Optimizing Events for Google Search: Boost That Attendance!

Visibility for your events is more important than ever, as Google has added some search perks specifically for events. Why is that vital for yours? Because Google Event Packs, Carousels, and Knowledge Panels all are displayed at the top of Google’s results. Right where users always click first.

How to Appear in Google’s Event Pack, Carousel, or Knowledge Panel

Google’s Event Pack

The Event Pack contains one to three events above the organic results, as you can see.

Users search on “Concerts,” “Festivals,” “Nightlife,” “Shows”, “Parties” or other events and the Event Pack appears: you want to be in the first position, which gets the highest click through rates.

Google’s Event Carousel

The Carousel can contain 16 results on desktop and four on mobile, and, again, appears above the organic listing.

Knowledge Panels for Events & Performers

A user types in a performer’s name and reaches the Knowledge Panel, which also contains event listings.

The Difference Between Event Pack and Carousel

When your user clicks an event in the Event Pack, they go to a page Google has indexed – if this is your event, they’ll be on your event page. This is the most desired result.

If they click on the Carousel, they end up on another search results page like the one they’re on now, with the current Event as the search.

How to ensure your event appears in Google’s new event displays

Schema Markup

You must use schema mark-up on your pages, specifically:

• Event pack
• Carousel
• Knowledge graph/panel
• Rich snippets

Important areas you need to have marked up:

• Location (venue)
• Location Address (venue address)
• Name (Event Name)
• Location name (venue name)
• Start Date
• End Date

• Image
• Description
• Offers
• Offers availability
• Offers price
• Performer

Using Google’s schema mark-up (Start date, Event Name, Description) can allow you four good links to your events as follows:

Marketing your event using content, images and keywords

To ensure your event gets the best publicity possible, you’ll need bright, interesting content and really good, high resolution photos.

Optimize that event name by using keywords that users search on! Use the city where the event will occur, for example. The clearer you are, the higher you’ll appear in SERPs.

How do I make sense of Google’s new Event strategies?

Unless you’re a coder, the best way to bring attention to your events on Search is to contact Sanctuary. It’s what we do, who we are. We can do the tricky coding, the content, keywords and more to ensure your event shows up as high as possible in Google’s search. Contact us for more information!