For many event planners, Instagram is a must-have tool to showcase their signature events and business in addition to finding ideas and inspiration. The Salem Convention Center staff shares content on Instagram on a regular basis to help event planners and anyone planning a celebration visualize what their event could look like in our venue. While Instagram is a helpful and necessary tool in the event planning industry, we know that it can be a challenge to stay on top of the ever-changing world of social media when you have millions of event details swimming through your head. We've got a few tips here that won't take up a lot of your time but WILL make a big difference in your reach, client engagement, and bottom line. Read on. Make sure our Instagram account is a business account, not personal. This will allow you to see statistics and information you wouldn't see with just a personal account – like reach, impressions, profile visits, saved posts, and more. Business accounts include a “Contact” button, which makes it easy for potential clients to get in touch with you, and they also provide opportunities for post boosts and advertisement. Once a business reaches 10k followers, Instagram also allows you to have more than one clickable link. Until then, use the #linkinbio and Link Tree to share multiple links. #UseHashtags. Hashtags are the best way for people who don't currently follow you to find you (and hopefully follow you). Do some research on other event planners' accounts – what hashtags are they using? What search terms do you think of first when you're planning an event? Create hashtags of the event's city, venue, occasion, and the event's theme or charity (for example #salem #oregon #salemconventioncenter #salemweddings #bride #event #verawang). Use as many as you want, but keep in mind there's a 30 hashtag limit. Also, mix them up from time-to-time – Instagram likes that! Create a cohesive profile page. Sure, you'll want to post photos of the events you plan, but also take into consideration how they look on your profile page. Consider posting photos all with the same filter or with a color theme. If that's too daunting, download an app that does it for you – some of our favorites include Plann, Planoly, Snug, UNUM, and Preview. Reinforce your event on Instagram Stories. Instagram Stories are meant to be a fun, real-time complement to your profile page. They are an excellent way to dive deeper into your brand and to really show who you are and how you do business. Use photos, videos, .gifs, text, music, and more to convey your message. Instagram Stories are a perfect way to show an event in real-time to all of your followers. They are also highly likely to end up in a direct message, so use them as a chance to “talk” to your audience and show them who you really are and what skills and ideas you can bring to an event. Engage with your audience. Don't just use Instagram Stories to engage. Use ALL of the tools Instagram gives you to engage with your audience – each follow, comment, or “like” could result in a new client, so don't ignore any of it. Be diligent about checking your feed for any new comments, keep your profile link up-to-date and all of your business contact information correct so that followers can find you. Don't be afraid to collaborate with others – venues, caterers, wedding gown designers. Create a community and nestle in. Bottom line: Instagram doesn't have to be scary. Social media is just that – SOCIAL. Staying current and fresh doesn't have to be a fulltime job. Simply logging on for 10-15 minutes a day can be the difference between getting a new job – or not. Happy posting!
