Creating and managing events

  • The event feedback overview page is a place to celebrate the work you've done, recognize the impact you've made on your members' experiences, and illuminate ways to improve your next event. Explore what people liked, what went wrong, and read open-ended reviews shared by your members.

    Who can see your ratings and where

    Group organizers and Leadership Team members can see a summary of their group’s event feedback listed on their group homepage as a star rating. Ratings are currently not visible to any members of your group, unless they are part of your Leadership Team.

    image (19).png

    Ratings are determined by your event attendees, who are prompted to leave feedback after an event. Learn more about how attendees share event feedback.

    Click the star rating to open your event feedback overview page.

    How to view more detailed feedback

    On the event feedback overview page, you can see the average score across all reviews.

     

    image (20).png

    You can also take a closer look at:

    • Individual star ratings - Average event ratings (by star)
    • What people liked
    • What went wrong
    • All events or all reviews

    Scroll down to see a summary of each event's ratings. Click on any rating to review individual feedback responses for that event.

    image (21).png

    Filter all event feedback summaries by:

    • All reviews
    • All reviews with feedback comments
    • Number of stars

    You may also sort ratings by how recently the feedback was submitted or by how highly the event was rated.

    Filing a report

    When viewing All Reviews, click the (three dots) icon to open a dropdown menu.

    Select Report feedback to flag an irrelevant review or a review submitted in bad faith. Learn more about submitting reports.

    Improving my star rating

    The best way to get a higher star rating for your group is to host more events and accrue better reviews. Use the What went wrong section to identify key areas where your events can be improved. The following articles offer tips to address event critiques.

    Reviewing my group's event ratings
  • 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:

    1. Preparing to schedule an event
    2. Filling out event details
    3. Publishing your event
    4. Hosting a successful event

    To get started, visit your group’s homepage and select the red Schedule button.

    Screen_Shot_2021-01-22_at_3.01.35_PM.png

    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:

    1. What is the purpose of this event? (To discuss, to collaborate, to watch, etc?)
    2. Will this event be in person, online, or a hybrid of both styles?
    3. 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 setting event fees.

    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.

    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!

    Creating an event
  • Organizers and Member+ subscribers can access exciting features and benefits, including a glimpse into the kinds of members you’ll meet at upcoming events. Check out the event homepage to see a breakdown like this:

    image__13_.png

    Organizers and Member+ subscribers can see all insights, including:

    • How many members will be attending for the first time
    • The ratio of genders attending
    • How many members are in your age range
    • What members are looking for
    • The interests you share with fellow members

    Those who are not subscribers will only see first-time attendees and your shared interests. If you choose not to make your interests public, you will not see other members’ shared interests.

    These insights are collected from details submitted by members on their account’s Personal Info page, but are not publicly visible on profile pages.

    Finding "Who will be there" at upcoming events
  • Keeping track of your attendees is one of the most crucial tasks when hosting an event. Meetup offers tools to help you easily sort and manage your event attendees.

    iOS/Android apps

    To access your attendee list, follow these steps in the Meetup for Organizers app.

    1. Go to your event homepage.
    2. Tap Going.

    If the event has already ended, the link will say Went instead of Going

    Desktop web

    Alternatively, you may access your attendee list on a desktop or laptop computer by following these steps:

    1. Go to the Meetup event page.
    2. Select Manage, then choose Manage Attendees from the dropdown menu.
    3. Beside a member's name, select the ... icon.
    4. Select Going.

    Viewing your attendees list

    Before your event starts, you can quickly look up any attendee and adjust details of their RSVP. Use the search bar at the top of the list to search for an attendee by name.

    IMG_4090.PNG

    Sorting your attendees list

    You can view a subset of your attendees or reorder your attendees list.

    • Sort attendees alphabetically
    • Filter attendees by host or bringing guests
    • Most recent response - Sort attendees by their latest RSVP date
    • First event - see who has RSVP’d for the first time
    • View answers to an event question

    IMG_4088.PNG

    Tap an attendee’s name to:

    • Mark as Going or Not Going
    • Mark as Paid or Unpaid for ticketed events
    • Edit guest counts
    • Add or remove as host

    Enabling a waitlist

    Set an attendee limit when you publish an event to activate a waitlist. When an attendee RSVPs to an event with full attendance, they’ll be automatically placed on the waitlist. A new tab will be available in the attendee list when someone is placed in the waitlist. In this tab, you’ll be able to view all waitlisted attendees, and add or remove them as needed.

