ABCey Presents: 5 Ways to Use Instagram Stories for Your Next Event

Instagram Stories has opened the door to a new range of possibilities for both users and marketers, making it a great space to promote events. Thus, ABCey has created a list of our top 5 ways that you can use Instagram Stories for your next event!

1. Instagram Live Video

Record and show in real-time! You can shoot live video using Instagram Stories before, during, and after your event. This way, you can showcase your venue and promote event transparency. Backstage content is a great way to drive viewership and keep your audience interested. Filming behind the scenes will give users a sense of involvement/understanding of how event planning actaully works.

2. Q&As

Having a Q&A session is a good way to engage your audience. Your followers might have common questions about your event or are interested in knowing more about the event planning process. In this case, you can collect the most popular questions and answer them in a picture or video format on your stories.

3. Advertisement

There are so many ways you can advertise your event using Instagram Stories. You can promote your brand or upcoming event using appropriate hashtags; you can also place your event page link in your stories. There’s also Instagram Stories ads, which allow you to insert a short advert in between users stories. You can target your ads by reach, video views, traffic, conversions, app installs, and brand awareness.

4. Start A Poll

The good thing about Instagram Stories is that it lets you run quick surveys and take your audience’s pulse. Thus, if you have a dilemma while in the midst of planning an event, you can always ask your audience for their thoughts. This is a nice way to engage with your followers and make them feel that you value their opinion!

5. Influencer Takeover

It’s always good to change things up. Consider letting your event speaker, a performer, a sponsor or an influencer take over your account and engage with your audience. By providing a platform for others to push some of their own content, you’ll also be able to leverage the speaker’s own audience and marketing power, and drive impressions for your event.

What do you think of these ideas? Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter

If you’re interested in learning more about events we’ve done for other San Francisco startups or Fortune 500 companies, click here.


ABCey’s #TechTuesday: Top 10 High Tech Event Activities

#TechTuesday highlights the best and brightest ideas in the tech world. Today’s #TechTuesday features high tech event activities!

1. Projection Mapping

High Tech Event Activities – 3D Projection Mapping

Projection mapping is displaying a video over an object to create an amazing experience for your guests. The video projection brings to life any performance and activity that your audience engages in. It also adds another aspect to any event that will capture your entire audience’s attention. We also used projection in one of our previous events, and it was a huge hit!

 

2. Spotify House’s Bose Soundbooth

Spotify House'€™s Bose Soundbooth
Photo by Nadia Chaudhury

This amazing Bose Soundbooth presented by Spotify was from SXSW! Guests  completely immersed themselves in music as the booth was covered in mirrors and disco balls. Attendees were also more than happy to add their favorite songs to the official Spotify SXSW playlist. What song would you add?

 

3. Digital Graffiti Wall

Let your guests leave their mark at your event! Also, if you add an overhead question, your guests will be excited to head over to the wall to contribute. If you’re looking for a more kid-friendly activity, project a coloring book. Adults will love the activity, too!

 

4. 3D Selfie

High Tech Event Activities – 3D Selfies

In just a few minutes, you can be 3D scanned and recreated! If you have ever wanted a small model of your photo, your wish has come true! With this booth at your event, your guests are able to walk away with a “mini me” and a lasting memory of your event! If you’re not a huge fan of having a model of yourself, you have the option to have your mini me sent to yourself and you can share it to your social media, too! Now everyone can see exactly what you wore and all the fun you had at every angle!

 

5. iZombie Brain Scans

BuzzFeed's and CW's Party Till You're Undead iZombie Brain Scans
Photo by Nadia Chaudhury

These unforgettable brain scans were from the CW’s premiere of iZombie hosted by Buzzfeed! Attendees lined up to get a scan and observe their brain activity as they ate 3D-printed candy made onsite! Also, they kept the scans afterward! How could you adapt to use these brain scans at your event?

 

6. Social Media Wall

High Tech Event Activities – Social Media Wall

A social media wall is an amazing way to have your guests engage with your event and with each other! Not only will it spark conversation, it will create an online presence for your event! It will be an amazing way to break the ice and have your guests networking instead of making awkward small talk.

 

7. Virtual Tunnel Entrance

High Tech Event Activities – Virtual Tunnel

Give your attendees a grand entrance! Or maybe it could an enchanting and thrilling! It’s all in your hands. You decide what to project whether it be starry, checkered, or swirly! It will give off a great first impression of your event before they even enter! They’ll find themselves wanting to make another entrance.

 

8. Augmented Reality Gaming Wall

High Tech Event Activities – Augmented Reality Gaming Wall

Whether you’re competitive or nonchalant, take your games to another level with an augmented reality gaming wall! Kids and adults alike will love seeing their movements interact with the virtual world of the game. Who can resist?

