Your Event-Based Organization Should Let People Subscribe to a Public Calendar! Here’s Why (and How)
The other day I was listening to a podcast by MKBHD, and he was talking about his obsession with his organizational tools. Namely, his to-do list app, and his Google calendar. Then he mentioned in passing that his local sanitation department had a Google calendar to which anyone could subscribe. THIS… makes SO MUCH SENSE!
So then I started thinking, why isn’t every local organization doing this? Where I live, someone even created a Google calendar for all the live music events happening in the city. It is fantastic! Anyone can subscribe to it, and when you have a free night or weekend, you just pop open your Google calendar app, select the calendar from your list, and see what’s happening and where. I wish every city would do this, and do it more deliberately.
Imagine, for one second, that you had calendars to which you could subscribe that were categorized by interest. Let’s say, there was one for all the art events, volunteer events, block parties, festivals, etc. You would just open your calendar app, select the thing you’re interested in, and instantly get an up-to-date list of everything and all the information to go with it.
Many of our local organizations use Instagram or Facebook for sharing events. Those are terrible because they require you to log into the app. Instagram is especially worse because the posts are not in chronological order. I can’t tell you how often, I see an exciting event happening in my city, only to find out the post is a day or two old!
With a calendar, however, people check that much more frequently, and they can see upcoming events without the organization having to even post about it! And you don’t even need to use Google’s calendar to subscribe to a Google calendar. You can just use the calendar app on your iPhone!
I don’t know that many people will see this article, BUT this is my call for all local community organizations to create a public Google calendar and share the link with which people can subscribe. I guarantee your future events will have way more people showing up!
I’d love to see this happen with voting/election deadlines, street cleaning, and anything else that I’m somehow supposed to track. Spread the word, share this article with your local organizers, and let’s make this dream a reality!
Here’s how to create a public calendar
Here’s how to create a link to share it
You’re welcome! :)
