Social media has always been about connecting people, including gathering them together for events. Just think of Facebook 10-15 years ago: when you received an event invite, accepted it, and waited for the updates after the occasion. But as the number of platforms grew, event marketing became more challenging.
The post-pandemic changes made social media lead generation even harder. Now, in 2026, businesses have to rely on every available channel, from email marketing and paid Google ads to WhatsApp notifications.
Yet despite this, the average user still spends over 140 minutes a day on socials. Thus, social media marketing is a huge opportunity you shouldn’t miss. One of the most effective ways to tap into this engagement is through pay-per-call lead generation, which encourages users to take immediate action. Today, we’ll break down five proven practical tips for driving event registrations through call-driven social ads.
Understand the Psychology of Last-Minute Decisions
Many people delay decisions until the last possible moment due to biases in time perception. It also applies to registering for events. As a marketer, you need to understand why people often wait until the last minute.
Psychologists explain this behavior with Temporal Motivation Theory (TMT). It suggests that people’s motivation to act increases as a deadline approaches because the perceived “value” of completing the task rises sharply as time runs out.
It’s common for a person to ignore an event registration for weeks, then suddenly book it just a few days before the occasion. So, during your social media lead generation, make it easy for them to act immediately. You can use urgent messaging, show limited spots, and keep the registration process as simple as possible. This way, hesitation turns into a quick phone call.
Determine Where You Want To Post Ads
The foundation of successful social media lead generation is understanding who your audience is on each platform. The same ad rarely works across all socials. Attention, intent, and decision speed vary across networks. Pay-per-call advertising performs best when it matches the platform’s intent and context. When teams overlook this, a budget goes to impressions instead of registrations.
Pay-per-call software makes it easier to adapt your strategy to each platform. You can see which promotions motivate users to take action and scale these advertisements, while modifying underperformers.
Pay-Per-Call Facebook Ads
Facebook remains one of the strongest platforms for social media lead generation, especially for campaigns targeting broad demographics. Speaking of event promotion, it works best with webinars, workshops, local events, or B2C events with a clear value proposition.
Facebook users are typically people over 25 who use the platform to see updates from their friends and stay up to date on local and global news. So, your pay-per-call Facebook ads should leverage strong targeting options based on interests, behaviors, and past engagement.
Make your social media ads mobile-friendly and add click-to-call buttons to reduce any friction. Facebook users are often in “scroll mode”. But urgency, social proof, and limited availability can prompt them to call immediately.
Pay-Per-Call Instagram Ads
Instagram favors events that can be shown rather than explained. If people can understand the value of an event from a single image or short video, the platform works in your favor.
People want to understand how an event brings them closer to the lifestyle they see on Instagram, whether that’s a smart home masterclass, a pottery club, or something else that resonates with their interests.
Urgency performs especially well in Instagram’s short video formats. Instagram’s video marketing, such as Stories and Reels, leaves little time for deliberation, which makes last-chance messaging and limited availability highly effective. A clear click-to-call CTA helps turn that emotional response into immediate action.
Pay-Per-Call LinkedIn Ads
LinkedIn is ideal for high-intent, professional audiences. Users here are more deliberate and more willing to act when the value is clear. LinkedIn social media lead generation suits those promoting B2B conferences, industry-specific events, executive roundtables, and paid workshops.
Here you can target users by their job title, industry, seniority, and company size. Local users are already in their “business decision” mindset, so they are ready to visit an event that benefits their career or improves their skills.
Pay-Per-Call TikTok Ads
TikTok may seem unconventional for pay-per-call advertising, but it can be extremely effective when done right. Here, just like on Instagram, people spend their time chatting with friends and examining inspirational videos. It means you can use native and creator-style content to build trust.
You can also leverage FOMO through urgency-based messaging to convert initial interest into action. The key to successful social media lead generation in TikTok is authenticity. Ads that look too polished or corporate tend to fail. Call-driven TikTok ads should feel spontaneous, direct, and human.
Use Urgency Based on Your Specific Campaign
What motivates users to take action for one event may fall flat for another, so it’s important to choose triggers that match your campaign, audience, and format. That’s why you should always examine your specific situation.
In some cases, a limited-time offer is the strongest motivator, especially when pricing or bonuses are involved. In others, a countdown works better in your pay-per-call advertising by reminding users that the time is running out.
The most effective urgency is based on real limitations. When urgency feels fabricated, users simply ignore the ad, hurting both conversion rates and lead quality.
Collaborate with Influencers
Don’t be afraid to collaborate with influencers. Just look for a niche or local creators. They have a stronger connection with their audience than celebrities do.
For local events, partnering with influencers in the same city helps you make it feel relevant to the crowd. Those who promote niche or professional events can collaborate with industry-specific creators to position the event as extremely valuable and worth attention.
Use Paid Ads
They are a powerful way to amplify your social media lead generation. Organic reach alone rarely generates enough visibility, especially for time-sensitive promotion. Building organic reach may take months, and most affiliates or businesses don’t have the time to do so.
By leveraging paid promo, you can reach high-intent audiences at the best possible moment. That way, you can ensure that your promotion doesn’t get lost in crowded feeds and reaches people while their motivation is still high.
Conclusion
Despite myths, you can successfully drive registrations through pay-per-call advertising on socials. But you need to keep in mind that each platform has its own specifics. Successful TikTok and Instagram lead generation comes from making users feel the event is relevant to them through eye-catching visuals and emotionally-driven storytelling. For Facebook, show proof that others are attending and create a subtle sense of urgency.
LinkedIn users scroll the platform to gain new insights, stay informed about their industry, and connect with other professionals. It means that event marketing should focus on clear value and potential career impact.
When you combine platform-specific messaging, use specialized tools such as pay-per-call tracking software, and implement audience insights, you’ll see how your promotional efforts become even more effective.
