6 Event Companies That Are Rocking Instagram

Few sectors have been affected as significantly as the event industry over the last couple of years.Lockdowns and restrictions around the globe have crippled event businesses with next to no revenue, staff shortages, and many other challenges.But for those that have survived, there is some light at the end of the tunnel. 2022 looks brighter and people are ready to get back out and about again.In saying that, this industry has dramatically changed over the pandemic. Virtual events are now an expected part of the calendar, and social media is a critical component of an event company’s marketing strategy.This article will take a look at arguably the most important platform of that social media ecosystem - Instagram.If you’re looking for some inspiration to reinvigorate your events this year, check out these six best practice Instagram examples.

1. Eventbrite

Eventbrite is a platform that allows people to create and host events. So, while they don’t run their own events, I love the way they engage the greater community on Instagram.One aspect of Eventbrite’s Instagram strategy that other event companies could learn from is their use of educational content. They share a range of helpful tips on running a successful event via “Quick Guides,” like this carousel post for “Scheduling Your Event Series.”

[caption id="attachment_48979" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Eventbrite's carousel post[/caption]If you run informative events or target a B2B audience, educational content on Instagram is an excellent way to gain credibility.

2. Jack Morton

Jack Morton is a brand experience agency - they run events for big brands such as HBO, the NFL, Cadillac, and Coors Light.A key ingredient to Jack Morton’s Instagram strategy is event-related content - something that should be a staple for any event company. They share regular Reels, videos, and other posts of the event experiences they have created for brands. Even if people don’t attend, they get a feel for what the event was like via this content and it draws them to the brand moving forward.For example, they’ll often share Reels with a montage of photos from their events, like this collaboration they did with Adidas:[caption id="attachment_48976" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Jack Morton's event collaboration[/caption]When you’re putting together your Instagram strategy, make sure you include a diverse range of authentic photos and videos from your events. This should form the backbone of your entire feed.

3. Bassett Events

Bassett Events are a luxury event planning company based in Canada. You’ll find a range of interesting content on their Instagram profile, including inspirational quotes, how-to videos, and event recaps.It’s the event recaps I’d like to point out. They utilize the Stories Highlights section of their Instagram profile to categorize content by event.[caption id="attachment_48973" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Use Stories Highlights to categorize content[/caption]Why is this a smart strategy? For starters, when people visit your profile, the Highlights are the first content they see. Having this content well-organized helps guide people to the things you want them to view. The content that will attract them to your business.By including event recaps in your Highlights, they also act as social proof for anyone looking to use your services or attend your event. “Oh, they hosted that event.” This kind of reaction is exactly what you’re going for!

4. Coachella

Coachella is one of the most iconic music festivals in the world, and its 1.9 million Instagram followers are a fair reflection of that status.People associate the Coachella brand with open landscapes, blue skies, great music, and a feeling of freedom. To illustrate the essence of this association, the marketing team at Coachella posts stunning photos on Instagram from Coachella festivals, all with a splatter of color, light, and vibrance. Here is one example of a photo that is subtle, yet captures the Coachella brand perfectly:[caption id="attachment_48974" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Coachella posts on-brand content[/caption]What can you learn from Coachella? You should identify a theme for your brand and represent that theme in all your content. When people see the above photo on Instagram, many will associate it with Coachella automatically. Yet there are no visual logos or names in the image. How can you replicate a similar experience with your brand?

5. MKG

MKG is a creative event marketing agency that has worked with well-known brands such as Dos Equis, Lululemon, and Cartier. They also have a highly engaged following of over 16 thousand people on Instagram.The reason I’ve included them on this list is due to their use of Carousel posts. A large majority of the MKG feed is Carousel posts and it’s a great strategy for an event company. See from the screenshot below, the last six posts on MKG’s Instagram are Carousels:[caption id="attachment_48975" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Carousel posts work well for event companies like MKG[/caption]Carousels allow you to highlight multiple images at once, tell a story via your post, and encourage viewers to engage with your content for longer. Think about how you can use this post-type to win over your audience.

6. Field Day

While Field Day isn’t a household name in the music festival space, like Coachella, it’s one of the longest-standing events of its kind in Australia, attracting acts from all over the world to Sydney.They have just over 11 thousand followers on Instagram, but they make every single one count. With some of their content getting upward of 5,000 engagements.How do they do it? One strategy they use to great effect is interactive content. This “Party Safe Quiz” video, for example, has 5,600 views and counting.[caption id="attachment_48978" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Field Day uses interactive content[/caption]Another tactic they use, which is super-easy to implement, is the countdown post.

In the lead-up to your next event, post regular updates to your audience getting them excited for the big day! Countdowns and interactive content such as quizzes and games are perfect ways to increase engagement on Instagram in the event industry.

Conclusion

The entire event industry has taken a BIG hit - there’s no questioning that.But with optimism ahead in 2022 and beyond, it’s a great time to ramp up your social media game. Engage with former attendees, connect with clients, and attract a totally new group of event-goers.Instagram, due to its high engagement rate and visual nature, is an extremely important social network in this space. Use the examples in this article for inspiration and do some additional research yourself. Diversify your content, get interactive, stay on-brand, and create an event-like experience on your Insta-profile. It’s actually a lot of fun!