 

9. Edible Photo Booth

Edible Photo Booth
Photo by Selffee

Pictures and food. Sure, they’re amazing apart, but it’s even better combined! This printer will take your selfie or any picture and print it onto your food for you! It’s the perfect Instagram moment and will help increase your social media presence along with engagement. The only problem? It’ll look too good to eat.

 

10. Interactive Virtual Wall

High Tech Event Activities – Interactive Virtual Wall
Photo by Global Event Managment

Have you ever been to a mall and seen those walls that interact with your body movements? It’s almost as if you are the wave and the colors that splash and swish around on the screen. Let your guests be mesmerized with the effects as they catch themselves walking back and forth in front of the wall!

 

How do you like our high tech event activities?

 

Have you seen any of these high tech event activities lately? Which one is your favorite? Which ones did we miss? We’d love to hear from you! Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!


ABCey’s Top 10 Trends in Projection Mapping & Lighting

New trends in projection mapping & lighting make events immersive and interactive for any sized audience! From lasers, to 3D projection mapping, to motorized lights, these trends will blow your mind and create a memorable event that your guests will never forget!

1. Motorized Lighting Structures

Trends in Projection Mapping & Lighting: Motorized Lights

No matter how big your event is, Motorized lights are a great way to involve your whole audience and make them feel closer to the center of the event! These funky and fun lights will bring your event to the next level!

 2. Lasers

Trends in Projection Mapping & Lighting: Lasers

Lasers will enhance any event! They have the ability to sync with your music, be programmed to draw shapes, project basic images on surfaces, and extend across your entire audience! Who wouldn’t want lasers at their event?

3. LED Beam/Spots

Trends in Projection Mapping and Lighting: Led Beams/Spots

Whether it is a corporate event or a night out with friends, LED beam/spot lights make the experience colorful and fun! LED Beams/Spots are immersive lights that are placed on a beam and then programmed with colors, positions, cues, and patterned motions. These dynamic lights bring the room to life!

4. 3D Projection Mapping

Trends in Projection Mapping, Lighting & More: 3D Projection Mapping

3D projection maps are a must have at every event! The projection maps light onto 3D objects to bring them to life as engaging displays. These extraordinary displays make a great fit for reveals, brand launches, all kinds of presentations, concerts, entertainment events and corporate events! Not to mention, they’re fun and cool to look at!

 5. Sports Arena Projection Mapping & Lighting

Trends in Projection Mapping & Lighting: Sports Arena Projection Lighting

Make any sports game more interactive and fun by adding projection lighting! Use these lights to entice more people to buy tickets and boost sales! Projection lighting can be used after a goal is scored, an exciting half-time show and so much more!

6. Hologram Videos

Spinifex Group created an awesome hologram videohfor Buick Shanghai Auto Show! Hologram videos are a great feature for all kinds of events!

7.  Interactive Projection Mapping

Interactive projection mapping is the perfect addition to any event! This new technology is the best way to get guest’s feedback as well as engage with your audience!

8. GostMESH

GostMesh Projections

TDC presents the newest updates in projection fabrics: GostMesh! This incredible new technology combined with projection allows for a one of a kind experience. GostMESH creates bright moving images that are sure to make your event venue pop!

9. Architectural Video Mapping

Architectural Video Mapping

Make your next event an experience your guests will never forget! Architectural video mapping will make your event an out of this world experience by transforming the event venue into absolutely anything you want!

10. Neon Black Lights

UV Lighting

Neon UV Black lights makes any event venue extraordinary! Turn your bland ordinary event space into a funky glow in the dark black light party!

 

How would you use this new and exciting technology to improve your event? What’re your favorite trends in projection mapping & lighting? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter?

 

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Startup Spotlight: Snapcastr

Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that features some of the best and brightest companies in the Bay Area. They are often companies that we have our eye on or have worked with in the past & would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey Events!


A growing trend that has been sweeping almost every event blog is the necessity for audience engagement and interaction! Conferences, Festivals, and Sporting events all call for larger scale audiences that must be enticed to attend, excited through out, and anticipating the event return for the coming year. So, the question is, how do we as event planners create this buzz? This Monday, we would like to highlight Snapcastr, a tech-driven company that provides all of these solutions through their social media platform!

 


THE BUILD UP!


Before we get to the main attraction, we must have a plan of action, and Snapcastr certainly does! Their #Hashtag Campaign supplies companies with clear marketing and event strategies from the very beginning to ensure that promotion is being maximized. In addition, their Social Event Display optimizes on audience connection. These event displays are customizable to create a unique and exclusive feel that can educate and boost audience interaction! By the way, sponsors they did not forget you! These displays have a space for your logos to market your companies and thank you for your support!

