You’re on Google searching for something and suddenly a list of events pops up above the search terms. If you are like me, you probably wondered how did those listings get there. If you didn’t, no biggie because I’m going to tell you anyways.
Those listings didn’t appear because somebody sent a super-secret, super-special message to Google.
Nope, they happened because Google did what it always did: read a website. This website just happened to have something extra that Google was looking for: an events page.
A Word about Events
Before we get into the Events page, I’d like to talk about events. I know that small business owners are “hit” or “miss” when it comes to events. Some love them while others do not.
In light of what we are about to cover below, I’d challenge you to reconsider your stance on events if you are more in the “miss” column than the “hit.” If you can create another way for your business to be listed, wouldn’t it be worth creating some low-key events to host at your location?
I give you… the Event Page!
A good events page will present the user with a calendar or list of all the events. Often, these are formatted the same way so that the user can get the WHEN, WHERE, WHAT, WHY, and HOW of each event at a glance.
Now, for many business owners who pour time and energy in coming up with exciting events, it can be difficult to transform the excitement and fun of the event into a listing that is on your website. On top of that, filling out all the information, making sure the listings are correct, and scheduling them can take time and energy.
However, as we just saw, Google is actively looking at the events pages on your website so, to me, that makes it worth your time and energy.
Supercharge your Events Page!
If you host events at your business, you need to have an events page. That being said, there are few things that you can do to supercharge your events listings:
1. Use a plugin. If you are using WordPress, use a plugin to create the events page as well as individual events. This will make it easier and you can schedule events in advance. Good Marketing Group has a list of events plugins that we prefer.
Pro tip: Make sure you fill out the important fields in the plugin when you are creating an event. You need start and end times but also description and images.
2. Add some video. When you host an event, create videos from the event to show next time. People want to see what the event is going to look like before they decide to go. A little video goes a long way.
3. Make it Regular. Bring some structure to your event schedule by having the same event regularly on the same night. Maybe free hot dogs on Saturday or a free class every Tuesday night. If folks get to know the schedule, than they can anticipate something happening.
4. See what other folks are doing. This doesn’t have to be reinventing the wheel. Check out other companies in your area to see what they are doing for events. Find unique ideas and shape them to fit your needs.
5. Partner with Local Businesses. As you are searching local businesses, find folks to partner with! At the end of the day, small businesses should be banding together to show folks the kind of awesome stores to shop in their area.
Tap Our Brains
The Good Marketing Group has a multitude of solutions and tools that can help recharge your business and get you on the events map. Give us a call (484.902.8914) or fill out our form.