8 Things Your Attendees Will Want to Know about Your Event

We’ve written about writing killer event descriptions and how to use great featured images, but don’t overlook the basics. There are usually just a few pieces of information folks will be most concerned about for any given event, and highlighting these details on your event listings will go a long way towards making your attendees’ lives easier—and their experience of your event better.

#1 Directions and Public Transit

People have to get to your event to be able to enjoy it! Most folks these days have smartphones, GPS consoles, or are just otherwise comfortable using online tools like Google Maps to print out directions ahead of time.

So in most cases it won’t be necessary to provide your own directions—just make the address of the venue easy to find, and most attendees can take it from there. You should, however, call out any specifics about the venue that a mapping tool or GPS console won’t tend to pick up—a weirdly-located entrance, a specific apartment number, a landmark where you’re all gathering, etc.

If you’re in a city or other place with public transit options, identify these options and list the nearest stops or access points to your venue. And be inclusive! Don’t link to a subway map but neglect to mention nearby bus stops, for example.

#2 Parking

Parking is something so many event listings fail to mention—don’t be guilty of this! Does your event have on-site parking? Is it free? Be clear and concise about this. If you’re in a city or other location with limited parking options, it’s especially worth taking some time to compile a list of nearby garages and lots (bonus points for listing estimated pricing).

#3 Ticket Details and Event Access

Ticket details like price and availability are essential to list prominently. But also make sure any limitations or rules around tickets are made clear:

• Will folks need to print out their tickets to get in? Or can they just show the ticket on their smartphone?
• Will they need ID to get in?
• Will re-entry be allowed?

Whatever the specific rules are for your event, make sure they’re hard to miss.

#4 Food Options

Food writer M.F.K. Fisher was on to something when she said, “First we eat, then we do everything else.” If your event is offering food, the details related to it will be some of the most important details your attendees will wonder about, as we often shape our plans around meals.

First, you’ll want to make it obvious if food will be available at all, and if it’ll be complimentary or have an associated cost. Next, you should note if your event will be offering any diet-specific foods—will you be offering vegan food, for example? What about gluten-free? Depending on the nature of your event and attendees, you may even want to specifically call out if you won’t have such options on-site.

#5 Alcohol

When it comes to communicating your event’s relationship with alcohol:

• Make it clear whether alcohol will be on the premises at all.
• Make it clear if there will be non-alcoholic options available.

Most folks can assume that if there’s booze, there will be water and/or soda, too. But it’s worth calling out non-alcoholic options specifically, because in addition to the mere information of there being non-alcoholic drinks available, the fact it’s being explicitly mentioned is important on its own right. It signals to folks who may not be drinkers that they are welcome at the event and are not an afterthought.

When it comes to the booze itself, get the basics right and make sure your event page answers questions like the following:

• Is the booze free? A cash bar? BYOB?
• Are credit cards accepted? Or is it cash-only?
• Will there be a limit on the number of drinks to order? This is somewhat common at corporate or workplace events, for example.
• Conversely, will there be a minimum number of drinks required to order? This is common at comedy clubs and live music venues.

If you have email, SMS, or other communication with attendees en masse, then sending a quick reminder on the day of the event to not forget their IDs will surely be appreciated.

#6 Guest Policy

Imagine this: Your event is so cool, your attendees looking so forward to it, that they tell a bunch of people they know and invite them to come along. That’s flattering! But…is it allowed? Do you have room for folks to bring guests? If so, how many?

Your event listing should have enough info on it for folks to answer these questions for themselves, with a point of contact they can reach out to for any further inquiries.

#7 Dress Code

There are few things more embarrassing than being turned away from an event because your clothes aren’t up-to-snuff for the event’s dress code—doubly so if you didn’t even know there was a dress code in the first place!

It’s only a small subset of events that will have a strict dress code, but for these events it’s important to make the dress code concise and highly visible. Instead of defining specific outfits or attire that are allowed, a common and space-saving approach is to list what items are not allowed.

#8 Lodging and Attractions

If you’re hosting a multi-day event like a conference, summit, retreat, etc., then lodging will be an essential thing to provide information to your attendees about. You should start with the obvious task of listing nearby hotels, but don’t be afraid to go a little bit above-and-beyond—are there any nearby sights especially worth seeing? If so, call them out! Ditto any great restaurants, museums, or parks—and on a more serious note, any nearby hospitals or other medical facilities.

Every Event is Different

Every event will have its own set of important details worth highlighting. There are plenty of events where talking about alcohol in the event listing makes no sense, for example, and likewise with each of the other details listed above.

The one thing in common for all events, though, is that your attendees will recognize and remember a well-done events page. They’ll greatly appreciate a clear set of relevant details, because it will make their lives easier. It’ll make your life easier, too, by preemptively answering a lot of questions you might otherwise be asked by individual attendees.

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