All of the sites mentioned below require that you register before posting an event. Be sure to keep track of your registration logins should information about your event change as well as for future postings. For security reasons I’m not a fan of using the same email and password for multiple logins but there are advantages to doing just that.
1. Daily and weekly newspapers. Most daily and weekly newspapers have event databases online so be sure to navigate through local media websites including business weeklies. Preference is given to free or very low cost events sponsored by not-for-profit organizations. And watch your timing, many news organizations require information two or three weeks in advance even though it’s posted online. Businesses can sometimes get an event listed at no charge if the event itself is free.
2. ShawGuides.com is an event directory with a focus on the arts and learning. Among the ten or so categories listed are tennis schools and camps, photography workshops, cooking and wine schools, language vacations, workshops for writers and cultural travel. I visited recently to help promote a writer’s conference at which I’m a presenter. There was no fee to have our conference listed and the site is visited by thousands of visitors each day.
3. You may not need this reminder but Craigslist.org and .com is still one of the fastest and easiest interfaces for posting events. One caveat is that the website won’t let users cross-post to other markets. If you have an event that is being held in separate cities, be sure to revise your copy for each event and don’t rely too much on a boilerplate.
4. Use your personal Facebook network or build a page for the organization being promoted and ask members to join. Facebook’s event interface is quick and relatively intuitive. Once you’ve created an event you can blast it out to your page’s fans/subscribers.
5. Eventful (www.eventful.com) is a powerhouse for advertising paid concerts and sporting events and is very useful if tickets will be sold to an event. Click the “community” tab to list your event. There’s no cost for a listing.
6. Along the same lines is Eventbright (www.eventbright.com) which lets promoters list events, register attendees, sell tickets and then promote it through social networks. According to a sales representative there’s no charge to advertise your event—even if you’re charging a fee. The company charges fees if online ticketing services are used.
7. EventSetter (www.eventsetter.com) – This site has an international focus with the goal of publicizing events and finding things to do in cities around the world. All event listings are free of charge. EventSetter makes no restrictions on the number of events you can post but limits you to one category in the city where the event takes place.
8. Promote your event in Google Places . Daily SEO Tips has a great suggestion for promoting your event and business locally. Visit this link to learn how to update your local Google listing to include an event. http://dailyseotip.com/how-to-promote-your-events-in-google-places-for-free/881/
9. Mycommunitytickets.com helps the non-profit and arts community get the word out on events. There’s no charge to list the event but the site takes a fee from the consumer when the event is ticketed through my communitytickets.com. The site requires that organizations submit a form which usually takes 24 hours to verify. Non-profit events featured on the site include: art festivals, ballets, museum exhibitions, concerts, political events, theater, balls and galas, church events and more.
10. Events.org is another community service-oriented website that helps promote and publicize local events. Posting your event is completely free. Like other online resources, the site offers services for ticketing and event management for a fee.
And this bonus!
Get a group going and promote its events through Meetup.com where meetings and workshops can be searched by zip code and interest. South Florida had some great postings for an upcoming drumming workshop as well as meeting for fans of the movie Rocky Horror called the South Florida Social Geeks. What I love about Meetup.com is that you can easily upload a photo plus the site shows trending meetups (those that are popular). It also allows visitors to search by zip code without joining. Yahoo Groups only offers a search by topic without geographic breakdown (a barrier to entry).
Have an event site that you love? Let us know and we’ll consider adding it to this list.
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