Mastering Event Ticket Sales on WordPress: 4 Simple Strategies for Success

Selling event tickets online is essential for effectively promoting and managing events. Fortunately, WordPress is a robust platform that provides the flexibility and customization options needed to streamline the ticket sales process.

By utilizing various plugins, you can create a seamless ticket booking and purchasing experience for your users. However, many business owners may not be aware of which plugin is most suitable for their specific needs.

Fortunately, we have tested and utilized numerous tools to help you identify the best solution. For instance, you can create an event calendar that allows users to buy tickets for multiple events, or set up a marketplace to sell tickets as digital products.

In this article, we will guide you on how to effectively sell event tickets using WordPress.

Why Choose WordPress for Selling Event Tickets Online?

Selling event tickets online offers convenience for customers, enabling them to purchase tickets anytime and from anywhere. It also allows you to reach a broader audience beyond your local area and access a global market.

WordPress is the ideal platform for starting your online ticket sales, powering over 43% of websites on the internet and offering extensive flexibility.

Customize your ticketing website to reflect your brand and event theme. There are numerous free and affordable WordPress themes and plugins available to help create a seamless ticketing experience for your customers.

WordPress gives you full control over your website, allowing you to easily scale your business to accommodate increasing demand. For more information, check out our guide on how to launch a WordPress website.

Now, let’s explore various methods for selling event tickets online using WordPress. We will discuss several approaches, and you can click the links below to navigate directly to any section:

Method 1: Selling Event Tickets Online with Sugar Calendar (Simple Event Tickets)

The simplest way to sell event tickets online is by using Sugar Calendar. It is the top WordPress calendar plugin that allows you to create an event calendar effortlessly. It provides various customization options and supports Stripe payment gateways.

This approach is ideal for those seeking an easy-to-use event management solution. You can integrate multiple event calendars into your website, allowing users to purchase tickets for their favorite events.

In this tutorial, we will utilize the Pro version of Sugar Calendar, which provides additional features and add-ons. There is also a free Lite version of Sugar Calendar available for selling tickets online.

First, you need to install and activate the Sugar Calendar plugin. If you require assistance, please refer to our guide on installing a WordPress plugin.

Once activated, navigate to Calendar » Settings in the WordPress dashboard and input your license key.

You can locate the license key in your account section or in the purchase confirmation email you received.

After entering the key, click the ‘Verify Key’ button. Once verified, scroll down and click the ‘Save Settings’ button to apply your changes.

Next, switch to the ‘Payments’ tab located at the top.

Sugar Calendar allows you to set the default currency and currency symbol, along with other payment settings.

From this section, you can scroll down to link your Stripe account with Sugar Calendar.

Click the ‘Connect with Stripe’ button and follow the on-screen instructions to link your account.

Next, create an event calendar by navigating to SugarCalendar » Calendars in the WordPress admin dashboard. The plugin automatically adds a default calendar for your site, but you can create a new one if needed.

After that, click the ‘Add Calendar’ button at the top.

On the next screen, you can input the details for your calendar.

For example, start by entering a name for the calendar at the top and choosing a slug. You can also provide a description and select a color.

Once you’ve completed that, click the ‘Add New Calendar’ button at the bottom.

Next, go to SugarCalendar » Add New in the WordPress dashboard to create a new event and add it to the calendar.

First, enter a name for your event at the top. Then, set the duration by specifying the start date, end date, and time.

Next, switch to the ‘Tickets’ tab.

Here, enable the ‘Ticket Sales’ option and enter the price and capacity.

Additionally, Sugar Calendar allows you to create recurring events, specify a location, and include links that direct users to other pages.

After entering the details for your event, be sure to select the calendar you created previously.

Now, click the ‘Publish’ button to make your event live.

Repeat this process to add more events to your calendar for online ticket sales. For more customization options, check out our guide on creating a simple event calendar with Sugar Calendar.

You can easily add a calendar to any post or page using the Sugar Calendar WordPress blocks.

Open the page where you want to insert the calendar, click the ‘+’ icon to add a new block, and search for ‘Sugar Calendar.’ There are two blocks available: Events Calendar and Events List.

Select the ‘Events Calendar’ option to proceed.

You will now see a preview of the calendar in the content editor.

To choose which calendars to display, click the dropdown menu under the ‘Calendars’ option in the block settings on the right.

