The most important way to meet your group members is hosting events. Schedule your group's next event in a few simple steps.
Use the links below to jump to that section:
- Preparing to schedule an event
- Filling out event details
- Publishing your event
- Hosting a successful event
To get started, visit your group’s homepage and select the red Schedule button.
If you've created an event before, the button will say Create event instead. Selecting this will open a dropdown menu, where you can create a new event, copy a past event, or edit a saved draft.
Select Create a new event to go to the event scheduler form.
Watch our Community Support specialists walk you through scheduling an event in this video:
Preparing to schedule an event
Making decisions beforehand will help you plan your event. Some things to consider:
- What is the purpose of this event? (To discuss, to collaborate, to watch, etc?)
- Will this event be in person, online, or a hybrid of both styles?
- What resources will you need to host this event? (A venue, a leadership team, etc?)
First-time hosts (or seasoned organizers looking to revitalize their group) may use the Meet and Greet event template to automatically make some of these decisions.
Filling out event details
The event scheduler form guides you through each step, including tips on best practices.
Title
Your event title should be less than 80 characters and describe the event with relevant keywords. Keywords are a crucial way for prospective attendees to discover your event when they search on the Find page. Learn more here.
Date and time
Make sure to schedule your event far enough in advance so that your members can plan to attend. Scheduling your next event within the next two weeks can improve the likelihood of your event appearing in search results.
Duration
Most organizers schedule a socializing event for about two hours. The length of your event can vary depending on the needs of your community or the theme of your event.
Featured photo
Use a photo from a past event to give prospective attendees a better idea of what to expect. If you’ve never hosted an event before and don’t already have a suitable photo, try downloading a stock photo from services like Google Images, Shutterstock, or Unsplash.
Description
Your event description should explain everything your attendees should know about the event. Include details like what to expect, the agenda, what to bring, and any other important information. Use the rich text formatting toolbar to make key words and ideas in your event description stand out.
Speaker
Meetup Pro subscribers can include details about a featured guest speaker for their events.
Topics
Add up to five (5) topics so prospective attendees with relevant interests are more likely to find your event in search results or suggestions.
Location
Selecting the right space for your event can improve your attendees’ experience. Learn more about finding the right venue for in-person events or setting up online events.
Add venue & How to find us
Search for your venue and move the map pin to display the exact location.
To share where you’ll meet, use the “How to find us” field.
COVID-19 safety measures
For in-person events, you can toggle on COVID-19 safety measures. These measures won't appear on the published event unless you toggle them on. Learn more here.
Hosts
Assigning leadership team roles to trusted members can help you manage group responsibilities. Give members an opportunity to show what a great partner they can be by selecting them as an event host for an upcoming event. Learn more about selecting event hosts.
Setting event fees
Offset your organizing costs by collecting a fee from attendees when they RSVP to an event. Learn more about how to set event fees and why ticketed events can boost your community.
Choose at least one communication tool
Meetup allows organizers to choose a mode of communication for their attendees: event chat, event comments, or both.
Optional settings
Review your Optional settings to manage whether you'd like to create a recurring event, a waitlist, and more.
- Repeat event
- Ask members a question
- Attendee limit
- Allow guests
- RSVP start and end times
- Fundraising
- Registration form
Publishing your event
Once you've filled out the form, select the Publish button at the bottom of the screen.
You can always save a draft of your event to finish later, or edit an event after it's been published.
Be sure to announce your event to members, so they know it's time to RSVP. And most importantly, have fun building your community!
Tips for hosting a successful event
Want to connect with top organizers who use Meetup to build thriving communities? Join the Meetup Organizer Community on Discord and learn more about great event hosting strategies!