Free and easy ways to increase attendance at campus events

As faculty and staff return to campus in increasing numbers, so too will the number of in-person lectures, exhibits and activities. The following refresher will help employees who are rusty in the techniques for sharing and promoting their events.

The University of Oregon events calendar is a dynamic tool that can share listings across websites. Those interested in syncing a departmental calendar to the UO events calendar should contact Roxanne Arnot-Copenhaver, roxannea@uoregon.edu, to work through the process.

Users can create and submit events to the UO calendar, and through the use of filter tags they can easily pull events from the calendar to their curated department websites. Anyone with a DuckID can submit events.

Using a variety of specialized filters, users can customize events using event type and departmental tags, and target their audience and recognized UO groups across campus to further define the desired audience. Event location options have expanded, and users now can choose among in-person, virtual and hybrid.

To make the most of the calendar service, event submissions should provide as much detail about the event as possible. A robust description, location, connection information for hybrid/virtual events, RSVP links, event websites, ticket information and filters will ensure that events reach the largest audience possible.

The Around the O Workplace and Quick Quack newsletters also glean events from the calendar. Event organizers can also submit student-focused events to the Quick Quack editor.

Social media is now common in any event promotion plan. The UO social media accounts often retweet or share school or department posts, so it is beneficial to keep those accounts active. If a department’s account hasn’t been used in several years or the password has been lost, contact the social media team for resources on getting restarted.

Major events and well-known speakers may warrant a story on the Around the O news website, which is the go-to place for information about the university. Submit details to the submission form several weeks in advance for consideration.

The UO’s independent student newspaper, the Daily Emerald, also takes news tips. For more complex projects, reach out to the university marketing team of designers, strategists and photographers. It’s always a good idea to check with the communications director in your department, school or college before starting any promotion plan.

Also, be mindful of current coronavirus guidelines.

By Jennifer Archer, University Communications