A 9-Step Guide Event Marketers Must Use to Promote Through Instagram Stories
Event marketers can attract audiences and make an upcoming event a success only if they promote it properly. Earlier, event organizers used to market their events through flyers, billboards, and hoardings. Then came the power of the internet, which event marketers used to spread the word through emails and other online means. However, new-age marketing professionals know how promotion through social media can effectively promote an event and attract audiences to it.
One of the most effective platforms to promote an event through social media is Instagram. Let’s see why and how to promote an event through Instagram stories.
Why Instagram Stories?
The primary reason why Instagram Stories are so successful in marketing is that people want to hear, see, and learn, but they have limited time. Instagram Stories are 15-second videos that automatically disappear within 24 hours of posting. When active users log in to their app, they see these stories on top of their page rather than in the feed that goes down with time. These are concise and fast ways of delivering the target message and attracting the audience's attention. Since Instagram has a user base of over one billion active people, it has excellent marketing potential.
Stepwise Guide to Promote an Event on Instagram Stories
Whether planning for a conference, theatre event, or a fashion show, promoting it on Instagram Stories will be a visually striking marketing medium. Here is a 9-Step Guide to do that successfully:
1. Plan the Marketing Campaign in Advance
The timing of the marketing campaign is crucial to an event. Starting promotions early and announcing the event dates in advance can effectively attract more visitors. It's vital to consider the audience’s needs while planning the marketing campaign on Instagram Stories, including the number of stories to be posted, their design, the ideal date and time to post them, and the information covered in them.
2. Include Key Information
Instagram Stories can successfully drive attendance if done right. That is why it is crucial to post a clear and strong description of the event in the Stories. Try to give maximum information about the event, including the place, date, time, speaker, and attractions. Try to be brief since Instagram Stories give only 15 seconds to grab the viewers' attention. After this short time, they are automatically scrolled to the next Story. So, create interesting stories to capture potential attendees.
3. Use Event Hashtags
Hashtags are the easiest way to spread reach on social media. When users look for a particular subject matter, they search on Instagram using hashtags. When they use the hashtags, the event posts containing those hashtags appear in the search results. Use a combination of different hashtag types to cover all the bases:
- Branded hashtags specific to the event
- Industry hashtags used widely across the client or industry type
- Niche hashtags for the target audience
- Content hashtags directly related to the intended communication
Ensure that the hashtags are kept simple, short, and memorable to grab the audience's attention.
4. Tag the Artists
Some big names might be involved in the event. Why not use their popularity to cushion your own? Tag any artists, keynote speakers, sponsors, brand ambassadors, and influencers in the Instagram Stories to be posted. Select some influencers who the audience might be interested in and who have a huge Instagram following. Asking them to share the event posts and stories can amplify the event marketing success to the audiences.
5. Create a Poll
Instagram allows running quick surveys that event marketers can use to grab the audience's pulse. For instance, if there is confusion about selecting the event venue, the event marketer can ask the audience their views. Doing this will not only warm up the audience and make them a part of the event but also prepare them for what to expect. Therefore, polls are a nicer way to interact with people and keep them interested in upcoming events.
6. Prepare Eye-Catching Visuals
While promoting an event, posting the right visuals is crucial, as they help grab their attention and make them interested. Select the right images that illustrate the event, then make use of appropriate keywords, brand logos, and hashtags to spread the word. Don’t forget to tag the right people to promote the event. Try to stick to the same style, format, and colors while creating Instagram Stories for a particular event.
7. Go Live
Going Live on Instagram is a quick way to connect with the audience for free. Ask questions, take interviews, announce events, and conduct Q&A sessions to get the best results. These sessions successfully create hype among the audience, and it's worth it to later post their highlights on the Instagram stories.
8. Make Good Use of Instagram Features
Several Instagram features are highly efficient in engaging audiences. For instance, location hashtags and Geotags help people find the event venue easily. Use swipe-up links to sell event tickets in the app and give more information to the followers. The countdown sticker creates a sense of urgency, which tells viewers to buy tickets or attend the event now.
9. Post at the Right Time
Even the best Instagram Stories may go unseen if the event marketer does not post them at the right time. The key is to identify when the majority of the audience is active and post the stories there and then. Use Instagram Insights to analyze the target audience’s active time and post the stories during those times for maximum reach.
Instagram Stories is a short-lived concept of content that is gaining popularity over the last few years. People like to spend their time watching stories. So, using them to promote an upcoming event can be an excellent chance to hook up the interested audience. Moreover, Instagram Stories offer several features that can help an event marketer connect with the potential guests, understand their preferences and expectations, and even sell the event ticket in-app.
Once you create hype for an upcoming event using Instagram Stories, use Ticketor to let interested audiences book tickets. Ticketor is an event ticketing software program that is easy to set up. Event marketers can sell tickets while receiving funds in their bank account without any third-party provider. Are you looking to sell event tickets online, offline, or over the phone? Get in touch with Ticketor and start using it to sell tickets according to your event seating layout.
