If you can create a great event title, your event can draw in event seekers wherever you share the event.
Whether they see it on a flyer, on Facebook, on a community calendar, or a friend’s social media feed; a great event title will attract the right attendees to your registration.
If your event title is boring, or if it doesn’t do enough to summarize what your event is about, then it’s not going to grab anyone’s attention.
Next to creating a great event image, having a strong event title should be a priority for promoting your event.
A good title can help people understand the purpose of your event, who it is intended for, and what they will get from attending. It is also something that should be given some thought before you lock down in case you need to change anything down the road.
To create a great event title, here are a few tricks that you might not have thought about before:
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Who are your target attendees?
Your first step is to figure out who your target audience actually is. If you are planning a conference, for example, then the people who will most likely attend are business owners and investors. Some of the questions that you might want to ask yourself when creating a title for an event might be:
- What or Who am I trying to reach?
- Why should people attend?
- Who are my target attendees?
- How can I make this event memorable?
Does the event title grab their attention?
A great event title is one that will immediately trigger your audience’s interest.
The best way to do this is by making sure that the title of your program is short and easy to remember.
Take a look at your local event calendar and imagine your title next to the other events on the calendar. Imagine how your event title could stand out.
Test out a few different titles for your event to see which one resonates with your target audience the most. Ask some previous attendees or friends that are in the target market to see what they think the event is about without any context other than the event title.
It might be a good idea to make it more descriptive, if you believe that your audience would be more likely to attend if they knew what they were getting themselves into. Sometimes it might be better to create some mystery.
Make sure you are using strong emotion words, like “paint party,” or “marketing tour,” because these words will make people want to attend more than something generic like “conference” or “social media training.”
You can also try new free Ai tools like ChatGTP to brainstorm event ideas! Input what your event is about, what is the vibe, and other details to get the best results.
Does it feel too much like a promotion?
It can be tempting to really lay on the promotional messaging in an event title, but this can backfire in major ways.
Take a look at these invalid name examples from Google:
- Trip package: San Diego/LA, 7 nights (Don’t use events to promote non-event products or services.)
- Music festival – only $10! (Instead, tag ticket prices using the Ticket property.)
- Sale on dresses! (Non-event information)
- Concert – buy your tickets now! (Promotion)
- Concert – 50% off until Saturday! (Promotion)
This applies to happy hours and other specials too. Spice it up and make it sound more exciting if you want to get the best results.
Check out this blog post on What Is Considered An Event?, based on the feedback we’ve gotten from the hundreds of local community event calendars we work with.
Does the event title use language they can relate to?
There are lots of ways to make your event title more relatable. Instead of using difficult buzzwords, use language that most people can understand and relate to.
The free tool Hemingway Editor can tell you what the reading level of your event title is. The average reading level in the United States is considered a Grade 7 level. So keeping it Grade 7 comprehension level and below means it will be accessible to more people.
You may be an expert in your event topic or genre, but imagine back to when you were just getting started. What industry-specific words did you have to learn along the way. Leave those out unless the target is only for experienced people.
This may sound like it only applies to business workshops, but it also applies to music genres, theater, and all sorts of events.
Does the event title communicate what attendees can expect to gain from attending?
Focus on what your attendees will benefit from attending your event.
It’s not enough to just sell the event, you have to sell the experience and benefit.
This can be a little different for every type of event, but it’s a good start for general guidelines.
You should think about what attendees will come away with when they attend your program.
What are the benefits that they will get from attending? What is their total return on investment (ROI), if applicable? What does their experience and expectation look like when they walk through the door?
It might take some time to get clear on these expectations, but it is worth doing so before you launch your next big event.
Is the event title clear and concise? No more than 12 words.
You only get a fraction of a second to make an impression with your title. Make it count.
Also, some places where your event will be listed cut off after a few words. Make sure the most important things are in the first 4-6 words and keep the total title under 12 words if possible.
A good way to make sure your title is clear and concise is to read it aloud. If you’re reading it out loud, you should be able to say the name of the event in about three seconds or less.
Does this make YOU feel excited and want to attend?
If your title does not evoke a feeling of excitement, then it’s probably not going to sell.
Think about who the intended audience is and what they might want to hear. Whether it’s a conference for new moms or electronic dance show, think about your target audience and what they might be looking for in a title.
Put yourself in their shoes. Think about how people would describe this event if someone else asked them to summarize it in one sentence. If you can’t come up with anything on your own, try asking a few other people as well.
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