Instagram is a great social media platform for event promotion. As of 2016, Instagram has an estimated 400 million active users around the globe. With such large numbers, it only makes sense to leverage the site for getting the word out about your event. Here’s a few tips to help you get started.
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Show people a sneak peak of the venue. Let them see what the interior and exterior looks like, so they have an inkling of the type of atmosphere to expect. Want to know how to find the perfect venue? Why not leave it up to an audience vote?
Upload photos of each potential venue on Instagram and let followers decide which one would make the best location. The event, after all, is for them, so why not let them have a voice over where it should be held?
Finally, remember that you can also upload brief videos. If you get the chance to walk through the facility, then film the place while you’re touring the area. Don’t forget to add a brief description of each venue, making a note of any highlights worth mentioning, such as a comment on the architecture or outdoor area.
Does your event have speakers or sponsors? Make sure to tag them and ask them to share your posts to their audiences.
Social media contests are always a great way to drum up hype and create consumer engagement through friendly competition. Instagram contests are fairly simple.
Here’s an idea: have participants post selfies while holding up the event ticket, which should have your company’s logo. Be sure they also include the event hashtag. From there, select a winner at random and award that participant a prize, such as a free upgrade to a VIP pass. This is more publicity for you as your event and company will be seen by your participants’ followers.
The pic on the right is an excellent example from the beer company Flying Dog Brewery. The contest has contestants posing with the product in a creative way.
Here’s a full in-depth guide for hosting an Instagram contest and acquiring as many participants as possible. By promoting the contest, you are also subsequently promoting your company and event, so try to squeeze in at least one social media contest for every event.
When you post is just as important as what you post. You have to be strategic about the timing. According to the latest algorithms, 5:00 pm Eastern is the best time for posting. This seems to make sense given that most people are getting off work and want to browse for updated photos as they unwind after clocking out. 2:00 am Eastern is also a very good time, though it’s not certain why this is. Perhaps browsing Instagram is what insomniacs do when their circadian rhythm is off. As far as the days go, Wednesday is the best day of the week for posting, but just by a narrow margin.
With this in mind, try to have at least two or three event-related photos to post during the listed times. Also keep in mind that 5:00 pm and 2:00 am are more or less the general average. The optimal time actually fluctuates depending on the day of the week. Refer to the link above for a breakdown of the best times for each day.
Inevitably, there will be followers that just won’t be able to attend. Don’t leave these people out. Use Instagram to provide an update of what’s going on. People often do this using Twitter, but images tell so much more than a 140-character tweet.
Don’t just upload a random clutter of meaningless images. Make each post count. Good event photos to upload include:
Be sure to add a short description to explain what’s going on in each photo.
