We work with many clients who host regular events. These include webinars, meetups, conferences, etc. If you host events like these, you probably promote them via social media or a newsletter. That's a good start, but this approach leaves a lot of SEO potential on the table.
With the right approach, events can be a great way to get free backlinks to your site. This is a strategy we've been successfully using at Invalley for years. Here's how you can turn your events — and other events in your industry — into a source of free and high-quality backlinks.
Step #1 - Find High-Value Event Websites
Don’t limit your event promotion to just your own site. High-value event sites can give you a major SEO boost. With just a bit of elbow grease, you can leverage these sites to build high-value and sometimes do-follow backlinks completely for free.
To get the most out of this strategy, focus on event platforms that can deliver high-quality backlinks. Start by checking the Domain Rating (DR) of a site. Tools like Ahrefs or Moz can help you determine this. A DR of 50 or higher is a good benchmark for making sure a site is worth the effort.
Traffic is another critical factor. Sites with consistent, high organic traffic are more likely to drive visitors to your listings. Free tools like SimilarWeb can give you a sense of how much traffic a platform receives, while paid SEO tools provide more precise data.
Remember to check if Google is indexing the event pages on your target website. To see if there is an indexation issue, get the names of a few recent events on the site, then run this search:
For better results, you should choose event listings that are at least a couple of days old. Google doesn't always index new pages immediately. If you run this test and no results appear, then Google may not be indexing new event pages on that site. And getting backlinks on that site won't be very useful.
To help you get started as you're learning how to promote events using this method, here's a short list of high-value event websites that you should check:
- Eventbrite.com (DR 93)
- Events.com (DR 77)
- Allevents.in (DR 83)
- Eventsget.com (DR 33)
- Eventsnearhere.com (DR 29)
Step #2 - Create Multiple Event Descriptions
Once you have a short list of websites, it's time to start creating new event listings. Often, the process is as simple as creating an account and then publishing your event.
But here’s the key: don’t copy and paste the same event description on every site. Search engines can flag duplicate content, which might hurt your rankings and limit the reach of your efforts. Instead, write slightly different versions for each platform. This is not just good for SEO, it also makes your content more engaging.
Need ideas? Use the search and “discover” tabs on these platforms to find events similar to yours. A good way learn how to promote events is to see how your competitors are promotin theirs. This can spark inspiration for how to write your listings.
Step #3 - Get Contextual Backlinks for Free
Creating an account on these event pages will often let you add a profile link. You'll be listed as an event creator/organizer on the site. However, these profile links aren’t the real goldmine.
Event sites often let you include contextual links within the body of your listing. This lets you weave links to your website naturally into the event description. Contextual links are much better for SEO compared to plain profile links. It's even better if you find an event platform that can get you do-follow backlinks for free.
Imagine you’re hosting a marketing workshop. Instead of just dropping a link in your profile, write something like “to learn more, check out the strategies we share on our blog.” This not only provides a backlink but also encourages readers to explore your content.
See if you can add multimedia or links to your social media profiles in your listings. Some event platforms allow both. It's a good opportunity to direct more people towards your brand and your page.
Step #4 - Showcase Your Social Media and Business Info
Event sites aren’t just about backlinks. They’re also an excellent way to showcase your business and build some brand authority. On most platforms, your organizer page can include your contact information, business description, social media profiles, and more. You may even be able to add these to the event listing itself.
This extra visibility makes it easier for potential customers or attendees to find and connect with you. And the added trust signals from appearing on well-known event sites can do wonders for your brand’s reputation. This affects not only how readers view your brand, but also how search engines measure the authority of your site.
Look for opportunities to boost your brand authority whenever you're using this strategy to promote your events. Any mentions of your brand can help with this. It's a good idea to fill out all the relevant information about your company in your profile. Another option is to add an "About the Company" section on the event listing itself.
Optional: Promote Relevant Events Even If They’re Not Yours
Hosting your own events isn’t the only way to tap into this strategy. You can gain backlinks by promoting other popular events in your niche.
Here’s how it works:
- Find a trending event that aligns with your industry. If you are in the tech space, this could be a major tech conference, for example;
- Write a short advertisement or description about the event;
- Include a contextual link to your website for more related resources or content;
- Publish this on relevant event platforms.
This approach positions you as a helpful resource in your niche. On top of helping you get free backlinks from high-authority event sites.
Step #5 - Enjoy the SEO Benefits
One of the best parts about learning how to promote events and get for free backlinks using this strategy is how fast these links can get picked up by search engines. Crawlers prioritize event pages because they’re time-sensitive and usually high-traffic.
When you list your events on popular platforms, you’re likely to see a quick boost in referring links to your website. This rapid indexing means your efforts pay off sooner when compared to traditional link-building strategies.
To really see results, don’t make this a one-time effort. Regularly create listings for new events, even if you’re simply promoting others’ events in your industry. Consistent link-building over time strengthens your site’s authority and ensures steady traffic growth.
Event pages are a hidden gem for SEO, and it is likely that few of your competitors are using this strategy. These free links can help you stay ahead of the game by strengthening both your SEO and your brand authority.
