Marketing your NYC events is no small feat. You have event websites to create, press releases to write, and digital invites to send. You also have apps to manage, content to create, and CTAs to measure. And precision and relevance are the keys to successful event promotion in New York City. Achieve both with a little strategy and some location-based geofencing.
Geofencing and location-based advertising are game-changing tools to reach your event audience. This technology creates opportunities to engage potential attendees (and event sponsors) by delivering tailored messages based on their location. Targeting individuals in real-time based on their location can drive engagement and boost attendance like never before. Learn how to leverage geofencing and location-based advertising to transform your event planning efforts and capture the attention of the biggest NYC audiences.
What is Geofencing, Really?
Here's how it works. Geofencing uses RFID and GPS technology to create a virtual boundary around a chosen geographic location. When someone enters this digital boundary, they will receive targeted marketing, advertising, and promotion. New York City event planners can use geofencing in their event promotion to target an audience of individuals who are most likely to attend the in-person, local event. By targeting people in a specific area in real time, an event planner can maximize their return on investment (ROI) and increase engagement. It really is a remarkable advertising tool you should be using.
Benefits for NYC Event Planners
Event planners can enjoy several benefits when using geofencing in their event promotion and marketing. Because New York City is such a large and diverse city, narrowing your digital market efforts can be challenging.
For starters, geofencing allows event planners to hyper-target audiences that are within a specific distance of a venue. Combine this with demographic targeting parameters, and the marketing campaign's effectiveness will increase. Geofencing lets event planners bring online promotion into offline marketing. It is one more bridge between the digital and real world.
Another benefit is the opportunity to boost last-minute event attendance. Increasing marketing efforts with the assistance of geofencing to target potential attendees who are in the event’s area at the time of the event. These people may not have known about the event and decided to go. Or they could have known about it but needed an extra push to commit to attending. You can offer real-time discounts and promotions to enhance engagement.
A third benefit of geofencing is offering personalized messaging and promotions. As an event planner, you know the demographic that is most likely to attend your event. You can use this information to personalize your marketing messaging when using geofencing. Personalized messaging is more effective because it speaks directly to the person viewing it.
How to Use Geofencing in NYC
Event planners can implement geofencing into their event promotion using a few methods. The first is venue-based targeting. Create a geofence around the venue where the event will take place. This approach works well for targeting people who are near the venue. Another method is to target competitors. There is plenty of competition in New York City, and event planners may find themselves competing for the same target audience of potential attendees.
Another approach is to partner with local businesses. Consider businesses that are willing to sponsor or participate in the event. An event planner can then co-brand the marketing and promotion with the business. This increases brand and event awareness. A similar approach is to target tourism hubs. If your event is one that visitors to New York City would enjoy, you need to create geofencing for the tourists. You can use this approach as the first step in creating an immersive experience.
Platforms for Geofencing
There are several platforms that event planners can use to implement geofencing and location-based advertising for their events.
Google Ads has a location function that lets you target a specific area where your event ads are shown. Event planners can use this platform to promote their New York City events in precise locations. Ads appear on websites in the Google Ad network and can be used as part of a retargeting campaign.
Facebook and Instagram also offer location-based targeting. Snapchat has geo-filters, allowing an event planner to create a custom filter for a unique location. This lets event planners create promotional campaigns that will appear on social media for users in a specific area.
Use Geofencing in Event Promotion
Geofencing and location-based advertising are game-changers for NYC event planners. Targeted ads and location-based promotions can enhance engagement and drive higher attendance. By adopting these strategies, you ensure your event makes a memorable impact. Leverage geofencing to make your next NYC event a standout success.
Another smart approach for event planners to maintain a competitive edge is to attend The Event Planner Expo. If you missed this year's conference, sign up now to get on the waitlist for The Event Planner Expo 2025.
