Looking for effective ways to advertise your events? Check these paid and free event listing websites and boost event promotion and reach!

Top 10 Event Listing Websites to Reach a Broader Audience

November 14, 2023  
Reading time: 8 minutes

Event Listings offer a convenient way to promote events online. Indeed, event directories allow event planners to establish an online presence and connect with their desired audience. Whether you're organizing a virtual event, hosting a festival, or fundraising for a cause, there are several paid and free event listing websites that can help you promote events successfully. In this post, we'll explore all these options and how you can use these listing sites to ensure the success of your upcoming events. 

I. Benefits of Using Event Listing Websites 

Event listings are a valuable tool for increasing event awareness and attendance, especially when used strategically to target the right audience. Benefits of using event listing websites include the following:

  • Increase Credibility: Being listed on reputable event listing platforms can lend you credibility. Indeed, people may be more likely to trust and attend events they find through well-known event listing sites.
  • Reach a Wider Audience: Well-established event listing websites usually have an active user base. Thus, by publishing your event on these platforms, you can tap into their existing audience to better promote your events.
  • Reach your Targeted Audience: People who visit event listing websites are often actively searching for events in specific categories or locations. This means you can attract visitors who are more likely to be interested in your events.
  • Derive SEO Benefits: Posting events on event listing sites can help your event appear higher in search results for event-related queries. This is especially true if the event listing platform has a strong online presence and a high domain authority.
  • Spread Event Details: Event directories often allow you to provide detailed information about your event, including images, descriptions, and contact information. Surely, this helps potential attendees learn more about your event and engage with your content.
  • Enjoy Social Sharing: Many event listing websites provide features for social sharing. Therefore, people can share events with their networks, increasing event visibility exponentially.
  • Diversify Promotion: By promoting your event through various marketing channels, such as email, social media and event directories, you can increase your chances of reaching a broader audience.
  • Cost-Effective Promotion: Many event listing platforms offer free listing options, making them an economical way to promote your event. Even for platforms that charge a fee, the costs involved may still be beneficial.
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    II. Selecting the Best Event Listing Websites for Your Events

    Event listings can be a valuable tool for attracting a new audience to your events, but their effectiveness depends on several factors. Including the relevance of the platform, the quality of the event, the level of promotion, and the specific goals of the event organizer. 

    When used strategically, event directories can be a cost-effective way to increase event awareness, engage with a targeted audience, and boost registrations. Here are 5 factors to consider when choosing the best event listing website for your your events:

    • Relevance and Niche: Event listings can be highly effective if they are posted on platforms that are relevant to the event and its target audience. For example, publishing a tech-related event on a technology event listing website is likely to attract a better audience than a platform focused on DYI arts & crafts.
    • Visibility and Promotion: The level of promotion and visibility an event directory receives also plays a significant role. Listings that are featured or promoted on popular event websites tend to attract more attention.
    • Local vs. Global Audience: Event listings can be particularly effective in attracting a local audience to an event. People often search for local events, making event listing websites a great way to connect with the local community. However, if the goal is to attract a global audience, other marketing strategies may be necessary.
    • Engagement and Interaction: The level of engagement and interaction on the event listing platform can also impact its effectiveness. Additionally, if the platform allows for discussions, comments, or sharing, it can create a sense of community and greater interest in your event.
    • Cost vs. Free Listings: Free event directories can be effective but may have limited features and reach. Paid listings often offer more visibility and promotional opportunities, potentially attracting a larger audience.
    woman recording a live concert on her phone to post on an event listing website.

    III. 10 Best Paid & Free Event Listings to Reach New Audiences

    The effectiveness of event listings can vary depending on your specific goals and target audience. However, here are ten paid and free events listing websites that are widely recognized for their ability to help reach new audiences:

    1. Facebook Events 

    2. LinkedIn Events

    3. Eventbrite 

    4. All Conferences

    5. Meetup 

    6. Bandsintown

    7. Evvnt 

    8. Yelp 

    9. 10times

    10. Local Event Listing Sites 

    1. Facebook Events

    Facebook's core purpose revolves around keeping individuals updated on the activities of their friends and what is happening within their communities. Therefore, if you're hosting a social event that is open to the public and want to maximize the impact of your event marketing strategy, Facebook Events should undoubtedly secure a prime spot on your list.

    The potent targeting capabilities inherent to Facebook Events make it an invaluable asset. Facebook's sophisticated algorithm plays a pivotal role in presenting your events to the most relevant audience, drawing upon factors such as geolocation, demographics, interests, and online behavior. 

    Moreover, as a user expresses interest in your event, this interest is shared with their friends, leading to an exponential expansion of your event's reach. In the realm of event promotion, Facebook Events stand as a dynamic tool to engage precisely the right attendees and propel your event's success.

    Pricing: Facebook Events provide a free avenue to create and promote your events on the platform. However, If you're looking to further amplify your event's reach, you can opt for paid advertising by setting up an Event ad campaign. 

    a computer graphic image showcasing the LinkedIn logo several times, connected by lines.

    2. LinkedIn Events

    LinkedIn Events, one of the latest additions to the LinkedIn network, presents an innovative way to create and share events within the professional sphere. With this feature, you can seamlessly craft both online and in-person events, extending your reach to both your established network and the wider public.