    Learn more about managing your event’s waitlist.

    Managing your attendees before an event

    Before your event begins, you can tap the (three dots) icon in the top righthand corner of your attendees list.

    IMG_4089.PNG

    A pop-up menu will appear where you may:

    • Close or open RSVPs
    • Edit guest limit
    • Edit attendee limit

    In the 24 hours before or after your event, you can keep track of event attendance in real time using the check-in feature.

    Managing your attendees after an event

    If the check-in feature is no longer available, you may still keep track of event attendance.

    iOS/Android apps

    1. Go to the Meetup event page
    2. Select # people went

    Under the Went column:

    • Beside anyone who didn’t show up, select the ... icon
    • Choose Move to 'Didn't go' if they had an excused absence
    • Or choose Flag as 'No show' if they were absent without notifying you

    Under the Didn't Go column:

    • Beside a member’s name, select the ... icon
    • Choose Move to 'Went' if they showed up after all
    • Or Flag as ‘No Show’ if they didn’t give notice
    • To add an attendee who didn’t RSVP, enter their name in the search bar and select the ... beside their name. Choose Move to 'Went'

    Desktop web

    1. Go to the Meetup event page
    2. From Manage, select Manage attendees

    Under the Went column:

    • Beside anyone who didn’t show up, select the ... icon
    • Choose Move to 'Didn't go' if they had an excused absence
    • Or choose Flag as 'No show' if they were absent without notifying you
    • Choose Edit guest count to edit the number of guests brought by an attendee
    • To add an attendee who didn't RSVP, enter their name in the search bar and select the ... besider their name. Choose Move to 'Went'

    Under the Didn't Go column:

    • Beside a member’s name, select the ... icon
    • Choose Move to 'Went' if they showed up after all
    • Or Flag as ‘No Show’ if they didn’t give notice
    Managing my attendees list
  • Meetup offers an integrated experience in the event scheduler, so you can create online events with Zoom.

    Installing Zoom

    The first time you add a Zoom meeting to your online event, you will be prompted to install the Zoom app. Follow these steps to integrate Zoom with your Meetup account.

    1. From your group homepage, click Schedule.
    2. As you fill out the event scheduler form, click the checkbox for "Make this an online event."
    3. Click Connect to Zoom to authorize the installation.

    Screen_Shot_2022-01-03_at_1.26.26_PM.png

    Using Zoom

    You can use the integrated Zoom app in Meetup for the following purposes:

    image__6_.png

    • Creating an online event with Zoom on Meetup. You must already have a Zoom account.
    • Creating a recurring online event with Zoom on Meetup. You must already have a Zoom account.
    • Canceling an online event with Zoom on Meetup.

    Uninstalling Zoom

    If you'd like to remove the Zoom icon from your Meetup event scheduler, follow these steps:

    1. Log into your Zoom account.
    2. Click Advanced, then navigate to the Zoom App Marketplace.
    3. On the top right of the page, click Manage.
    4. On the left side of the page, click Added Apps or search for the Meetup app.
    5. Click the Meetup app, then click Remove.

    If you're still experiencing trouble with using Zoom on Meetup, you may contact Meetup support anytime by submitting a request through our Help Center form.

    Connecting Zoom to your Meetup account
  • In-person events will always be our focus and priority, but we also believe online events have a place on Meetup. We’ve updated our in-person event policy to permit groups to host events online.

    Choosing a video conferencing service

    Meetup now includes the option to add a video conference link to an event instead of a location. We recommend using video conferencing services like Google Hangouts, Zoom, or Jitsi. Learn more about a few popular video conferencing services.

    When creating a repeating online event, make sure your link can be used repeatedly.

    How to create an online event

    Desktop web

    1. From your group homepage, create a new event draft.
    2. Scroll down to the Location section and click Make this an online event.
      Screen_Shot_2020-03-18_at_2.59.21_PM.png
    3. Add a video conferencing link to your online event in the field below. If you encounter an error message, see below.
      Screen_Shot_2020-03-26_at_3.04.52_PM.png
    4. Finish inputting all other details from your event. This includes any optional settings, such as whether your event will repeat.
    5. Click Publish. Your event location will display your video conferencing link.

