Event visibility controls whether guests can find or open an event registration page. New CoverCount Events should start hidden so staff can finish setup before the event is visible.
Use visibility intentionally. It is separate from cancellation. Hiding an event stops public access, but it does not automatically cancel existing registrations.
Visibility Options
| Visibility | Public listing | Direct link | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hidden | No | No | Drafts, internal review, events that should stop selling |
| Public | Yes | Yes | Events ready for broad marketing |
| Unlisted | No | Yes | Member presales, invite-only events, soft launches |
Start Hidden
Keep an event hidden while you configure:
- Name and description
- Photos
- Dates and times
- Capacity
- Max tickets per registration
- Price
- Tax, service charge, or gratuity
- Sales cutoff
- Refund cutoff
- Confirmation email and manage-registration behavior
Hidden is the safest default because guests cannot open the public page while setup is incomplete.
Use Public When Marketing Broadly
Publish an event publicly when guests should be able to find it from the venue's public event listing and open the event page directly.
Before switching to public, confirm:
- The event details are guest-ready.
- The event dates and times are correct.
- Capacity is realistic.
- Ticket limits are correct.
- Payment setup is ready for paid events.
- The refund policy is clear.
- The registration flow has been tested.
- Staff know where to view attendees.
Public is best for events you plan to promote from your website, social profiles, email campaigns, Google Business Profile, or other broad channels.
Use Unlisted For Direct-Link Events
Unlisted events do not appear on the public event listing, but guests with the direct link can register.
Use unlisted visibility for:
- Wine club presales
- Member-only tastings
- Invite-only classes
- Partner events
- Internal testing with real staff
- Soft launches before public promotion
Unlisted is not a password. Anyone with the link may be able to open it. Use clear distribution rules if the link is intended for a limited audience.
If the audience limit needs to be enforced rather than implied, use a members-only event instead. A members-only event can stay fully public — guests can find it on the event listing — but only verified wine club members or another tagged guest group can buy tickets, with membership checked automatically at checkout. See Offer member pricing and members-only Events.
Move Back To Hidden When Sales Should Stop
Move an event to hidden when you need to pull public access without cancelling existing registrations.
Examples:
- The team needs to pause sales while checking capacity.
- The event page has incorrect details.
- Payment configuration needs review.
- The event should no longer be sold online but existing attendees remain valid.
If the event itself is cancelled, use the cancellation workflow instead of only hiding it.
For cancellation guidance, see Set sales cutoffs, refund cutoffs, and cancellations.
Share The Right Link
After publishing or unlisting:
- Open the guest link yourself.
- Confirm it goes to the correct event.
- Confirm the correct date options are visible.
- Add UTM parameters if you want to track campaigns.
- Use the same link consistently in email, social, website buttons, and QR codes.
For invite-only or member-only events, send the unlisted link only to the intended audience.
Final Launch Checklist
Before promoting the event:
- Details are clear.
- Photos are polished.
- Dates and times are correct.
- Capacity and ticket limits are correct.
- Pricing and taxes are correct.
- Sales and refund cutoffs match policy.
- Confirmation email is accurate.
- Attendee list is available to staff.
- Test registration is complete, when appropriate.
For a full test pass, see Test an Event before publishing.