How to sell event tickets on your website
There are hundreds of things to consider when organizing an event, and event ticketing is one of those things that should be easy to sort out. But which ticketing platform is best for your event? And why are the total fees for third-party ticketing platforms so high?
This article will guide you through selling event tickets from your website using an embedded checkout form. No technical knowledge is required as the whole process is no-code and easy to follow.
In order to sell tickets on your website, we'll cover:
- Ticketing platforms and fees
- Benefits of selling tickets on your website
- How to create a checkout form to sell tickets
- Embedding the checkout form into your site or landing page
We'll also discuss the benefits of selling tickets on your website and share some tips on increasing ticket sales. Don't miss out on the opportunity to offer a customized customer experience while saving money on fees—start selling tickets on your own website today!
Sell tickets online for your event
In today's digital era, customers are increasingly relying on online platforms such as social media, advertisements, and word-of-mouth to discover and engage with events. They expect a seamless experience, where they can easily access detailed information about the event and conveniently purchase tickets in one centralized place.
Whether your event is online, in-person, or hybrid, selling tickets and collecting payment online is crucial to its success. It makes much more sense for organizers to be able to track ticket sales ahead of time and adjust marketing and promotional strategies accordingly.
As an event organizer, your options are plentiful - there are over 330 online ticketing platforms to choose from, each with its own service fees, platform fees, and per-ticket commission fees. Most platforms lack transparency on the total amount of fees you or your attendees will pay, and the total fees are only clear after payouts are calculated.
Here's why the fees are so high:
Selling event tickets on your website is one way to save money on third-party ticketing fees. If you're an event organizer who wants more control over the ticket-selling process, this guide is for you. With online ticket sales gaining momentum, it's now one of the best ways to collect payments from attendees. By selling tickets directly from your own website, you'll have complete control over the whole process, including branding, look and feel, data collection, and registration.
Why not use Eventbrite or other ticketing platforms to sell tickets?
It depends on whether the fees are worth the features and level of customization you need as an event organizer. Ticketing platforms like Eventbrite provide event organizers with a comprehensive solution to manage ticket sales, promote events, and streamline operations.
Some platforms may offer lower fees or advanced features, while others may be more user-friendly or better suited for certain types of events. We won’t be discussing the platforms in depth here, but the most common complaint we hear is that most small event organizers don’t need 80% of the features available on ticketing platforms.
Eventbrite charges 8%+, you guys charge 2%. It’s a no-brainer
4 benefits of selling tickets on your website
If you're planning to sell event tickets online on a ticketing platform, you can also sell directly on your website or from a landing page! Here are some good reasons to do so:
1. Low/no fees
The less you pay in fees, the more revenue you earn from the event. Calculating how much fees you will be paying for ticket sales is an important part of event planning and budgeting. When there are per-ticket fees and service fees, the more you sell (or the pricier it is), the more the platform takes from you.
2. Increased traffic to your website
One of the most significant advantages is an increase in traffic to your site which would lead to greater visibility and brand awareness for your target audiences. You'll be able to track page view trends as well as engage with visitors more intimately than a stand-alone event page with a fixed template.
3. Customizable customer experience
On a ticketing platform's event page, every event looks similar. The platform’s branding will be most prominent, making it more challenging to differentiate yourself from other event creators. Using your website lets you tailor when and where attendees see ticket sales. You get to choose if you want to place ticket sales on landing pages or specific parts of your sales funnel.
4. Full ownership of customer data
When you sell on ticketing platforms, they tend to own the customer data for transactions conducted there. Platforms collect a lot of personal information from customers but these are not always shared with organisers. If privacy is a concern to you, or if you want to sell tickets quickly, then you can control this experience by selling directly on your own website.
How to sell event tickets on your website (or landing page)
Now, we'll move on to how to sell tickets for your event easily with a checkout form. To embed the checkout form, you will need a Checkout Page account and admin access to your website.
Step 1: Create an online ticket checkout form
Choose from ready-made templates or start from scratch by clicking on 'Create Page' from the dashboard.
Select 'Checkout', and provide the event name under 'Product Title'. Include a base pricing (you can add ticket options and variants at a later stage), then select 'Continue ->'.
Step 2: Choose checkout type
Now select 'Hosted page' if you are selling through a link, social media, email marketing, or anywhere else. This means the checkout or payment page is standalone and lives on the checkoutpage.co domain.
'Add to site' is for you to embed forms or checkouts directly onto a web page or as part of a landing page.
Choose a layout (center, double, or split) and select 'Create Checkout ->'.
