Imagine you’re at the airport, watching planes take off—each one packed with passengers heading somewhere important. Now picture your event as one of those planes. You’ve put in the work, mapped out the destination, but there’s a problem: the seats aren’t filling.
And it’s not because your event lacks value. It’s because the way you’re getting people on board isn’t working.
Most event hosts focus all their attention—and budget—on front-end traffic. But the real power play? Retargeting ads. These aren’t optional. They’re the secret weapon behind every high-performing event ad strategy.
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Make sure to watch the video, honestly, I’m much better on video than writing and there’s great info on event conversion strategies in the video that we could not fit into the blog.
The Real Gold in Retargeting for Event Marketing
Think of retargeting ads as the conversion multiplier you didn’t know you needed. They’re not there to find strangers. They’re there to bring back the people who already showed interest—the ones who visited your page, watched your video, or clicked your post but didn’t take action.
For live events, retreats, masterminds, or even virtual summits, retargeting is where the real ROI kicks in. Why? Because attending your event is a big decision. Time. Travel. Energy. It’s not a casual yes.
So when someone checks out your event page but walks away without buying, it’s not a “no”—it’s a “not yet.”
Your retargeting strategy is what keeps you top-of-mind, addresses hesitations, and reopens the loop.
How to Build a High-Converting Retargeting Strategy
Let’s make this simple: if you want more event ticket sales, you need to create retargeting videos that meet your audience where they’re at emotionally.
Here’s the play:
Start with 2-3 short video ads (1-2 minutes max).
Each one should tackle a specific pain point your ideal attendee is dealing with.
Don’t sell—solve.
Help them move from awareness → curiosity → action.
Then, retarget the people who watched at least 75% of those videos. Why 75%? Because if someone watched you for more than 30 seconds, they’re interested. If they stayed to 75% or more, they’re primed. These are your conversion-ready leads.
Pro Tip: Sell the Webinar, Not the Ticket
One of the smartest ad strategies for events—especially virtual ones—is to stop selling the event upfront.
Instead, run retargeting ads to a short webinar or mini-course. Think 30–60 minutes of value that immediately delivers results or insights. Here’s where it gets fun: include a ticket to your event as part of that webinar.
You’re no longer asking them to buy a ticket. You’re giving them access to something valuable now, and rewarding them with something even bigger (your event). It’s an easy “yes” that boosts both show-up and buy-in.
And if your event is within four weeks, this strategy becomes even more effective—because urgency + value is a winning combo.
The Long-Game Strategy for Bigger Events
Planning a larger event with 500, 1,000, or more attendees?
Here’s the high-conversion long tail strategy:
Retarget with ads to a free multi-day challenge or workshop
Sell them into a mini-course or coaching call
And then… pitch the live event
It might feel like a lot of steps—but each one builds trust, opens belief loops, and warms them up to say yes. This strategy has filled events with thousands of qualified buyers—not just attendees.
Bottom Line: Retargeting Ads Aren’t Optional—They’re Essential
You’ve already done the hard work of getting someone’s attention. Don’t let it go to waste.
If you want to fill your event with the right people, retargeting ads are the bridge between interest and action. They reconnect, re-engage, and rebuild momentum when your prospects hesitate.
Because in the event business, attention is great—but conversion is king.
