Social media is part of the modern communication culture and can support event marketing enormously.
It doesn't matter whether you like this type of exchange in your private life or not - in the business environment, you can no longer avoid it. So it's definitely worth taking a closer look at the possibilities of social media and embedding them in your own event concept. In this article, we focus on the Instagram platform, which is currently enjoying enormous popularity. However, most of the assumptions also apply to other platforms in general.
All articles in this series:
- Tips for your social media profile
- Social media marketing - before the event
- Social media marketing - during the event
What is Instagram?
Instagram is currently the most popular platform for the 14- to 24-year-old age group. Only the messenger WhatsApp and the video platform YouTube are more popular in this age group(statista.com / 2018). This already shows for which target group Instagram is particularly effective as a marketing tool. But even overall (i.e., including all age groups), Instagram still ranks fifth among the most-used social media platforms.
Instagram is all about pictures and now also videos. In everyday use, these are taken with the smartphone and posted on the platform. In addition, texts and especially hashtags (the # sign) can be added. The hashtags represent a keyword that categorizes the postings thematically and makes them searchable. But more about that in a moment.
For which target group is Instagram suitable?
This question is answered quite clearly by the adjacent graphic. The group of 18 - 35 year olds can be reached quite reliably via this platform - quite a large group that is important for many events.
Launch Instagram campaign
If you want to use Instagram for your business or events, be sure to create a business account. This offers some advantages over private accounts, such as statistics and the ability to advertise. Once that's done, it's time to build a community.
As is so often the case with social media, it's all about good content and clever texts or hashtags.
Set hashtags
Hastags are used to associate posts with a specific topic.
First, you should come up with your own hashtag for your project that is as short as possible - ideally the name of the event (example: for the "Digital Congress in Hamburg 2020, the hashtag could be #dch20, for example). From now on, write this string under every post you make in connection with your campaign.
In addition, you can use suitable, popular hashtags under your postings. For the Digital Congress in Hamburg, it would make sense to use the hashtag #hamburg. Also, #digitalmarketing would be a good choice, because there are already over 8 million entries for this one - so it's quite popular. Just take a look at the Instagram app to see which suitable hashtags are available and how popular they are.
Create good content
Creating good content will cost you time. So you should consider whether you can regularly spend (at least) 1h a week creating content and feel like responding to user interactions on a daily basis.
Because, as with many other marketing efforts, it will take time, regular good content, and lively interaction with users to gain a larger number of followers.
There are different types of content on Instagram. First, very classic, photos and videos with a maximum length of 60 seconds. In addition, there are the so-called stories. These are a series of images or video clips that tell a short story. And then there is the video area - the so-called "Instagram TV" (IGTV). Here you can also post videos that last longer than 60 seconds.
Content is clearly the deciding factor. Every Instagram user scrolls through a flood of images and videos every day. You have to come up with something to stand out. Posts should therefore be as professional, original and interesting as possible. Easy to say, huh? But where do you get ideas for postings that fulfill all these requirements? It's actually not that difficult.
Professional
For regular postings you don't want to hire a graphic designer every time, sure. Fortunately, there are some tools on the Internet that make it very easy to create pretty graphics. For example, try the tool canva.com.
Original
Here, the most important thing is to avoid purely promotional content. Posting the third variation of the promotional flyer for your event is not very original. A short clip of the hardworking staff just assembling the name tags is more like it. For example, provide glimpses into areas guests won't otherwise get to see, giving them a behind-the-scenes look. Stage the highlights with cool photos or reveal surprising facts and statistics that fit the theme. It's best to check if your post has a certain "aha" or "wow" effect.
Interesting
Don't post content that emphasizes how great your event is going to be or that overly aggressively encourages people to please sign up now. Instead, make yourself interesting. For example, "What's the most exciting topic at your event - and why is it meaningful to your followers?". Introduce interesting guests - e.g. with a striking quote above the photo, which you can then elaborate on in the text area.
Depending on the event, contests are also suitable. For example, every user who links a friend in the comments could receive a voucher - a personal benefit. The mentioned friend is also informed by Instagram about the tagging - and they already have a small recommendation and a new potential follower.
Post regularly
Instagram profiles whose last post is 6 months old are dead and also a bit embarrassing. It makes sense to make a plan that is also realistic. A post every Friday? That sounds realistic and also doesn't overwhelm followers. You have to find a good balance here that fits the theme. If you are doing Instagram marketing for your agency, the frequency can certainly be greater than if it's about an event that takes place in 7 days. You should not underestimate the effort for good postings, even if it is "only" a picture or a small clip.