Social Event Display

 

 


WE’VE ARRIVED!


Integrating social media interaction at an event is no longer a question, it’s a MUST. Snapcastr’s Live Social Wall enables guests to feel connected with their live tweets, posts, and shared experiences utilizing the hashtag you created with the #Hashtag Campaign! However, it doesn’t stop there.

Live Social Walls

 

Hosting a sporting event anytime soon? The FanPhoto feature creates guest incentive to tweet and promote your event at a chance to be featured on their team’s video board or Jumbotron!

Fan Photo

 

Not sold yet? We have a few more to share! The Leaderboard feature highlights your top fans, top contributors, and/or top influencers! This is a great way to recognize your fans for their dedication or your contributors and influencers for their amazing support!

Leaderboard

 

Have an opinion you want to share? Twitter Polling enables guests to participate in polls concerning your event, which will not only keep them engaged, but it will give you some great insight to their interests and what they’re looking for!

Twitter Polling use this

 

 


SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!


One of the best features of this company is the data capabilities that come with it! With all of these social media platforms being utilized, moderation and control is a necessity, and Snapcastr provides it. Interested in knowing your guest’s thoughts? The reporting features enables you to measure fan impact based on conversations. As well, you can monitor the growth of your social media accounts with real time analytics. This capability is a great way to track your success and pinpoint any problematic errors to ensure growth for the upcoming year!

Engagement

 

 

What’s your favorite feature of our Startup Monday featuring SnapcastrLet us know in the comments below or message us on Facebook or Twitter!


Tech Tuesday: The Interactive Wall

Tech Tuesday highlights some of the best and brightest ideas in the tech world. ABCey would like to recognize these up and coming companies for their innovative ideas and ability to think outside the box!

Being an event planner, we’ve attended conferences and presentations of all kinds.  Some of the least memorable include lots of talking, little visuals and minimal audience engagement. Well, there’s a groundbreaking technology that utilizes an Interactive Wall that is changing the way speakers communicate with their audiences.

You may have first seen this type of interactive video wall during the election coverage and now it’s available for events! One company providing this service is PSAV, a leading audiovisual provider that has services all over the world, and even right here in San Francisco. These interactive walls have 46-inch square screens configured in either a two-by-two or three-by-three format. If that is not sufficient enough, custom screens of any size can be created. The wall essentially operates like a large iPad with over two dozen apps that create maps, presentations, and games.

An interactive wall can also be used for many purposes, being educational or for digital signage. If used for a trade show, the wall can display logos and information specific to a certain vendor. What we love most is that it enables planners to present their ideas in a digital way specific to their themes, while also providing sponsorship and advertising opportunities. To learn more about how this interactive wall works, check out the video below!

Would you try an interactive wall at your next event? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or on Facebook or Twitter!


Step it Up: The 5 Most Influential Words in Social Media

Social media is a strange and delicate thing. It has the potential to drive in hundreds of prospective customers or alienate you completely! ABCey helps you hone in on what’s important so YOU won’t be the one in a social media dead zone!

1. Share | Social media exists because people like to share and make connections! In the end, your goal is to successfully share your message with the world, and you love seeing “shared” and “retweeted” pop up on your notifications! Before you post, ask yourself, “would I share this with my friends?” If you don’t find it interesting, others probably won’t either!

2. Interaction | Tweeting can sometimes feel like sending messages off into the void of cyberspace. The only way to know what people think of your tweets is through interactions under the “connect” tab. If you’re not seeing as much interaction as you want, include language like “tell us your opinion” and “what do you think” to encourage your followers to respond. Also, try following those you think would be interested in what you say!

3. Reach | Your message can be witty, well-worded, and interactive, but it won’t matter if only 15 people see it! Below every post, Facebook will tell you home many people saw what you said, whether it was shared, on their news feed, or found through a friend. Beef up your reach by adding more people, especially people who are friends with those who “like” your page! Go on a friending rampage a few times a week and you’re sure to expand your audience in no time. 

4. Network | LinkedIn and every other social media site are constantly encouraging you to expand your network with “people you may know” and “who to follow.” Our advice: listen to them!! Following someone on social media is a low-pressure way to keep in touch with someone and maintain relationships. You never know when you’ll want to reach out to them someday, and being “friends” is a good advantage to have!

5. Like| Whether you’re a company promoting a product or a teenager posting vacation pictures, you know that more “likes” is key! Like, duh. Amp up your liking potential by targeting the audience that will be most likely to generate business for you. When you start getting positive feedback (tons and tons of “likes!”), keep the momentum going!

What do you think of our social media tips? Agree? Disagree? Tell us your opinions! Leave us a comment or reach out to us on Facebook & Twitter