If you’re marketing live events, concerts or experiences, you’re likely well-versed in social and search advertising. These platforms have been essential for selling tickets, building hype and keeping fans engaged. But as competition and costs rise, it’s time to think beyond the usual channels.

The key? Meeting potential ticket buyers where they are — both physically and mentally — by expanding your reach across the open web with display, video, connected TV (CTV) and audio ads.

The Limits of Social and Search for Ticketing

Social media and search advertising have their place, but they come with challenges, including:

• Rising Costs: Increased competition means higher ad prices, eating into your marketing budget.
   
• Limited Reach: These platforms keep users within their "walled gardens," restricting your ability to engage broader audiences.
   
• Missed Opportunities: Most potential attendees don’t discover events by searching for them — they stumble upon them while browsing the web, watching content or listening to podcasts.

While 60% of time spent in 2025 will be on the open internet, only 21% of advertiser dollars are following that attention. This misalignment creates a prime opportunity for marketers who recognize that they can reach their audience more effectively across the open internet, where there's less competition and potentially greater impact.

Expanding Reach With Open Web Advertising

Traditional social media use is declining for the first time in over a decade, while CTV and other digital formats are capturing more of the audience’s time. It’s essential to take an omnichannel approach that reaches audiences where they are — across smartphones, CTV, gaming consoles, podcasts and more.

Open web advertising helps you connect with potential ticket buyers across multiple channels:

• Display Ads: Keep your event top of mind as users browse news, entertainment sites, and more.
   
• Online Video Advertising: Use engaging storytelling across video platforms to boost awareness beyond YouTube and social feeds.
   
• Connected TV (CTV): Capture attention in a distraction-free environment as viewers stream their favorite shows.
   
• Audio Ads: Reach audiences listening to podcasts or streaming music — perfect for promoting concerts, festivals and theatre events.

Consumers constantly switch between devices and content formats. A strategic omnichannel advertising approach ensures you connect with them at every stage of their journey — from awareness to ticket purchase.

AI-Driven Insights: Build Your Own Custom Audience

One of the biggest advantages of open web advertising is the ability to leverage AI and real-time audience insights to target the right ticket buyers. Advanced AI-powered platforms analyze online behavior and all the factors that influence a person’s decision to purchase, helping you:

• Find Lookalike Audiences: Reach potential attendees who share similar interests with past ticket buyers.
   
• Retarget Interested Audiences: Bring back users who browsed ticket options but didn’t complete their purchase.
   
• Optimize in Real Time: Use AI-driven insights to adjust campaigns on the fly and maximize return on ad spend (ROAS).

With these capabilities, you’re not just casting a wide net — you’re reaching the right people at the right time, making your campaigns more efficient and cost-effective. You can also personalize your messaging to maximize your advertising impact.

Lower Costs, Higher Ticket Sales

Expanding beyond social and search can significantly reduce your customer acquisition costs (CAC) while increasing customer lifetime value (CLV). Diversifying your media mix protects your marketing strategy from shifts in platform algorithms and audience behavior, ensuring you stay ahead of the game.

By meeting consumers where they are — not just on social media but across the entire digital ecosystem — you create stronger, long-lasting connections with your audience and sell more tickets.

Get Started — No Minimum Spend Required

The best part? Adding open web advertising to your marketing mix is simple and flexible. With the Quantcast Advertising Platform, you can launch campaigns across multiple channels — display, video, CTV and audio — without a minimum spend.

Ready to reach new audiences and drive more ticket sales? Discover how Quantcast’s AI-powered solutions can help you future-proof your event marketing strategy.

Learn more on our website.

This article was sponsored by Quantcast.