There is no instant way to create a complex ad here or on any website or page. Input forms have to be concise, so at first glance, it may look confusing. An ad form can not say everything needed, so here are some additional instructions.
This article is for the EVENT AD posts only, for banner advertising please see the Ad Rates page.
How to Post an Event
- At the top is the title of your event.
- The upper section of the form is a large text area for content.
- The lower portion has tabs on the left side for adding Event Details like Date, Time, Links, Organizer, Location, and more.
- There are additional input options on the right side for Category, Tags, Speaker, and the Featured Image for your event post.
When working with Event Details in the lower portion, remember that the left side is the menu, clicking each tab opens different options in the right window pane.
How to Link to Your Own Website or Page
Links Tab
A link to your website or Facebook-type page is added via the left tabs in the lower portion. This one can be a bit tricky. DO NOT ADD AN “EVENT LINK”, instead add a “MORE INFO” link if you want people to stay on this website to view your Event Ad page. The “Event Link” input goes directly to your website, if added it will bypass your Event Ad page. The “More Info” link option adds a button to your Event Ad and then that is the button that will link to your website from your ad. – Note you can change the button name from “More Info” to something like “Visit Website”. Also please select the “New Window” option.
Image Size
The image needs to be under 1MB or 1000kb.
The Featured Image design lends itself to horizontal images, but it will adjust most image shapes to fit.The Featured Image is added from the right-side options near the bottom.
Organizer & Speaker
Many Speakers and Organizers are already added, so please type the first name and wait to see if their name appears, if so it will already include any information we have. If you directly input a name, it will not link to our content. Organizer and Speaker information is filled out on the backend from a list of questions you can answer and submit along with an image is desired. Only the Organizer form can be turned over to you after it is created. For Speakers, you must always submit the information you would like added.
Difference between a “Live Virtual Event” and “Webinar”
A Live Virtual Event is more of a meeting-type atmosphere with interaction.
A Webinar is a presentation often limited to only some chat, typed-in type comments allowed.
Location/Venue
Some state names are already available to select from, but if you would like to add a more precise location, use the drop-down menu under “Event Location” and scroll up and down until you see “Insert a new location”. Please use “Location Name” for the venue, like Hotel Name, and “Event Location” for the actual address with city and state info. The pin drop on the map is derived from the “Event Location” input only, so it needs to be the true address. Latitude and Longitude are optional. If the venue (such as a hotel) is listed along with the city and state, next time simply select the venue and the city/state will automatically be added. If the map location is not exact, here is a link to a Latitude and Longitude Finder. – https://www.latlong.net
Cost
If your event is Free, be sure to make the cost zero (0). That will cause the Cost output to say “Free” on your Event Ad page. Adding a cost is not required.
Scheduling Notes
SEO Schema / Event Status
SEO/Schema in the lower portion left tabs, is for showing an event as Scheduled, Cancelled, Postponed, or Moved Online. More options can be added if needed.
Event Color
You can pick a color for your event, it is just a small dot next to your event name in the calendar list.
Time
Hourly Schedule – Click Add Day for each day of the event to create a schedule for each day. Use Time Comment to specify a time zone PST MST CST EST.
Date
Reoccurring Dates can be a bit tricky, there are too many options to make it simple.
Adding recurring events. Click on Event Repeating and select from the drop-down menu in the content area. There are several options. ADVANCED is the option for repeating days, like the 2nd Tuesday or 3rd Sunday of each month.
Example: Monthly on every 3rd Friday.
Date and Time: Add the 1st occurrence of the event as both start and end dates.
Check in the box for “Event Repeating (Recurring events)” to see options.
Select Advanced from the drop-down menu.
In the row “3rd” select Friday.
If there is an end to the repeat, select that under “End Repeats”.
Example: A 6-week event occurring weekly on Thursday from 3 pm-4 pm, beginning on February 4th.
Date and Time: Add the 1st date of February 4th as both the start and end date.
Check in the box for “Event Repeating (Recurring events)” to see options.
Repeats: Weekly
Repeat Interval: 1
Ends Repeat: Radio Button: After
Fill in the Number of Repeats: 6 (in this example)
General Notes
It is not required to fill out all the information tabs, or provide every detail, you can provide a link to your own website which will have all your information.
Right Side Options
Categories
You can add your event to multiple categories, but please limit it to 2-3, if possible. Selecting too many categories may result in the ad not working properly.
Tags
Tags are a list of keywords related to your event, this helps search engines index your event. Separate each word or two-word combination with a coma.
