Blog

Promoting Nonprofit Events: 4 Key Elements Of An Events Page

Picture a successful fundraising gala. You have a full house, and your supporters have had a great experience eating a delicious dinner, bidding in an auction, and listening to a keynote speaker. You’ve reached your fundraising goal and had a fantastic time getting to know your supporters better. 

But before all these wins comes a thorough planning process, which includes promoting your event to your community. 

One of the best tools for doing this is your nonprofit’s website. You can even create a dedicated Events page on your site that houses your event information and registration tools. 

In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the key elements every Events page should have and how they can get more people showing up on the big day! Let’s begin. 

Eye-Catching Event Description 

An event description is what your Events page visitors first see when they click on your page. It should include a headline (like the name of your event), a short explanation of what the event entails, and how it’s connected to your mission. 

Here’s an example from Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities: 

Event Details Section 

Some events are more involved than others. This is where a details section comes in handy on your Events page. Here you can provide information about the following: 

Date and time
Cost to register
Location and address (or how to join virtual or hybrid events) 
Accommodations (if applicable) 
Parking 
Dress code
Event agenda
Menu (and how to let your organization know about any dietary restrictions) 
How attendees can contact your organization for more information 

A section like this can make it easier for individuals to commit to the event and preemptively address common questions they may have for your staff. 

Compelling Visuals 

The right visuals on your Events page can help establish the event’s theme, atmosphere, and purpose. 

You can give your page a visual edge in several ways, from including high-quality graphics branded to your organization to real pictures of your team at work to images of those who will benefit from the event. 

You can also drum up excitement for the big day by incorporating images from past events. For example, Rising Star Outreach, a nonprofit committed to serving those with leprosy, hosts an annual golf tournament fundraiser. Its page for the event features photos from previous tournaments: 

Integrated Registration Form 

After catching your Event page visitors’ attention and providing them with all the information they need about your event, seal the deal by inviting them to register for the event right then and there. 

Do this by integrating your registration form on your Events page so supporters can quickly type in their information and pay their registration or ticket fee without leaving the page. To increase the chances that your visitors complete the form, follow these best practices: 

Include a call to action on your page that inspires visitors to sign up, like “Register today and help us win the fight against cancer!” 

Keep the registration form simple, only asking for the essentials like contact details and payment information. 

Include an option to give more by donating or purchasing something from your online store.

Ensure the form works well on mobile devices by testing it beforehand on multiple screens of different sizes. 

Configure the form to clearly highlight the required fields and point out any errors that supporters need to correct before completing their registration. 

After a supporter completes their registration form, they should receive a confirmation email and be added to your event email list. This way, you can provide them with additional information and reminders ahead of the big day!