Next, publish your page or post to make the calendar visible to your visitors.

Finally, visit your website to see the calendar in action along with the events you previously added.

When a visitor clicks on the event in the calendar, they will be directed to a dedicated event page.

On this page, users can easily purchase tickets for the event online.

Method 2: Selling Event Tickets with Easy Digital Downloads (Ideal for Variable Pricing)

If you want to sell event tickets as digital products, Easy Digital Downloads (EDD) is the optimal choice. It is one of the leading eCommerce platforms for selling digital items such as ebooks, software, photos, videos, printables, and more.

There are other eCommerce platforms available, like WooCommerce. However, if you only need to sell one or two types of digital products, using WordPress with Easy Digital Downloads is a simpler option.

We also utilize Easy Digital Downloads to manage and sell some of our most popular WordPress plugins, including WPForms and MonsterInsights.

If you are just getting started, you may want to check out our guide on selling digital downloads on WordPress.

First, you need to install and activate the Easy Digital Downloads plugin. For detailed instructions, please refer to our guide on installing a WordPress plugin.

After activation, navigate to the Downloads Settings in the WordPress admin area. Under the ‘General’ tab, you can enter your license key.

Next, navigate to the ‘Payments’ tab located at the top.

In theGatewaysection, you can choose from various payment gateways to integrate with your WordPress site, including options like Stripe and PayPal.

To set up each payment service, click on the subtabs under the Payments section.

For instance, to configure Stripe, click on the ‘Stripe’ subtab. Then, simply click the ‘Connect with Stripe’ button and follow the on-screen instructions to link your account.

Once you have connected your payment services, you are ready to create a digital product and start selling event tickets.

Simply go toDownloadsin the WordPress dashboard and click the ‘Add New’ button at the top.

Next, enter a title for your digital product related to event tickets.

You also have the option to provide a description for your product.

After that, scroll down to choose the product type. The available options include single product, bundle, or service. You can keep the Product Type Options set to ‘Single Product.’

Next, you’ll need to determine the price for your event ticket. EED allows you to set both variable and fixed pricing. Variable pricing is ideal if you offer tickets in different categories, such as various concert seats or VIP access.

To offer various pricing options, simply enable the ‘Variable Pricing’ feature and enter the name and price for each plan.

After setting up all the pricing options, make sure to select a default option. This will be automatically chosen when customers visit the product page. Just click the ‘Default’ option next to the pricing plan.

You will also discover additional features provided by EDD, such as uploading downloadable files, adding custom fields, setting a refund policy, and more. For this tutorial, we will keep these settings at their default values.

Next, set a featured image for your event ticket by clicking the ‘Set Download Image’ option in the right panel. You can either upload a new image to the media library or select an existing one.

Once you have completed these steps, proceed to publish your digital product.

You can now visit your Easy Digital Downloads store to see your event ticket available for purchase.

Method 3: Sell Event Tickets with WP Simple Pay (Buy Now Button)

Another effective method for selling event tickets online in WordPress is by using WP Simple Pay. This option is ideal for those who prefer not to implement a complex eCommerce checkout system on their site.

Imagine you run a blog focused on the latest entertainment events. With WP Simple Pay, you can easily add a ‘Buy Now’ button to your site, allowing you to sell event tickets directly.

WP Simple Pay enables you to accept both one-time and recurring payments. It supports over 13 payment methods, including debit and credit cards, ACH debit, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Venmo, and more.

In this tutorial, we will be using the Pro version of WP Simple Pay, which provides additional payment options. However, you can also start for free with the Lite version of WP Simple Pay.

To begin, you need to install and activate the WP Simple Pay plugin. If you require assistance, please refer to our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Once activated, a setup wizard will appear. Click the ‘Let’s Get Started’ button and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup process.

After setting up WP Simple Pay, you can create a new payment form.

The final step of the setup will automatically direct you to the form template page. Alternatively, you can navigate toWP Simple Pay » Add Newin your WordPress dashboard.

Next, you can choose from a selection of pre-built templates for your payment form. For this tutorial, we will select the ‘Payment Button’ template.

You will now see the General settings for your payment form. Here, you can modify the title, add a description, and enable CAPTCHA for security.

Next, navigate to the ‘Payment’ tab.