    Organizer App for iOS / Android 

    1. From your group homepage, tap the + icon on your screen to create an event. 
    2. Tap Event location.
    3. Tap Online to specify your event location and add your video conference link.
    4. Finish inputting all other details from your event. This includes any optional settings, such as whether your event will repeat.
    5. Tap Publish event.

    If you’d like to finish creating your event another time, you may also tap Save as draft.

    Want to connect with top organizers who use Meetup to build thriving communities? Join the Meetup Organizer Community on Discord and learn more about hosting successful online events!

    Troubleshooting a video conferencing link

    If you’re unable to add a video conference link to your online event, make sure your link goes directly to your video conference call, not the service homepage. Don’t include any additional text aside from the link.

    Third-party services disclaimer

    When using the Meetup platform to host an online event, you and your event attendees must comply with any terms and conditions set by the third-party provider of the meeting or video conference services used. Meetup does not provide these meeting or video conference services, is not a party to your agreement with the third-party provider, and will not be liable or responsible for your use of the third-party services.

    Hosting an online event on Meetup
  • When plans change or new details arise, it’s important to keep your members informed. You can edit an event title, description, location, and more from the event page.

    If you edit one event in a series, it will separate from the other events in the series and you won’t be able to make any further changes to that series by editing that event. Learn more about editing a repeating series of events

    To edit an event

    Desktop and mobile web

    1. Select Events.
    2. Find the event you want to edit, and click the Manage drop-down menu.
    3. Select Edit Event.
    4. Make your changes.
    5. Confirm your edits by clicking Save changes.

    Organizer App for iOS/Android

    1. From your group homepage, scroll down to Events and select the event you want to edit.
    2. Tap Manage Event.
    3. Tap Edit event, and Edit this event only.
    4. Make your changes.
    5. Confirm edits by tapping Save & Publish.
    Editing a Meetup event
  • Waitlists are automatically enabled for events that have a set attendee limit and do not have a mandatory event fee. If an event with an attendee limit charges an offline event fee, a waitlist will be enabled. 

    If spots open up, members are automatically RSVPed to the event in the order that they joined the waitlist. Members will receive a notification if they are moved from the waitlist to ‘attending’.

    If a member has RSVPed with guests, they will be skipped on the Waitlist until enough spots open up for both the member and their guests.

    In order to avoid complications caused by automatically charging members' credit cards when they are moved from a waitlist to ‘attending’, it is not possible to set up a waitlist for events that are charging an event fee. 

    If a spot opens up for an event with a mandatory fee, organizers can let members know that a spot has become available by using the Email Members tool.

    In order to enable a waitlist for an event, you’ll need to set an RSVP limit.

    Desktop and mobile web

    1. Create a new event or edit an existing event.
    2. Scroll down to the "Optional Settings" section.
    3. Using the "attendee limit" toggle, set your attendee limit.
    4. Save your event by clicking Publish.

    Organizer App for iOS/Android

    1. Tap on the upcoming event you’d like to set an RSVP for.
    2. Tap Manage event then tap Edit event.
    3. Scroll down to Optional Settings.
    4. Toggle your Attendee Limit on and choose your desired RSVP limit.
    5. Tap Save & Publish.
    Enable a waitlist for a Meetup event
  • On your group homepage, you'll see the average star rating of all of your group's past events. This average rating is currently only visible to Organizers and Leadership Team members. The number in parentheses is how many times a member has rated or shared feedback about your event.

    mceclip0.png

    Organizers and Leadership Team members can click the stars to access an event feedback overview page, which offers more detailed statistics and insights into the reviews attendees submit after each event.

    After an event, members who RSVPed are invited to submit a rating and can choose from a list of follow-up responses. Members who RSVPed but did not attend the event can opt out from leaving feedback.

    Organizers, Leadership Team members, and event hosts can view a summary of feedback shared about specific events, including written reviews. In addition to ratings, get more details about:

    • Show-up results - Check the Meetup for Organizers app for more.
    • Rating breakdown - See how many attendees submitted star ratings.
    • What people had to say - Connect with attendees who submitted feedback.
    • What people liked - Quantify the feedback you've received.
    • Your group info - Compare this event against others you've hosted.
    • Recent events - Navigate to another event's feedback.
    • Organizer resources - Learn how to elevate your attendee's experience.

    image (22).png

    View an event feedback summary

    Desktop and mobile web

    1. Navigate to your group’s homepage.
    2. Go to your Event Feedback Overview page and scroll down to Past events.
    3. Choose a past event.
    4. Select View feedback.

