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What are Paid Online Events?
Paid online events can be a great way to earn money from Facebook Live videos.
Your event can take the form of a seminar, a course, a tutorial, or even a theatrical performance. No matter what your event type is, you have the potential to generate income from both ticket sales and logins.
Aside from the obvious financial benefits, paid online Facebook events can also be a valuable tool for reaching a wider audience. Imagine, for example, your theatrical performance reaching an international audience far beyond what would be possible in person. It seems an ideal solution in these times of Covid-19 restrictions, where many events have to take place with reduced capacity, or online only. Even when ‘normal times’ return, however, Facebook paid online events can be used to create exclusive online content and broaden your audience.
Best of all, these events are free for organizers, with Facebook (at least for now), not retaining any revenue from ticket sales.
How to Organize a Paid Online Event
Organizing a paid online event is pretty simple and intuitive. Just log into your Facebook page and you’ll be able to select the details of your event, such as event type, date and time and price of admission. You’ll also need to create a cover image for the event, and you should think of this as an opportunity to develop a brand identity for your event. In terms of duration, we suggest keeping your event under two hours to keep things easy to follow. The cost of participation in the event is totally up to you and can be set during the configuration process. Bear in mind that you will need to set up a payment account in order to receive payments from participants.
Another choice you’ll have to make is whether to use Facebook Live video or a third-party platform to host the live video itself. Although in both cases, only those who bought the ticket can access the event, there are individual pros and cons associated with each platform. One advantage of using Facebook Live is that users can review the event even once it has ended, which can provide great word-of-mouth promotion for future events. This feature may not be available if you choose to go with a third-party platform.
Tips and tricks
To maximise the success of your paid online Facebook event, follow these useful tips:
1. Promote the event
Start by promoting the event among your Facebook contacts, but remember that there are many other ways to reach out to a wider audience. Run email campaigns, write blog articles and post on your own website (if you have one), as well as other social platforms (Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn) to spread awareness.
Consider paying for some Facebook advertising, and by all means post on relevant Facebook Groups to spread the word. Don’t hesitate to give out some free tickets for promotional purposes. You can offer up to 50 free tickets per event. Another idea would be to try co-hosting events with other Facebook pages to reach new audiences.
2. Check the Technical Quality
Make sure there is adequate lighting for your event, to give it a professional appearance. Try to eliminate any technical and visual distractions (like notifications and other unrelated content onscreen) and choose a nice, simple background that won’t be a distraction.
Use a microphone and adjust the volume settings appropriately, especially if your event is outdoors.
It’s also worth testing your internet connection to double-check everything is working smoothly!
Take advantage of the POE tool to carry out a general rehearsal before your event goes live, to help identify any last-minute technical problems. Always have a backup plan for any possible technical problems that may occur during the event.
One more thing: be careful to only use music for which you have the necessary rights, or which is in the public domain.
3. Interact with Attendees
Go online 5 or 10 minutes early and check in with the participants. Say hi, thank them for coming and ask them questions about themselves For example, ask them where they come from or what elements of the event they are looking forward to. Let them know how they can interact with the proceedings, and take the opportunity to let them know about any other upcoming appointments or events that you have in the pipeline.
Finally, think of the event as a chance to listen to your audience and build your community. Make sure to take comments and reactions on board, so that your future events will be even better!
