How do I organize a meetup, step by step?

Answer four questions in writing:

1. Who is it for? "Junior frontend developers in Lviv" is a meetup; "people interested in tech" is not.
2. Why would they come? Learning, hiring, friends, a specific speaker, a skill share.
3. What is the format? Talks plus networking, a workshop, a panel, a discussion circle, a game night.
4. How often? A one-off or a series. Series build audiences; one-offs rarely do.

These answers drive every later choice: venue size, day of week, timing, and where to promote.

For a recurring meetup with an existing audience, two to three weeks of notice is often enough.

• Capacity: pick a room that fits your expected attendance (not your registrations — expect no-shows at free events).
• Access: near public transport, accessible entrance, clear signage.
• Equipment: projector or screen, microphone for 40+ people, reliable Wi-Fi if you run a live quiz.
• Cost: companies, coworking spaces, universities and cafés often host free in exchange for visibility or for hiring opportunities.
• Safety: in Ukraine, check the nearest shelter and plan what happens during an air-raid alert. If you prefer not to publish the address, share it only with registered guests.

The page should answer, above the fold: what, for whom, when, where, and how to sign up. Then add the agenda, speakers with photos and short bios, and practical details (entry, food, accessibility).

With AET this looks like:

1. Create the event at https://aet.events/en/events; the first AI poster is drawn for free.
2. Add Description, Place, Date and time, Program or Schedule, and Makers (speakers, organizers, sponsors with roles and photos).
3. Add Registration and paid participation with 2–4 fields and QR tickets on.
4. If you run a series, create a calendar so people can subscribe and get notified of the next one.
5. Share the short link and the QR code.

Other tools that work for meetups: Luma (strong free option for free events), Meetup (discovery of your group by strangers, paid organizer plans), and Eventbrite (marketplace reach).

• Partner communities: ask related groups, university clubs and company channels to share. Offer to return the favor.
• Speakers' networks: speakers usually share their own talk; give them a ready post and image.
• Local chats and city listings in your niche.
• Your previous attendees: a subscribable calendar or a community means you do not start from zero each time.
• The poster: most link previews are just the image, so make sure title and date are readable at thumbnail size.

Post more than once: an announcement, a speaker spotlight, and a "last places" reminder.

• Arrive 60 minutes early. Test projector, microphone, Wi-Fi and signage.
• Check people in. Scan QR tickets at the door (in AET: aet.events/qr on any phone) or tick names on a list for very small groups.
• Start on time and have the host introduce the format, the Wi-Fi and the hashtag or chat.
• Mix people: a short icebreaker or a 10-minute quiz on the topic gets strangers talking.
• Keep talks short: 15–25 minutes each, plus Q&A.
• Take photos (ask permission for close-ups) for the follow-up.
• Announce the next date before people leave.

Within 48 hours, send a thank-you with slides, photos and a feedback form (three questions are plenty: overall rating, most valuable part, what to improve). Publish the next date immediately while interest is high. Invite attendees to subscribe to your calendar or join your community — with consent, never by adding them automatically. Track three numbers per event: registrations, attendance, and returning attendees.