Instagram has become one of the most important tools for marketers and business owners around the world. With more than 1 billion monthly users every month, its value as an outreach tool is undeniable.
In 2016, Instagram released “Insta-stories” and “Live Stories”. Insta-stories are a series of photos and videos up to 10 seconds in length where you can add filters, stickers, lenses, text and more to personalize your content. This new tool has opened the door to a new range of possibilities for marketers and business owners and it has become a great place to promote events.
Here are some tips to promote your event using Stories.
1 - Create a tailored Instagram graphic style for your event.
Using a specific graphic style for the event is a great way to organize the content related to it. You can use tools like Canva to create graphics that can be incorporated into all of the stories of the event. Unifying your event content is a great way to promote it and highlight it.
2 - Spend some time engaging with your audience before the event.
Engage people through Insta stories by using some of the interactive tools available. You can ask your audience to vote on something, ask questions or offer something for free. You can also do a Q&A or simple one-to-one communication with your audience through replies and comments. By establishing this relationship with your followers, you are actively encouraging them to engage with your brand and with your event.
3 - Build an interactive Instagram Story that anticipates the event.
Use storytelling to create a buzz around the event. You could create a narrative around the topic of the event. For example, you can highlight how the event is going to help the audience attending. You can upload a short video talking about the value of the event and inviting your audience.
4 - Use photos and videos
Use all the tools available! Photos are a great way to incorporate graphic value into your post. Videos are a great way to share important information and make the event more dynamic and interesting. Combine both formats to make your feed more appealing.
5 - Document your event through Stories
Make sure to record all the interesting bits about your event and post them as a story. You can add the stories into a highlight which will remain in your profile. This is a great way to boost the value of your event and transform it into a valuable piece of content for the future.
6 - Review and select stories from your audience
User Generated Content (UGC) is one of the most effective tools to expand the reach of any social media campaign. Make sure to actively search for stories or posts created by your audience and share them on your Instagram.
Insta stories are a great way to promote your event to a wider audience and increase awareness around the current and future state of your brand. Note that stories are time-sensitive and do end up going away within a day of posting. Luckily, you can also end up saving your stories to “Highlights” which are pinned at the top of your profile. So you can have a pinned highlight section featuring upcoming events, past events, news, awards, or anything else you want visitors to see any time they check out your Instagram profile.
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