A sold-out event is not only the goal, but often a major stressor for event organizers. If you've already tried every proven promotion technique, it's time for a new approach. Here are some creative event promotion ideas to help you explode your ticket sales.

1. Take advantage of event discovery sites

Research from All Events shows that more than half of event attendees in cities consult guides in search of activities. You can reach them by promoting your events in the myriad of online guides and apps available today.

Discovery sites like Bandsintown, Spotify, and Facebook events attract people who have a certain type of event in mind. (Tip: Publishing an event is much easier with a ticketing platform like All Events that partners with the best discovery sites.)

2. Enable integrated payment

Once your event is on discovery sites, you need to make it easy for people to buy tickets without leaving the page. Streamline the customer experience by giving visitors the ability to buy tickets wherever they are .

In addition, you reduce the risk that ticket buyers become distracted or drop out during the checkout process because the site loads slowly.

In fact, events that make tickets available directly on Facebook generate on average twice as many tickets sold and free registrations than redirecting visitors to a ticket page.

Get more - post your event for free

3. Focus your marketing efforts on expertise

When it comes to your content (website copy, blog articles, and social media posts), it's easy to take the path of least resistance and opt for search engine optimization (SEO). But stuffing your texts with keywords is not effective in the long run, neither for SEO nor for the presence at your events.

Instead, create thoughtful content that positions your event brand as a thought leader, as a place people can turn to for quality information. The more trust people have in your brand, the more likely they are to share your event and buy tickets.

4. Create infographics

One of the most effective ways to get your content shared online? Visually appealing infographics that combine information with entertainment.

The more people share your content, the more potential attendees will discover your event. And that's good news, because 10-20% of ticket sales usually stem from social media.

5. Start a YouTube Channel

Speaking of search and discovery, did you know that YouTube (after Google, of which YouTube is a subsidiary) is the second largest search engine in the world ?

Through YouTube Live , you can take advantage of the current craze for live video by broadcasting to your audience in real time. But what can you film? There are so many creative video ideas for event promotion: a preview of your event, an introduction to speakers and sponsors, insight into the benefits for participants or practical tips on how to get the most out of the event.

6. Opt for podcasts

Another creative event promotion idea that people don't always think of is broadcasting a podcast. Reliable figures are not yet known for the Netherlands and Belgium, but in the US there are no fewer than 67 million podcast listeners every month . Start your own podcast with a theme that's relevant to your event. Or, if you want to put in a little less effort, you can also become a sponsor or guest speaker for an existing podcast with a similar target audience.

7. Take your emails one step further

If you're firing off every event or artist announcement across your entire mailing list, you could be missing the point.

Instead, divide your mailing lists into categories: people who have bought tickets before versus new customers, or different demographics within your target audience. Then create email campaigns that target these smaller groups with a specific message. This strategy is called email targeting, email marketing platforms like MailChimp or Emma can help you with this.

8. Bet on Online Ads

If you want your ads to be effective, just spending more money isn't enough. Get strategic with tools like Boostable or ToneDen , which help you target your advertising to the right audience. These tools leverage algorithms and A/B testing to continuously fine-tune and refine your social media and Google ads to maximize the impact of your advertising budget.

9. Try Retargeting Ads

You may not be familiar with the term, but you are certainly familiar with the technology. You search for something on the internet and a few days later you see an advertisement for the same product on a completely different site.

People who weren't willing to buy a ticket the first time often appreciate the reminder to register before the event sells out. All Events organizers see an average sixfold return on investment on retargeting ads.