You’ve got a killer idea for a webinar, a virtual workshop, or maybe a high-stakes digital summit. The speakers are booked. Your slide deck looks incredible. But then you hit the wall: how do you actually sell tickets for your online event without losing 30% of your revenue to "service fees" or dealing with a checkout process that feels like a 1990s tax form? It’s frustrating.
Honestly, the landscape has changed.
A few years ago, you could just throw up a Zoom link and a PayPal button. People were more patient then. Now? If your registration page takes more than three seconds to load or asks for a home address to sell a digital PDF, they're gone. People are flighty. They want speed. They want a "one-click" experience that feels like buying a pair of socks on Amazon. If you don't provide that, you aren't just losing sales; you're losing your reputation before the event even starts.
The Reality of Platform Fees and Where Your Money Goes
Let's talk about the elephant in the room: the "free" platforms. They aren't free.
When you look at big names like Eventbrite, you’re looking at a fee structure that can eat your lunch. For a paid ticket, they might take a flat fee plus a percentage. It adds up fast. If you’re selling a $100 ticket and the platform takes $5 plus 3.5%, and then your payment processor (like Stripe or PayPal) takes another 2.9% plus $0.30... well, do the math. You aren't taking home $100. You're taking home closer to $88.
That $12 difference is your marketing budget. It's your profit.
I’ve seen organizers switch to self-hosted solutions like WooCommerce or MemberPress just to keep that margin. It’s more work upfront. You have to manage the security, the database, and the email triggers. But for a high-volume event, it's the difference between a profitable quarter and a "learning experience."
Why Choice Architecture Matters
People get overwhelmed by too many options. I’ve seen events offer "Early Bird," "Super Early Bird," "VIP," "Group Rate," and "Alumni Discount" all on one page.
Stop it.
You’re killing your conversion rate. Stick to three tiers. Max.
- Standard: Just the event.
- VIP: Event + recordings + a 30-minute Q&A.
- The Team Pass: Buy 5, get 1 free.
The psychological "center-stage effect" suggests most people will pick the middle option anyway. Use that. Highlight the VIP tier. Make it the default selection.
The Tech Stack: Don't Overcomplicate It
You need three things to sell tickets for your online event effectively. Just three.
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- A landing page that doesn't suck.
- A secure payment gateway.
- An automated delivery system for the "Join" link.
If you’re using a platform like Luma or Tito, these are bundled. If you’re going the DIY route, you might use Elementor for the page, Stripe for the money, and Zapier to connect it all to your email provider (ConvertKit, Mailchimp, whatever).
Be careful with Zapier. It’s a "silent killer" of budgets. If you have 2,000 people register, and each registration triggers three Zaps, you’re suddenly in a higher pricing tier. Check if your platform has "native integrations" first. It’ll save you a headache when the invoice hits next month.
Security and Fraud: The Unspoken Nightmare
Nobody talks about the "card testers."
Bad actors use ticket checkout pages to test stolen credit card numbers because the transaction amounts are often small and go through quickly. If you don't have CAPTCHA or "Radar" (Stripe’s fraud tool) turned on, you could wake up to 5,000 fake transactions and a $15,000 bill in chargeback fees.
It happened to a colleague of mine last year. Their account was frozen for three weeks right during the peak of their launch. Total disaster. Turn on the security features even if they add a tiny bit of friction. A slightly annoyed customer is better than a bankrupt business.
Marketing Is Not Just Posting on LinkedIn
You can’t just "post and pray." The algorithm hates you.
To actually sell tickets for your online event, you need to treat the "Pre-Settle" period like a movie launch.
Start with a "Waitlist." This is crucial. Before the tickets even go on sale, get people to opt-in for an "early notification." This builds tension. It also gives you a warm audience to email the second the doors open.
When you do launch, use scarcity. Not fake scarcity—people can smell that a mile away—but real, time-bound incentives. "Price goes up Friday." Period. Don't extend it. If you extend it, you teach your audience that your deadlines are fake. They’ll wait until the last minute next time, and you’ll spend the whole week stressed out about low numbers.
The Power of Micro-Influencers
Stop trying to get the "Big Names" to share your event. They won't. Or they'll charge you $5k for a single tweet.
Look for the "Micro-Experts." The people with 2,000 deeply engaged followers in a specific niche. Give them an affiliate link. Offer them 20% or 30% of every ticket they sell. It’s pure profit for them and zero risk for you. You only pay when you make a sale. This is how the most successful online summits scale. They don't have a massive ad spend; they have an army of 50 small partners.
The "After-Sales" Gap
What happens the moment they click "Buy"?
Usually, they get a boring receipt. That’s a missed opportunity.
The moment someone buys a ticket to your event, their "Buyer’s Remorse" kicks in. They wonder if they actually need this. They wonder if they should have spent that $97 on something else.
Kill that feeling immediately. Send them a "Welcome Video." Give them a "Quick Win" PDF they can use right now. Make them feel like they already got their money's worth before the event even starts. This also drastically reduces your refund rate. If they feel like they’ve already "started" the event, they won’t ask for their money back.
Tactical Next Steps
If you’re ready to move, don't get stuck in "research mode." It's a trap.
First, calculate your break-even point. Figure out exactly how many tickets you need to sell to cover your platform fees, your Zoom/StreamYard subscription, and your time. If that number feels impossible, raise your ticket price. Most people undercharge.
Second, test your checkout flow on a mobile phone. Not on your fancy 27-inch iMac. Most people will find your event through a social media app. If the "Buy Now" button is hidden behind a pop-up or requires a tiny checkbox that’s impossible to click with a thumb, you’re losing 50% of your mobile traffic.
Third, set up your "Abandoned Cart" sequence. If someone gets to the checkout and leaves, email them an hour later. Ask if they had a technical issue. Don't offer a discount yet—that looks desperate. Just offer help. You’ll be surprised how many people just got distracted by a phone call and forgot to finish the transaction.
Finally, verify your email authentication (DKIM/SPF). If your ticket confirmation emails go to the spam folder, your support inbox will explode with "Where is my link?" messages an hour before the event. Use a tool like Mail-Tester to make sure you're actually reaching the inbox.
Getting this right isn't about being a tech genius. It’s about removing the friction between your audience and the value you're providing. Set the system up once, test it until it breaks, and then get back to the actual work of hosting an incredible event.