Instagram is one of the best platforms for promoting events and driving ticket sales. With over 1 billion monthly active users, Instagram provides a massive opportunity to get your event in front of potential attendees. However, simply creating an event post and hoping people see it is not enough. You need an effective Instagram event promotion strategy to cut through the noise and boost visibility. Here are some tips on how to successfully promote an event on Instagram.
Create an eye-catching event hashtag
A branded hashtag is key for promoting your event and tracking engagement. It allows people to easily find and discuss event-related content. When creating your hashtag make sure it is short, memorable and relevant to your event. For example #YourEventName2020. Use your event hashtag consistently across Instagram posts, stories and other marketing materials. Encourage attendees to use it when posting their own event content to increase visibility.
Launch targeted Instagram ads
Instagram ads allow you to get your event content in front of highly targeted audiences. You can target ads based on location, age, interests and behaviors. Create ads showcasing the key details like event lineup, dates, venue and ticket links. Instagram ads also allow you to retarget website visitors who did not complete a ticket purchase, reminding them to register. Make sure to track the results of your Instagram ads to see which perform best.
Share event teasers and announcements
In the weeks and months leading up to an event, share teasers and announcements to start generating buzz. Post graphics and videos highlighting key details like the event lineup, special guests, activities and more. Ask followers to tag friends they want to attend with. Share major event announcements like when tickets go on sale or lineup additions to drive traffic to your website. Use Instagram stories to build excitement with behind-the-scenes sneak peeks of event preparations.
Go live before, during and after
Instagram Live is an engaging way to promote your event. In the days leading up to the event, stream Q&As where viewers can ask questions about schedules, activities and more. During the event, go live to show off the experience in real-time. Share live performances, speaker presentations or capture the energy of the crowd. After the event, recap highlights and memorable moments. Going live taps into FOMO by showing people all the fun they missed out on!
Utilize influencer marketing
Partnering with relevant influencers is a powerful way to tap into their engaged follower base. Identify influencers who align with your event niche and invite them to attend in exchange for an Instagram takeover or dedicated posts about the experience. Nano and micro-influencers are often more than happy to partner for free tickets, and still provide significant value in generating awareness. Ensure you are collaborating with influencers who can genuinely connect with your target audience.
Encourage user-generated content
User-generated content from attendees helps show what an event is like and boosts credibility. Offer a custom Instagram hashtag, geofilters or on-site props to make it easy for attendees to share their experience on social media. You can also set up a photo booth area with signs encouraging people to post photos. Before the event, run an Instagram contest where people post using a unique hashtag for a chance to win free tickets. Displaying user photos on your own event account or website can extend the visibility even further.
Post event reminders and recaps
Keep your event top of mind with reminder and recap posts. In the week leading up to the event, post graphics reminding people to secure tickets or RSVP. After the event, share photo galleries, videos, testimonials and other visual recaps. Highlight key statistics like number of attendees, most popular activities and audience demographics. Reminder and recap content drum up anticipation pre-event and capitalize on interest post-event.
Retarget website traffic
If someone visited a website to learn more about your event but did not immediately purchase tickets, you can retarget them through Instagram advertising. Pixel tracking on your website enables retargeting ads based on those who hit key pages but did not convert. Tailor your ads to address any hesitation and incentivize ticket purchases. Retargeting warms up cold website traffic by keeping your brand top of mind.
Partner with local businesses
Partnering with local businesses can extend your event promotion reach. See if complementary brands like hotels, restaurants or stores want to help cross-promote the event through co-sponsored posts or package deals. A local hotel could offer discounted room blocks for event attendees with the deal promoted on both of your Instagram accounts. Likewise, you can promote special local experiences like restaurant discounts to incentivize people to attend from out of town.
Share post-event survey & job openings
Keep attendees engaged after the event by posting a link to an event satisfaction survey in your Instagram bio and Stories. This provides valuable attendee feedback to help improve future events. Additionally, promote any new job openings related to the event or organization so engaged followers can explore ongoing involvement opportunities.
Creative Instagram Event Promotion Ideas
Simply posting basic event details likely will not be enough to grab attention on Instagram. Implement creative event promotion ideas that entertain, excite, inspire, educate and involve your audience:
- Virtual venue tour videos
- Sneak peek booth browsing videos
- “A day in the life” of event staff videos
- Event speaker and influencer takeovers
- Interactive polls and Q&As
- Countdown posts and stories
- User-generated hype videos compiled from submissions
- Animated motion graphics with event visuals
- Boomerangs and gifs of past event moments
- Event spokesperson or mascot account takeovers
- Series spotlights on individual speakers, performers, activities
- Spotlights on influencers and sponsors attending
- Collection of crowd-sourced attendee testimonials
- Mini social media giveaways and contests
Instagram Best Practices for Events
In addition to specific event promotion ideas, incorporate these best practices into your Instagram event marketing strategy:
- Post video content – Video posts have the highest engagement rates on Instagram
- Use high-quality, eye-catching imagery – Crisp photos and designs grab more attention
- Leverage Instagram Stories – Tap into different creative formats like polls, questions and location tags
- Implement clickable links in Stories and bio – Drive traffic to your event site to boost conversions
- Tag relevant accounts – Connect with sponsors, speakers, vendors, local organizations
- Use relevant hashtags – Explore both popular and niche event-related hashtags
- Post consistently – Ramp up frequency leading up to the event, stay active during and recap after
- Engage and respond – Reply to comments and questions to build community
- Repurpose content across platforms – Cross-post on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc.
- Partner with micro-influencers – Nano and micro-influencers provide cost-effective reach
Key Event Promotion Metrics to Track
It is important to monitor key metrics to assess the performance of your Instagram event promotion. This provides data-driven insight so you can refine your strategy and maximize results. Critical metrics to track include:
- Engagement rate – Likes, comments, shares, clicks, views etc. on event posts
- Reach and impressions – Total number of unique accounts that see content
- Website traffic – Traffic driven from Instagram via links in bio, posts and Stories
- Lead generation – Email sign-ups, contest entries, completed surveys etc.
- Online ticket purchases – Track sales through links posted on Instagram
- Sales revenue – Total revenue generated from Instagram promotions
- Audience growth – Follower count and demographic data
- Content performance – Engagement and reach by type of post (video, image etc.)
- Saved posts and Stories – Number of users bookmarking your content
- Ad performance – Engagement, clicks and conversions from paid ads
Benchmark your metrics before, during and after the event promotion to spot trends and quantify impact. Instagram Insights provides easy access to in-depth analytics.
Conclusion
Instagram opens up immense promotional opportunities for events. Leveraging Instagram ads, influencers, stunning visuals and viral hashtag challenges can boost your event’s visibility and ticket sales. Be sure to use a mix of organic content and paid advertising for maximum impact. Track performance data and engagement rates to refine your approach. With strategic planning and creativity, Instagram can take your event promotions to the next level.