Step 3: Add event details and images
Under the 'Description' tab, add a write-up about your event. Include the date, timing, what your event is about, who it is for, and any important details that potential attendees should be aware of.
💡 Pro tip: Adding clear information about the event instills trust in potential attendees. Click 'Save' to see a preview!
Add high-quality images under the 'Image gallery' to generate interest and liven up the event ticketing page.
Step 4: Ticket pricing & type
There are several types of tickets that Checkout Page supports:
(1) General admission (GA)
(2) Multi-day tickets
(3) Season passes /subscriptions
(4) Group/bulk
(5) VIP
(6) QR codes
Use the 'Variants' tab to add ticket tiers and types. Leave the variant price empty if there is no additional cost on top of the base price. Scroll down further to select 'Manage Stock' under settings to toggle the stock field. Input the maximum quantity available for ticket sales for your event.
Step 5: Discount codes (optional)
If you offer discounts or promo codes, enable the discount code field on the checkout form. You can create the codes at any time: Learn how to create discount codes (or coupon code).
Step 6: Online payment options
Decide which payment methods you will accept under the 'Checkout' tab → 'Payment methods'.
Step 7: Embed the ticket order/payment form on your website
Remember to click the orange 'Save' button after each change!
Now that your checkout is created, you can also embed it within sales funnels or anywhere on your website. We have instructions on how to embed checkouts for the following CMS and landing page builders. If your CMS is not listed or if you need help, use our live chat button to speak to us.
Sell tickets on Unbounce with smart builder | Unbounce classic builder
💡 Pro tip: You can share the form URL on social media, email marketing emails, or through direct messages.
Tips to increase ticket sales
- Special offers: early bird tickets or limited-time promotions can be a great way to incentivize potential attendees and drive more ticket sales for your events
- Use social media and email marketing: reach more people when promoting your event across a few touch points
- Mobile-friendliness: event ticket sales should be easy to navigate on small screens, with detailed information about the event, location, date, and time.
- Fast checkout: keep the checkout process simple - the quicker it is for attendees to buy tickets, the more likely they will do so
- Offer group or referral discounts: consider offering bulk discounts. Also, word-of-mouth tends to be more effective than advertisements
Summary
Selling event tickets directly from your website can be a game-changer for your event. You save on ticketing fees and have full control over a customized experience for ticket buyers. In just a few steps, you can start selling tickets on your website and landing pages. Let us know if you need help setting this up—we're happy to hear from you and help you make the switch!
FAQs about selling tickets on your website
What types of events can be sold through your own website?
In-person, online, and hybrid events, such as concerts, festivals, conferences, online events, free events, music events, gigs, venues, classes, training, corporate events, retreats, camps, and workshops, can be sold.
How much does it cost to sell tickets on my website?
The cost of selling tickets on your website varies depending on the platform and payment processor fees. Selling directly usually saves you money, as you pay less fees compared to third-party ticketing sites.
How do I sell donation-based tickets (pay-what-you-want pricing)?
Choose a platform that supports PWYW (pay-what-you-want) or donation-based ticket pricing, such as Checkout Page. When setting up your ticket payment form/checkout page, go to 'Details' -> 'Pricing' -> select 'Pay what you want.'
Some organizers use this for regular meetups, wellness sessions/groups, charity, fundraisers, and small events.
Read more: How to accept donation payments with Checkout Page.
Does Checkout Page support fixed-seating tickets?
Checkout Page does not have a seating chart and may not suffice for events with assigned individual seating. If you're hosting a concert with seating arrangements, you might need more ticketing features that only a full-service ticketing platform provides.
Can I sell on a ticketing platform and my own website too?
Yes, this hybrid method is recommended for event organizers who want to take advantage of the event discovery and promotion features that some ticketing platforms offer, while saving on fees.
When will I get paid for the tickets?
With direct selling, you will receive your payout from the payment processor without a middleman. On average, Stripe credit card processing takes about 48-72 hours after each transaction/ticket order. Most ticketing platforms hold the monies for a while longer, so you'll only receive payouts after a few days or weeks.
What is Stripe and why do I need a Stripe account?
Stripe enables businesses to collect and receive payments online. If you want to sell event tickets directly on your website using Checkout Page's checkout forms, you'll need a Stripe account to get paid directly. You'll set this up when you create an account before you move on to creating a checkout form to sell tickets online.
Why Stripe? It's secure, competitively priced, and supports multiple currencies for international transactions. It's a quick one-time setup, so don't worry if you don't have a Stripe account yet!
