ConversionWax Playbook
Event Calendar Proximity Filtering
Automatically filter and prioritize event listings, community news, and local happenings based on visitor's city/region to surface relevant nearby events.
- Effort:
- Medium Effort
- Impact:
- Medium Impact
- Time to Value:
- 2-3 Weeks
- Category:
- Media/Publishing
Tactic Overview
Event calendars and community listings lose value when cluttered with events hundreds of miles away from the reader. By detecting each visitor's location and automatically filtering event listings to show only nearby happenings - or at least prioritizing close events at the top - you transform a generic calendar into a personalized 'what's happening near me' resource that drives higher engagement, ticket sales, and return visits.
Why This Works
Readers browse event calendars with immediate intent: what can I actually attend this weekend? When they see a concert in their city at the top of the list instead of having to scroll past dozens of events in other regions, they're 4-5x more likely to engage. Publishers with geo-filtered event calendars see 60-80% increases in event page views, 40-50% higher click-through to ticket purchase links, and 3-4x more social shares as readers send relevant local events to friends. The calendar becomes a valued resource worth bookmarking rather than a frustrating search experience.
Implementation Steps
Implement visitor location detection
Quick WinUse ConversionWax to detect visitor's city, metro area, and state from their IP address.
Add location data to all events
Medium EffortEnsure every event listing includes structured location data: venue address, city, state, and optionally latitude/longitude for proximity calculations.
Define proximity zones
Medium EffortSet distance thresholds: Show events within 25 miles by default, expand to 50 miles if few local events, allow manual radius selection.
Build location-based filtering
Medium EffortConfigure ConversionWax: If visitor in Chicago, show only events within 25-mile radius of Chicago city center at top of calendar.
Create 'Near You' visual priority
Quick WinAdd badges like 'In Your Area' or distance indicators '3 miles away' to make proximity immediately obvious.
Implement expandable view
Quick WinShow 8-10 nearby events by default, then offer 'Show all regional events' option to expand beyond proximity filter for curious browsers.
Add manual location override
Medium EffortInclude a 'Change location' option for readers who want to browse events in a different city (planning a trip, visiting family).
Create location-aware event categories
Medium EffortFilter category views by location too: 'Live Music Near You', 'Local Food & Drink Events', 'Family Activities in [City]'.
Set up fallback for small markets
Quick WinIf visitor's location has fewer than 3 events in the next 30 days, automatically expand radius to regional level to avoid empty calendars.
Monitor engagement by proximity
Quick WinTrack CTR on events by distance from visitor to optimize proximity thresholds (are 50-mile events too far? Should default be 15 miles?).
Real-World Example
Scenario
A regional lifestyle publisher covering 15 cities implements proximity-filtered event calendars with automatic location detection and distance-based prioritization
Outcome
A reader in Austin sees Austin-area concerts, festivals, and food events at the top of the calendar with distance indicators ('2 miles away', '8 miles away'), while a reader in Dallas sees Dallas events prioritized. Event page views increase 68% as readers no longer have to hunt through irrelevant listings. Click-through to ticket purchase links improves 43% as proximity filtering surfaces events readers can actually attend. Social shares of event listings triple as readers easily find events to share with local friends.
Key Metrics to Track
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Too aggressive proximity filtering
Don't hide all regional events. Some readers will travel 100+ miles for major concerts or festivals - offer radius expansion options.
Empty calendars in small markets
If local area has no events, don't show a blank page. Automatically expand to regional events with clear messaging about broader radius.
Ignoring multi-day events
Festivals and conferences span multiple days/locations. Ensure location matching accounts for multi-venue events and traveling shows.
Quick Reference
Event calendar proximity filtering transforms generic event listings into personalized 'near me' resources by automatically prioritizing events within a defined radius of each visitor's location. Detect visitor location, add structured location data to all events, set proximity thresholds, and filter/sort event displays to surface nearby happenings first.