Eventbrite + Facebook: Missed Connection?

A couple weeks ago I wrote about Eventbrite’s new partnership with Facebook and the integration of Eventbrite in Facebook’s event module. Perhaps it’s proof that I’m on Facebook too often — hey, it’s part of my job 😉 — but I tend to notice little design changes and UI tweaks before they are official. Either that or they’re just using me as an unknowing tester since I’m a willing loudmouth always willing to take the Beta.

I just went to set up an event and visited facebook.eventbrite.com, and this is what I found:

missed connection facebook eventbrite

Missed connection? Bad match? Most likely a rushed launch resulting in too much confusion. At least they’ll email me. EMAIL ME! About as far as a Facebook relationship as one can get. But, c’mon! I’ve got an event to post and I’m gonna post it up now…

Facebook Goes Live with Eventbrite Integration

Facebook Eventbrite Partnership Goes Live on Event Pages

I Just noticed this for the first time moments ago — the first fruits of the Facebook / Eventbrite partnership that was sealed last month. I believe this is somewhat of a first for Facebook — actually marrying an exclusive partner into enabling event payments. It sure seems to be part of an ongoing trend — Facebook began taking PayPal payments in mid-February. Why not just incorporate PayPal into Facebook events? It probably wouldn’t be as messy as the Eventbrite link-up is, at least at launch. For months Eventbrite has leveraged Facebook Connect and users’ propensity for cross-posting about events they had RSVP’d for — one of the more effective uses of Connect, to bolster paid registration by maintaining a presence on users’ Facebook News Feeds. If nothing else this proves Eventbrite to be a winner in the who-will-be-the-next eVite.com sweepstakes.

Upcoming Facebook changes will remove this box. Save your music!

Music No More?

But is this just a test? Is it just a partnership or a precursor to acquisition? Will we see gold coins? Remember, Facebook once co-opted iLike and renamed the iLike app THE “Music” app. iLike was later acquired by MySpace (last August) and now the iLike-powered music app is about to vanish from everyone’s Facebook wall.

Music no more?

It is also now impossible to feature photos and videos in an event post — another sign that Facebook is looking to focus on paid event implementation. Any photos I post as an admin show up on the wall but they will not appear by default as new comments take precedence. Let’s walk through the Eventbrite + Facebook process. It’s not at all intuitive from either the event host or user point of view and in fact, it isn’t truly implemented into Facebook — it’s little more than a link to Eventbrite.

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