How to generate PR and media buzz for your event

A guide to press, influencers and social media

You’ve set the date and your plans are taking shape – tickets are selling but you want to generate even more excitement around your event. Whether it’s a festival, a Christmas event, a pub opening or an awards show, it can be difficult to know which sort of publicity you need.

It’s hard to know where to start – do you need to send out a press release? Invite the media? Build hype on social media? Or start with paid ads? Here, we help you work out which option is right for you, so you can make sure you’re generating meaningful interest in your event.

 

 

Where do I begin?

Before you begin to think about generating a buzz for your event through the press and social media, you need to make sure you have the essentials sorted – and we don’t just mean a date, time and location.

Why your event needs a story – creating a narrative

Begin by asking yourself:

• Who is the event for?
• Why are you hosting it?
• What is it bringing to the local area?
• What gap is it filling in the market?
• What do you want people to take away from the event?

Starting out by asking yourself some basic questions about the event will help you and your PR team create a narrative around your event, which in turn will help you shape your PR approach.

 

When should I start promoting my event?

While all your effort might be focused on the event itself, PR support can begin long before. It can help you build momentum and highlight offers. As an example, even though it’s a festive event, tickets for Christmas at Bute Park go on sale in June. Similarly, Green Man festival releases its tickets 10 months in advance, often selling out in a matter of hours, without even releasing a line-up. Moments like these are PR-worthy and help build a buzz well in advance of the event itself.

Think about milestone announcements that are press-worthy: tickets going on sale, new headline acts, a big sponsor coming on board, or charity partnerships. They might not all be worth of a press release, but there will be a channel for you to shout about them on – whether it’s the national news or your social media channels.

 

Who should I invite – influencers, press or both?

Once you’ve established your audience and your aims, you’ll need to think about where you can reach them:

• Who are they following on social media?
• Which news sites do they read?
• Which TV shows are they watching?

Working with influencers

When it comes to inviting influencers, budget is key. Some may attend in exchange for tickets, while others, especially those with a larger audience, might have a rate card. The key factor is audience alignment.

For example, Christmas at Bute Park, with its family and food focus, wouldn’t benefit from inviting gaming or fitness influencers. Instead, we carefully curate a list of influencers whose content and audiences match the event.

And don’t forget micro-influencers. Smaller accounts often have higher engagement rates and more trust with their followers, making them powerful advocates. Additionally, they could have a strong presence within the local area – with local audiences more likely to pay attention to their content.

Working with journalists

Much like influencers, not every journalist is the same. Some cover arts and culture, others focus on food, families or news. Getting TV coverage is a great way to generate interest, but it needs a clear news angle. Ask yourself:

• Is this event filling a need in the market?
• Has it grown out of a community need for something?
• What is the news story?

If you’re not sure, grab a coffee with a journalist, and talk them through the event – collaboration is key to helping uncover the hidden stories within your event.

For Green Man Festival, broadcast planning begins months in advance and allows for pre-filming and stories which follow the build-up. And this is exactly where you should utilise your PR team – they can help work with journalists to identify all the best angles.

And for large-scale events like Green Man, where press interest is really high, it can also be useful to manage applications through a formal press accreditation system – finding out exactly what the press want to cover, what their audience is and what their ideas are before you agree to them attending.

 

How to manage PR during the event

You’ve done all of the support around the event; now is the time to make sure the journalists have everything they need. Every event will be different, but it’s a good idea to prepare:

• Quotes from the organisers and key figures
• Pre-approved photos, logos and graphics
• Assets like maps and timings
• Key facts about the event

Bring your PR team along too – we’re here to help! From making sure interviews with organisers and talent run smoothly, to liaising with the press and answering any questions, a dedicated team is there to handle things when your attention needs to be elsewhere.

 

Things can go wrong… Don’t panic, call your PR team

A proactive PR agency is there to shout about all the amazing things the event is doing, but it’s equally important to have them on hand for the not-so-fun stuff. Whether it’s a last-minute cancellation, a technical issue, or negative press, a calm and experienced PR team can help manage the narrative and protect your reputation.

Work with the community

 The best events don’t just attract an audience, they make an impact on the local community – whether it’s working with local suppliers, partnering with charities, offering discount tickets to residents, or supporting community initiatives. These things all help make sure that your community feel involved in your event.

Audiences, press and influencers alike are drawn to events with purpose, and that give something back. By embedding community impact into the very event itself, you’ll create great local relationships and give journalists another reason to cover your event.

 

Final thoughts

Creating buzz for your event isn’t just about shouting the loudest – it’s about building a strong story, knowing your audience, and using the right mix of press, influencers, and social media to reach them.

With the right support, you can build an event that thrives from start to finish. Just remember: build the story first, engage the right people, and always meet your audience where they already are.

Ready to start telling your story? Get in touch with us here.

Or if you want to find out more about the work we do with the likes of Green Man and Christmas at Bute park, you can read about our work.