Conclusion
If you enjoy developing interesting content, Instagram can be a tool to position your brand (company or event) in an interesting and exciting way. This can generate attention, which can lead to the spread of one's own message. However, the effects are rather indirect and more like an image campaign than an advertising measure that can be directly contrasted with orders or bookings as success parameters. Consider Instagram as an old acquaintance to whom you regularly tell something interesting from your everyday work. Then it might be the beginning of a wonderful friendship.
The most common mistakes
Post from your own perspective
People often think too much from their own perspective when creating postings. Sure, when an event is coming up, everything in the company revolves around that project as a matter of course. But that's not the case for everyone else out there. If postings revolve too much around oneself or constantly affirm that one should not miss this event under any circumstances, they will certainly be punished with ignorance and will not receive any likes.
Solution:
Put yourself in the shoes of your followers. They mainly want to see their friends' content (and cute animal photos). To attract attention to your post, it must somehow have added value for the individual. Develop a feel for what works. Scroll through other accounts too. Where do you think "looooong boring" and where "oh, interesting". Did your last post get you 20 hearts (Instagram likes)? Then you're already heading in the right direction.
Start strong and then drop off strong
In the beginning, the euphoria is often great. Hooray - we start an Instagram channel. There are first ideas for good content and for the first days or weeks there is enough content ready. But later, other things are more important (always this daily business...) and the Instagram account is forgotten. The frequency of the postings becomes greater, the ideas less and anyway - so far nothing really came of it. Do we need it at all?
Many an Instagram campaign has ended like this or something similar. But that can be avoided.
Solution:
If you notice that maintaining the account (the same applies to all other platforms) no longer fits into your time budget, simply delegate. Simple? In every company there is usually one person who simply enjoys social media. Find them. If you don't want to give up your account (why not?), make them a social media editor who generates ideas for content, creates them and presents them to you. At some point, they may even be able to manage the account completely themselves. People who are really into social media are the driving force behind a good campaign.
If you and none of your employees have the time or inclination, then you really only have two options. Forgo Instagram (better not to do it than to do it badly) or hire an external expert. There are countless freelancers out there who manage social media accounts for companies. Many (not all! - check the references) have a lot of experience and are very creative.
This will cost a little and you will also have to provide some of the content (as this can only come from the company). But a good social media manager will "nag" you in a friendly but consistent manner until they have what they need and help you out with ideas and suggestions. It's money well spent - after all, this is about your public image.
Impatience
It used to be clear: invest one euro, win two. Yes, the good old "return of invest" is of course still a factor to consider. But in content marketing (and I'm counting Instagram in there now), things are unfortunately not so clearly visible. Who expects 500 followers after 2 months will be disappointed. Who is looking for the Instagram effect after 3 months in his sales curve, will also not be happy. It's like a new hobby. You start, try around, make mistakes, get better and one day you have the flow.
Solution:
Consider social media as your new hobby. Expect little, get started and be patient. But keep at it. Overcome even small resistances: should I really show a photo of the break room with the Rocky 3 poster on the wall and give a look behind the scenes?
Well, why not? Smooth corporate communication with staged photos in front of photo wallpapers is a thing of the past. Show your heart and wit, have a sense of humor and don't take yourself too seriously. Stay serious, but relaxed and uninhibited. Then you will be successful and your followers will feel well entertained.
Option: Find Influencer
If you have found a way to regularly create good content, have a small but nice number of followers and are generally in the flow with Instagram, it might be time for a little boost. Influencers can help with this. Influencers are Instagram users who have a particularly large number of followers and whose posts are therefore seen by a large number of people.
Just use the search function to look for accounts that fit your topic and have a particularly large number of followers (at least several thousand). You can then contact this person and ask them whether they find your topic interesting and would like to post about it. Of course, it has to be attractive to the respective influencer - so think about what you can offer in return. The most obvious thing is to offer a post on your profile in return.
If you're interested in using social media at the event itself, check out the next article in this series:
Social media marketing - at the event
Thank you for your time
Thank you for taking the time to read this article. Of course, we would be interested to hear about your experiences with social media at your events or if you see some points differently. If you have any questions about this topic or are interested in using social media at your events in the future, please feel free to contact us directly: info@eventnet.de
