This is a guest post written by Dean Ronnie at Conference Care.
When it comes to social media for events, you probably already use Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn but are you using Instagram? If not, there’s no better time to start! Instagram is a great platform for promoting your event, building your brand identity, and increasing your following. Even if you’re already on Instagram, you may not be using it to the best of its ability. Here’s an overview of what to consider when using Instagram for your event.
1. Keep active
Like all social media, the key to Instagram is activity. While you don’t want to spam your followers with constant or irrelevant images, make sure you post regularly, keeping your event fresh in people’s minds before, during and after the big day.
2. Unleash the power of the hashtag
A well-placed hashtag is the key to getting your content seen, so decide on an official hashtag for all the social media for your event and stick with it. Hashtags have the power to link content, so encourage those attending your event to use this hashtag too. This lets you create a diverse, easily accessible catalogue of content that captures your event from all angles. And it’s free!
Be sure to look at trending hashtags as well, but remember: Only use those that are relevant to your event. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself receiving a lot of irrelevant traffic and people might be turned off by your brand.
3. Look at the data
Review your previous posts regularly to identify data trends. Look at the time of day your posts are receiving the most engagement. Look at which trending hashtags are working and which hashtags aren’t. Alter your Instagram strategy accordingly.
4. Tell a story
Use Instagram to tell a story and create an experience for your followers. This should start months before your event begins to help build up excitement leading up to the event and continue until after the event has taken place.
On the day of your event, you should post a steady stream of content, crafting an experience for both those in attendance and for those who weren’t able to be there. By sharing captivating imagery, you will give those not in attendance a taste of what they are missing out on, hopefully persuading them not to miss out again.
Don’t limit the content you share to your own imagery and videos either. Instead, “regram” and showcase content created by your attendees to provide a different angle on your event. (You might consider using the free app Regram rather than doing this manually.)
5. Share elsewhere
In this modern world, no app is an island. Give your Instagram content maximum exposure by sharing posts on Facebook and Twitter. It also makes sense to have an Instagram feed on your website, keeping site visitors updated on the day of the event.
6. Embrace the companion apps
The secret to success with Instagram is not just using the app on its own but using it in conjunction with the various companion apps that are available. Stay tuned to this blog for an upcoming list of apps to make your images stand out from the rest.
Author bio: Working on behalf of Conference Care in the UK, Dean Ronnie writes passionately on the subject of events and in particular, event technology. With a strong interest in technology, Dean is constantly investigating the ways in which technology can transform events and help us further engage our delegates.