In this section, enter the price for your event ticket and choose whether it will be a one-time payment or a subscription.

Scroll down to explore various payment methods available, including credit card, ACH direct debit, Alipay, Klarna, and more.

Select the payment gateways you wish to offer to your visitors.

Then, proceed to the ‘Form Fields’ tab to personalize your form.

By default, WP Simple Pay will include fields based on your chosen template. You can use the ‘Form Fields’ dropdown menu to add additional fields and edit the titles of existing ones.

WP Simple Pay also provides options for creating a dedicated payment page, displaying messages on the confirmation page, and customizing email notification settings.

Once you have finished editing the payment form, click the ‘Publish’ button to save your changes.

Finally, you can place the payment form anywhere on your website to start selling event tickets online.

To start, either edit an existing page or create a new one on your site. In the content editor, click the ‘+’ button to add a WP Simple Pay block, then choose your payment form from the dropdown list.

Once you have added the payment form, proceed to publish your page.

You can now navigate to your website to view the payment button that allows users to purchase event tickets.

Method 4: Selling Event Tickets Online with WPForms (Ticket Booking Form)

If you aim to create a seamless ticket booking and purchasing experience, WPForms is an excellent choice. This method is ideal for users who want to display a ticket booking form on their website.

WPForms is the top WordPress contact form plugin, featuring a specialized template for booking event tickets. It also integrates effortlessly with various payment platforms, including Stripe, PayPal, Authorize.net, and more.

Please note that you will need the WPForms Pro version to utilize payment services and coupon add-ons. While there is a WPForms Lite version available, it does not support payment integrations.

First, install and activate the WPForms plugin. If you need assistance, please refer to our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

After activation, you can navigate toWPForms » SettingsLog in to your WordPress dashboard and input your license key, which you can easily locate in your account settings.

Next, navigate to WPForms » Addons and select your desired payment gateway for installation.

For instance, if you wish to use Stripe for payments, simply click the ‘Install Addon’ button.

Additionally, you will need to install the ‘Coupons’ addon to access more form templates.

Just go to the Coupons section and click the ‘Install Addon’ button.

Once the addon is activated, you must link your account with WPForms.

To do this, visit the WPForms » Settings page and select the ‘Payments’ tab. Then, click the ‘Connect with Stripe’ button and follow the on-screen instructions to link your account.

Now, you can create a new form to sell event tickets on your website.

First, go to WPForms » All Forms in the WordPress dashboard and click the ‘+ Add New’ button.

After that, WPForms will display a variety of prebuilt form templates.

You can use the search bar to find the ‘Ticket Booking Form’ template. Simply hover over it and click the ‘Use Template’ button.

You will now see the WPForms drag-and-drop form builder with the template already loaded.

You can easily add new form fields by dragging them from the menu on the left onto the template. This includes standard fields like checkboxes and advanced fields like phone numbers.

To edit an existing field on the template, simply click on it to access the editing options.

For example, if you want to update the ticket names and prices, click on the Type of Ticket form field, and additional options will appear in the left panel.

Next, navigate to the ‘Settings’ tab in the left menu.

In this section, you will find various options. Under the General tab, you can modify the form name, add a description, include tags, change the submit button text, and more.

Then, switch to the ‘Confirmations’ tab.

Here, you can choose how to display a message or page, or redirect users to a specific URL after they submit the form.

Next, go to the ‘Payments’ tab in the left panel.

In the Stripe tab, make sure the ‘Enable one-time payments’ option is activated.

Explore additional settings you can customize. For more information, check out our comprehensive guide on adding a contact form in WordPress.

Once your form is complete, remember to click the ‘Save’ button at the top to ensure your changes are recorded.

After saving, click the ‘Embed’ button to integrate your form into your website.

A popup window will appear, prompting you to choose how you want to embed your form.

You can either select from existing pages or opt to create a new page. For this tutorial, we will choose the ‘Create New Page’ option.

Next, you will need to provide a name for your new page.

Once you’ve entered the name, simply click the ‘Let’s Go’ button.

You will now see a preview of the form within the content editor.

Publish your page to make your form live. Then, visit your website to see your form in action.

We hope this article has guided you in selling event tickets using WordPress. You may also want to check out our guide on easily creating a coupon site in WordPress and discover the best online community platforms.

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