far ahead should I create a Facebook event?
Four to six weeks for a local event, two to three months for a festival or trade fair. Too early and people forget, too late and their diary is full.
Why can't I boost my event?
Usually it sits on your personal profile instead of your Page. Create it again from your business Page.
How many people who are interested actually come?
Clicking interested costs nothing. Count on a smaller share than those who click going, and send reminders through the event itself.
Should I post on Instagram too?
Yes, with reels and stories in the run-up. A boost of your Facebook event can run on Instagram too. Check the content calendar template to plan the posts.
Does the Meta pixel work without consent?
No. On your own site the pixel loads only after consent through your cookie banner. Without the pixel you still measure the responses on the event itself.