    Ratings__2_.jpg

    Meetup for Organizers app

    1. Navigate to a past event.
    2. Tap the star rating underneath the event title.
    3. The feedback summary page will open in a Mobile Web browser.

    Who can share feedback?

    Members who have RSVPed as attending an event are invited to share feedback after the event has ended. Feedback cannot be edited once it’s submitted.

    If you'd like to reach out to an attendee who left a review, click the three dots "..." icon beneath their review and select Message member from the dropdown menu. You can also report a review that violates our Community Guidelines.

    Learn more about how members share feedback about an event.

    Viewing event feedback from members
  • Once you've scheduled your event and people have RSVP'd, you can download a spreadsheet of your attendees. 

    To download a list of your attendees on desktop and mobile web:

    1. Navigate to the event's page.
    2. Select Organizer tools and choose Manage Attendees.
    3. Open the dropdown menu and choose Attendee details.

    This will download your RSVP list to a spreadsheet document, where you can sort and print their names.

    How do I download/print my event attendee list?
  • A map pin shows the exact location your group is meeting. If you organize outdoors or if Google Maps doesn’t accurately display your event on the map, you can edit your event's map pin.

    Moving the map pin will not change the address in the "Location" section. 

    Moving the map pin

    Desktop and mobile web

    1. From your group’s homepage, select Create event then Create a new event.
    2. Under Location, enter your event address.
    3. To edit the map, choose Edit map pin.
    4. Click and drag the map until the pin is in the right spot.
    5. Choose Save to confirm your edit.

    Organizer App for iOS/Android

    1. From your group homepage, tap the + icon to create an event. 
    2. Tap Event Location, then search or add a location for your event.
    3. Tap Edit on the upper right side of the map.
    4. Drag the map until it is in the right spot.
    5. Tap Save.
    Moveable map pins
  • Get the word out about an upcoming event by sharing it on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

    To share an event on social media:

    Desktop/Mobile Web

    1. Go to the group homepage and click Events.
    2. Open the event you’d like to share. 
    3. On the event homepage, click the Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn buttons to share.
    4. In the new window that appears, add or customize the text before publishing your post. (You may need to disable pop-up blockers.)

    Android App

    1. Navigate to the group homepage.
    2. Under the events section, tap See all events.
    3. Select the event you want to share from the Upcoming or Past tab.
    4. Tap the Share button in the upper right-hand corner.
    5. Choose your preferred sharing method. (You may be prompted to log in to that channel.)

    iOS App

    1. Navigate to the group homepage.
    2. Under the events section, tap See all.
    3. Open the event you want to share from the Upcoming or Past tab.
    4. Tap the Share button in the upper right-hand corner.
    5. Choose your preferred sharing method. (You may be prompted to log in to that channel.)

    Depending on whether the group is public or private, the event link you share may lead to an event page or a group homepage. Learn more about content visibility settings.

    You can also copy the event URL and share it on your preferred social media pages or other platforms, such as WhatsApp or Telegram.

    Sharing an event on social media
  • When you create an event, you can share it with your members right away, or wait to announce it later. Once published, your event will appear on your group calendar and homepage, but your members will not receive a notification until you announce the event.

    Our Community Support specialists walk you through announcing your events in this video:

    How announcements reach your members

    Depending on their account settings, members will receive notifications of varying importance and interest. Because of this, your members may not consistently receive your group's event announcements via email or push notification.

    Every event announcement is always visible in a member's on-site notifications. We're continuously testing ways to promote events to members, and to ensure that the notifications we send are the most impactful and relevant they can be.

    While it may seem counterintuitive to send fewer emails and push notifications to your members, we've learned that fewer and more impactful notifications result in more members RSVPing to your events and fewer members unsubscribing from notifications altogether.

    If your members report that they are not receiving event announcements, they may need to update their email settings or push notification settings. They can also contact Meetup's Community Support team directly.

    Sending the announcement

    After you publish your event, you'll be prompted to announce it to your members. To send an invitation immediately, select Announce it now. Your members will receive a notification on Meetup through various channels like onsite, email, or push.

    You will receive a confirmation email that the event has been scheduled.

    Announcing-event_Meetup.png

    Sending an announcement later

    If you’ve selected Do it later, there is an Announce button on the event page. This reminder will remain at the top of your event homepage until seven days before the event is scheduled to take place.  

