The short version
- Pick one or two platforms your audience actually uses and do them well.
- Post in waves around real news: announcement, reveals, deadlines, last call.
- Show the experience, not just the details.
- Use a tracking link per platform so you know what's selling.
Choose your platforms
The default for most consumer events: music, food, markets, fitness, arts. Use Reels for reach, Stories for countdowns and reminders, and a feed post for the announcement people can find later. Put your ticket link (or your Bloom host page) in your bio.
Still strong for community events and audiences over 30. Create a Facebook Event and post in relevant local Groups where it's allowed. Event pages get shared in group chats more than you'd expect.
TikTok
Good for reaching younger audiences and people outside your circle. Short, genuine clips of the experience (the crowd, the setup, the food) tend to do better than polished ads.
The right place for conferences, workshops, networking and professional development. Posts from speakers and organizers' personal profiles usually reach further than company pages.
A posting timeline
- Announcement (when tickets go on sale). Date, place, what it is, early-bird price and deadline, link. Email your past guests first, then post.
- Build-up (the weeks in between). One or two posts a week: lineup or speaker reveals, behind-the-scenes, vendor spotlights, last year's highlights.
- Early-bird deadline. A countdown in Stories and one clear post: "Early bird ends Friday."
- Final two weeks. Post more often. Practical details, "what to expect", honest ticket counts if they're getting low.
- Day of and after. Stories during the event, then a highlights post with the next date and a reminder to follow you.
What to post
Mix information with things people want to watch or share:
- The experience: short clips and photos from past events. This is what sells.
- The people: performers, speakers, vendors, volunteers, regulars.
- Behind the scenes: setup, rehearsals, menu tastings, the planning chaos.
- Useful details: how to get there, what to wear, accessibility, what's included.
- Reasons to act: deadlines, new releases, "only a few left" when true.
Follow a rough 80/20 split
Aim for most of your posts to be interesting on their own and a minority to be direct "buy tickets" asks. People follow accounts that are worth following.
Get other people posting for you
- Performers, speakers and vendors: give them ready-made images and captions, and their own tracking link.
- Partners and local businesses: trade a shout-out or a discount code for a post to their followers.
- Attendees: a photo spot, a hashtag and reposting their content encourages more of it.
- Local creators: a pair of free tickets in exchange for an honest post can reach people you never would. Ask them to disclose the arrangement.
Measure what matters
Reach and likes tell you whether people are seeing your posts, not whether they're buying. Create a tracking link for each platform, each partner and each ad campaign, and check sales by link every week. If Instagram Stories sells and Facebook posts don't, adjust.
Paid ads, carefully
Once your free channels are working, a small ad budget can extend them. Start with people who already know you: those who've engaged with your account or visited your event page. Measure every ad by tickets sold per dollar, and stop anything that doesn't pay for itself.
Common mistakes
- Posting the same flyer over and over
- Announcing on social before telling past guests
- Missing practical information (date, place, price) in posts and captions
- Spreading across five platforms instead of doing two well
- Going quiet in the final week, when many people decide
- Not posting afterwards, when goodwill and shareable content are at their peak
Social finds new people; email and following bring them back. Read the email marketing guide and how to build a following next, or see 10 practical ways to sell more tickets.
Frequently asked questions
Which social platform is best for promoting events?
The one your audience actually uses. Instagram suits most consumer events, Facebook Events and Groups still work well for community audiences, TikTok can reach younger crowds quickly, and LinkedIn is the place for professional and corporate events.
How far ahead should I start posting about my event?
Announce as soon as tickets are on sale, typically four to eight weeks out for smaller events and longer for bigger ones. Expect most posting effort, and many sales, in the final two weeks.
How do I know if social media is selling tickets?
Use a separate tracking link for each platform and for each paid campaign. Likes and views don't tell you much; ticket sales by link do.
Should I pay for ads?
Only after your free channels are working. Start with a small budget aimed at people who have engaged with you or visited your event page, and judge it by tickets sold per dollar spent.
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