We’ve been cooking up new ways to promote local businesses and events, and we’re thrilled (exhausted and relieved!) to announce that the Enhanced Listings beta period is officially open.

What are Enhanced Listings?
A new way to make your event or venue listings stand out from basic listings, and benefit from enhanced features and design options.

By upgrading your Basic Listing to an Enhanced Listing, you can:

• Tailor your marketing messages with special offers, news and announcements and promo codes
• Appear prominently in search results with a colorful, highlighted listing
• Increase brand awareness by adding your company logo
• Upload a video ad, commercial, or virtual tour
• Stylize your listing with colorful custom graphics
• Enhance your brand experience by removing advertisements or user reviews

We offer two packages - and Enhanced Detail Page package and a Search Results package. You can also add additional upgrades, such as removing ads and user reviews, or adding custom graphics to the border on your listing.

Here’s an example of an Enhanced Detail Page Package for Sibby’s Cupcakery in San Mateo:

The Search Results Package highlights your listing in search results:

For a limited time (a few weeks, most likely), you can create Enhanced Listings for your business, venue or events - for free! Join the beta now.

And remember…every listing created on Zvents is shared with our growing 250+ Zvents Media Network partners too.

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How one guy is using Zvents to promote his music and support a good cause

Are you a performer, artist or public speaker who wants free publicity for your events? Create a free Performer listing on Zvents. Your listing is the place to tell others about yourself and your upcoming appearances. Here’s how one performer is using Zvents to get the word out about his music and events:

Silverdave, a songwriter/storyteller aka Dave Silverberg, has been performing in Bay Area clubs and cafes for years. Recently, Dave learned about Zvents and created his own Performer listing to reach a wider audience and to help promote an upcoming show. Along with four other local acoustic artists, he is hosting the Second Thought Festival, a benefit concert for suicide prevention.

“A good friend recently lost a friend to suicide, and was understandably feeling depressed. Maybe it could have been prevented, if he could have reached out to someone”, said Dave. “That sparked the idea for the show – we figured, hey, we can help by raising money for a local suicide prevention group. Someone else’s life can be saved.”

Silverdave will perform this Sunday night at Hotel Utah, along with artists Mia & Jonah, Nurse Reagan, and Billy Schafer. All artist proceeds from the event go to the San Francisco Suicide Prevention organization. Thanks Dave, for using Zvents to promote your concert!

Here’s how to get the most out of creating your own Performer listing:

• Sign up for a free Zvents account (if you don’t already have one)
• Add a Performer listing, and make your profile interesting. Add images, related links, and tags.
  • About tags – To help people find you, add tags of common misspellings of your name. If you are known under different names, add those too.
• Add upcoming events – from your Performer page, go to the Tools menu (located in the top left section of the page), and select “New Event for Performer” under the “Performer” section. Enter your event details here.
• Tell your friends, family, and fans about your profile. Ask them to sign up for an RSS feed of your page, so they will get automatic updates when you add new events or update your information. It’s a great way to stay in touch!
• Share your listing through popular social media tools, like Facebook, del.icio.us, Digg and StumbleUpon. Click the “Share” tool on your page to get started.

For ideas on how to create your own Performer listing, check out these for inspiration:

• Seth Godin, Marketing Guru
• Anjelah Johnson, Comedian
• Mebanesville, Acoustic Rock
• Nitidus, Award-winning Hard Rock Band
• The Pocket, Reggae/Alternative Rock Band
• Stephen Sanfilippo, Painter
• Stoney Creek Warriors, Junior Hockey Team
• Slingshot Country Band, yep…a Country Band!

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