    If you don’t make your announcement within seven days of the event, the Announce button on the event will disappear. We’ll automatically send a reminder to your members six days and one day before the event.

    announce-later-event_meetup.png

    Announcing multiple events

    Meetup's announcement notifications are optimized to reach your members and interested people in your area. Some organizers choose to schedule multiple upcoming events and announce them all right away. To maximize delivery of your announcements, we recommend waiting at least fifteen minutes between announcing each upcoming event.

    Automatic event reminders

    Members of your group receive notifications about an upcoming event, in addition to the initial announcement (if you made one).

    • Six days before an event, we’ll send an invitation to members who haven’t RSVPed, encouraging them to do so.
    • One day before an event, we’ll send a reminder to members who have RSVPed 'Yes,' and members who haven't RSVPed yet.

    If your group has scheduled multiple upcoming events, these event reminders may compile each reminder into one notification.

    Tips for successful event announcements

    Want to connect with top organizers who use Meetup to build thriving communities? Join the Meetup Organizer Community on Discord and learn more about when and how to announce your events!

    Announcing your events
  • You have two options when canceling a recurring event:

    1. Cancel one event in the series
    2. Cancel the entire series

    It's not possible to cancel a series of recurring events from the app (iOS and Android). 

    To cancel an entire series of recurring events:

    Desktop & Mobile web instructions

    1. From your group's homepage, select Events
    2. Locate the next event in the series
    3. Select Manage, then click Cancel event
    4. Select Cancel and delete this and all following events
    5. Click Confirm

    Following these steps will completely remove a series of recurring events from your group calendar.

    Canceling a repeating event
  • You have two options when editing a repeating series of events:

    1. Update one event in the series.
    2. Update the entire series.

    If you choose to edit one event in a series, it will become its own standalone event separate from the other events in the series. You won’t be able to make any further changes to the series by editing that event and any updates you make to the series won’t affect that event.

    We recommend editing a series of recurring events from a desktop computer or mobile web browser and not the app (Android & iOS).

    To edit all events in a series

    Desktop & Mobile web instructions

    1. From your group's homepage, Select Events.
    2. Click on the next event in the series.
    3. Click on the Manage drop-down menu, then Edit event
    4. Select Edit this Meetup series, then click Edit.
    5. Make your edits.
    6. Confirm your updates by clicking Save changes

    Organizer App for iOS/Android

    1. From your group homepage, select Events.
    2. Find the repeating event you want to edit, and Tap Manage Event.
    3. Tap Edit event, and Edit this and all of the following.
    4. Make your changes.
    5. Confirm edits by tapping Save changes to all events.
    Editing a repeating event
  • Schedule an event to repeat every week, every two weeks, or every month in the “Optional settings” when you create a new event. Repeating events will all appear on your group’s calendar and the information on the events will be identical aside from their date.

    You can set an end date for the recurring series or choose for the events to repeat indefinitely. Repeating events can be scheduled on Meetup’s desktop and mobile website.

    Screen_Shot_2018-11-16_at_2.51.34_PM.png

    To schedule a repeating event:

    1. From your Meetup group’s homepage, select Create event and then Create a new event.
    2. Toggle Repeat event under “Optional settings”.
      • Select how often the event will repeat, which days of the week it will repeat on, and set an end date.

    For more, watch our Community Support specialists walk you through scheduling a repeating event in this video:

    You can choose to announce the first event in the series to members right away or do it later. Future events in the series are automatically shared with members 6 days and 1 day before each event.

    Troubleshooting a video conferencing link

    If you choose to host your repeating event online, make sure your video conference link can be used repeatedly. For assistance setting up a repeated video conference, please contact your respective video conferencing service.

    Creating a repeating event
  • Even the best-laid plans sometimes don’t pan out like you imagined they would. If you need to cancel an event for any reason, the steps below will guide you through it.

    Desktop/mobile web

    1. Select the Meetup event you want to cancel.
    2. Select Manage and then Cancel Meetup.
    3. Check the box beside Cancel and delete this event.
    4. Click Confirm.

    Organizer app for iOS/Android

    1. From your group homepage, select Events
    2. Tap Manage Event.
    3. Tap Cancel Event.
    4. Tap Confirm.

    Canceling your event will automatically notify your attendees. Canceling an event cannot be undone.

    Canceling an event
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