Out of many social media platforms available, Instagram is the most popular social media network with millions of active users. The platform has been constantly up with the launch of new features to stay ahead in the race. Ever since its launch, the breathtaking platform has left the competitors behind with millions of active users within the same year of launch. Today, it has become the first choice for marketers to create a buzz about their upcoming in-person or virtual event.
Planning to create a sense of urgency or want to maximise your event attendance with ease? Promoting your upcoming online event on Instagram stories is a brilliant way to reach an active audience effortlessly.
Today, with the surge in virtual hybrid events, Instagram stories have opened the gateway for new possibilities. It has become the most promising online marketplace to promote your upcoming events and virtual product launches. It enables the brand to connect with the right set of attendees seamlessly. However, Instagram stories make you accessible to influencers as well as to their followers. Thus increasing the chance to be seen. Promoting your upcoming event on Instagram stories gives a teaser to your attendees about the event. Thus leaving them excited for the upcoming event.
By now you must be thinking definitely Instagram stories are an excellent platform for virtual event outreach, but how to use them to promote your event?
In this article, we have accumulated the best possible ways to use Instagram stories to benefit your event promotions. Let’s go through the runway to explore the ways to promote your event with Instagram stories. Leverage the power of short-lived content and maximise your virtual hybrid event attendance seamlessly.
What are Instagram Stories?
Instagram stories are reflected at the top of the feed that lasts for 24 hours. Short-lived content is quite effective in creating a FOMO ( fear of missing out) effect among attendees. It offers a great opportunity to reach the right set of people and engage the most potential customers without much effort. Instagram stories enable marketers to have open communications with the potential target audience. With the right techniques, Instagram stories are likely to create a buzz among active users about the upcoming event.
Steps to Promote Your Virtual Event with Instagram Stories
To achieve optimal results out of Instagram story promotions, curating a strategy is a must. Promoting virtual hybrid events with Instagram Stories is not intricate. But following the trend without any planned strategy will not deliver the results as expected. Just uploading Instagram stories without any plan or strategy is not alone enough to engage attendees. Publishing stories that can hold the attention of your followers and deliver the message effectively is significant. We have listed a few steps to keep in mind while promoting your event by leveraging Instagram stories. So without wasting any further time, let’s dive straight into it and explore the ways to use Instagram stories for the event promotion.
1. Advance Planning of Instagram Stories Campaign Show Exuberant Results
Start promoting your upcoming event as and when the outline has been laid. It’s never too early to start with promotions. Announcing the upcoming virtual event in advance results in reaching and attracting a wide spectrum of attendees. Thus resulting in having increased attendance at the event. Following the same pathway, Instagram stories even require advanced planning to deliver optimal results. Create an action plan for your Instagram stories to best cater to the needs of your audience. Before planning out an Instagram story campaign keep the following things in mind
- The important and relevant information you need to cover
- Best dates and time to run your Instagram story campaign
- Number of Instagram stories you are planning to publish
- How to promote your stories
2. Collaborate with influential People or influencers
With the evolution of the digital era, influencer marketing became prominent with time. Today, it has become an essential part of digital marketing to spread the word about the latest product offering or any upcoming event. Nowadays, people seek out recommendations before making a final purchase or visiting any event. Teaming up with the most promising influencers within your niche helps in promoting your event. It motivates the followers to attend your upcoming virtual event. Influencers have a wide range of followers. When they promote your upcoming virtual event on their social handles, you are sure to see incredible results.
3. An Eye-Catchy Design is Sure to Grab the Attention
Selecting an eye-catchy visual for Instagram story promotions is sure to hook visitors instantly. Selecting the right visuals is crucial to appeal to attendees and grab their attention. Select the right illustrations or image that closely depicts your virtual event. Give a visual treat to your potential attendees to boost excitement for your upcoming event. While designing your Instagram story feeds, add your logo and integrate brand hashtags to maximise your event reach. However, if you are planning to run a series of Instagram stories to promote your upcoming event, use the same font, style, color, or format to sync it and make it more relevant to your attendees.
4. Highlight the Key Event Information in Your Stories
Mentioning the key information about your upcoming virtual event in your Instagram stories drives maximum traffic. Having a clear description of your event is sure to lure in more attendance at the event. Make your potential attendees aware of the date and time of the event. You can even talk about guest speakers of the event in your Instagram stories. A descriptive event message covering the key information hooks the viewers instantly. Thus, motivating them to swipe in to see the next stories in line.
5. Utilise the full Potential of Instagram Story Features
As Instagram stories became immensely popular, the platform has introduced new features that are completely business-specific. These features are quite effective in engaging people instantly. Geotags and location hashtags, swipe-up links, the countdown sticker, etc. are some of the Instagram Stories features that one can leverage while promoting an online event.
6. Have an Insight into When Your Potential Attendees are Active
Having a mindblowing Instagram story is of no use until and unless it reaches your audience. Analyse when your potential audience comes live and schedule the time as per the slot to post your Instagram stories.
7. Add Your Story Instagram Story in “Story highlights” Album
If you are planning to run a series of Instagram stories for your upcoming virtual event, adding it to the “story highlight” album is the best way out. If you are planning to run a series of Instagram stories for your upcoming event, adding it to the “story highlight” album is the best way out. You can add all the stories that are specifically posted for your event at a single place. It is quite accessible to attendees as it is placed just below the Instagram bio. It enables attendees to catch the glimpse of previously missed stories as it just does not disappear within 24 hours. Instagram stories added to the “Story highlights” album stay permanently on the profile.
FINAL WORD
Today, people spend a lot of time scrolling Instagram feeds. With such practice, the concept of promoting virtual hybrid events on Instagram stories has gained immense popularity. It enables you to maximise your event outreach and tap potential target attendees seamlessly. If you have not yet thought about promoting your event on Instagram stories, now is the time to get started and utilise the potential of the most popular social media platform. Boost your ticket sales and enhance your event attendance by using Instagram stories.