    Whether you prefer to keep it exclusive or open to all, LinkedIn Events provides the flexibility to designate your professional event as private or public. The event feed, a key feature, fosters interaction and dialogue among attendees, serving as a valuable channel for networking and community building. 

    Pricing: Creating a LinkedIn Event comes at no cost, and the platform offers various cost-free strategies for event promotion. Also, for those seeking to leverage paid advertising to enhance event visibility, LinkedIn provides the opportunity to launch an Event ad campaign, ensuring maximum attendance and exposure.

    3. Eventbrite Event Listing

    Eventbrite is one of the most popular event listing and ticketing platforms. It offers the invaluable capability to expand your event's reach effortlessly. Indeed, Eventbrite empowers you to craft event landing pages with integrated registration and payment processing.

    To supercharge your event promotion efforts, Eventbrite introduces Eventbrite Boost. It is a feature that allows you to effortlessly promote your events across multiple platforms, thereby, significantly expanding your audience and enhancing the visibility of your events. 

    Pricing: When it comes to pricing, Eventbrite is free for free events. However, it charges a fee for paid events. 

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    4. All Conferences Event Directory

    With a vast database encompassing over 100,000 conference entries spanning from accounting to wholesale trade, All Conferences provides visitors with a comprehensive search interface. 

    While it's worth noting that the Business, Science, and Computing categories are among the most densely populated, a closer examination reveals a wealth of subcategories, enabling you to precisely target specific visitors with remarkable precision.

    Pricing: Ordinary listings of any events are completely free. For those looking to amplify their event's visibility, upgrade options are available. 

    5. Meetup Event Listing

    As a robust alternative to Eventbrite, Meetup offers an array of opportunities to connect, collaborate, and engage with like-minded communities in the digital sphere. Furthermore, Meetup serves as a versatile event listing platform designed for the facilitation of online group meetings and virtual events. 

    Pricing: Meetup is free. There is another version of event listing, Meetup Pro, which is paid. 

    a big crowd seated at an auditorium watching a presentation.

    6. Bandsintown Event Directory

    Bandsintown proudly claims the title of the world's largest concert discovery app, and the numbers certainly support their claim. With over 70 million enthusiastic concertgoers utilizing the platform and a staggering 2.5 million music event dates in their directory, it's hard to argue otherwise.

    The power of Bandsintown Promoter lies in its ability to fine-tune your event promotion. Since, with this tool, you can craft personalized email campaigns, precisely targeting your desired audience based on their music preferences and the specific artists and bands they follow. Geolocation-based targeting ensures that your promotional efforts reach the right fans in the right places.

    Pricing: Bandsintown is completely free. They also offer a paid option called Bandsintown Pro.

    7. Evvnt Event Listing

    Evvnt stands out as the ultimate event listing service that offers a unique advantage: the ability to syndicate your event far and wide with a single submission. Also, this expansive network spans over 5000 event listing sites, ensuring unparalleled exposure for your event.

    Pricing: Evvnt offers free event posting, and a premium version with added advertisement benefits.

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    8. Yelp Event Directory

    Yelp serves as a premier platform for showcasing and promoting cost-free events. This incredibly valuable event listing website provides a wide array of filters for event posts. This allows users to categorize them by business, geographic proximity, pricing categories, and distinctive attributes.

    Moreover, Yelp users have the opportunity to express their intent to participate in an event. They can also contribute insightful reviews and ratings, offering a well-rounded and interactive experience for event organizers and attendees alike.

    Pricing: It is free to be on Yelp, however Yelp for Business provides additional free and paid advertising solutions.

    9. 10times Event Listing

    Over the years, 10Times has garnered acclaim for its remarkable ability to draw countless individuals to events spanning the globe. Notably, this event listing website features a dedicated section for online events, enabling users to explore a vast array of virtual gatherings.

    Pricing: 10Times offers basic services for free, while additional features for enhanced visibility can be acquired at a cost. Further, its versatility in pricing options allows event organizers to tailor their promotion strategy to suit their needs and budget.

    close-up of a hand holding a smartphone browsing for local events.

    10. Local Event Listing Sites

    Local promotion should never be underestimated when it comes to live events, as these gatherings typically draw audiences from the immediate vicinity. In many cities, local event websites serve as popular go-to platforms for residents and visitors alike. Exploring prominent local sites in your community is a valuable step to consider.

    Moreover, don't overlook local media publishers with an online presence, including newspapers and magazines. Ensure your event secures a spot on any event calendars they feature. Finally, this boosts the visibility of your event among local readership.

    young professional woman working on her laptop searching through event listing sites

    IV. Promote Events on Your Own Website with Timely

    Looking to augment your website's capabilities without relying solely on event listing websites for promotion? Timely Event Calendar Software offers a powerful alternative, allowing you to integrate an online event calendar directly into your website. 

    Effortlessly create, edit, and manage events with Timely. Our intuitive interface offers a seamless experience for both you and your website visitors. Tailor the event calendar to complement your website's aesthetics and branding, ensuring a consistent and professional appearance. Further, take advantage of Timely event registration and ticketing capabilities, streamlining the entire event management process. 

    Expand your online presence and offer a comprehensive experience to your audience with a custom event listing calendar. Timely Event Calendar Software is your solution for a dynamic and engaging website. Get started today and enjoy the benefits of seamless event management and promotion on your own platform.

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