Tag: social
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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!
How to Use Instagram Stories for Events
In this day and age, Social media is arguably the most useful tool for event planners! Recently, Instagram has come out with a new feature, Instagram Stories, that rivals Snapchat Stories. At ABCey, we want to keep you updated with all of the newest social marketing developments and how they effect the event world. So, here are our tips so you can use Instagram Stories for your next event!
How similar are Snapchat Stories and Instagram Stories?
If you recently updated your Instagram, you’ve probably noticed little circles above your regular feed. This new feature is Instagram Stories which is their version of Snapchat Stories. Like Snapchat, Instagram Stories can be edited with text and emojis and only last for 24 hours. In addition, you can see which of your followers (similar to Snapchat friends) have seen your stories. Although they may seem the same, there are some important differences that all eventprofs should know!
How are they different for events?
1. Social Media Marketing
One huge thing that sets Instagram Stories apart from Snapchat Stories are their audiences. On Snapchat, you have to be friends with someone to watch their stories. However on Instagram, it’s a whole different story! With a private account, all your followers can view your story. But if you have a public account, anyone can see it. This means your company and upcoming events can get tons of exposure from social media marketing!
2. Privacy Feature
In addition, only Instagram Stories have a privacy feature. This feature lets you block anyone from seeing your story. Take advantage of this for your events, and keep the event a secret from certain followers! Also, you can reward your followers by making your account private for a certain period. During that time, you can post special coupons or inside info on your story and only your loyal followers can see these prizes!
3. Permanent Posting From Your Story
Although Snapchat and Instagram Stories are alike, Instagram has some extra bonus features! Now you can easily take videos or images of an event from your story and post them permanently on your Instagram. This keeps the memory of an event alive, even when the event is over!
4. Audience Interaction
Instead of a chronological order like Snapchat, Instagram Stories are sorted by who you interact with the most. Now you can see who your best followers are and reward them with prizes! Also, it’s super important to engage with your guests! Encourage them to post event images and ask questions on their Instagram story. After, give your guests a unique event experience by answering their questions and giving them a shout out on your story or by directly messaging them!
5. Use Snapchat How To’s
Because this feature is similar to Snapchat Stories, you can use these Snapchat event tips for your Instagram! Instagram Stories give you great features of Snapchat and more of their of their own. You can post everything from behind-the-scenes footage of the event production process to shout outs from important speakers and sponsored advertisements during your events!
Do you plan to use Instagram Stories for your events? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!
5 Tips to Successfully Use Instagram for Your Event Business
Instagram has easily become one of the most popular social media apps. In 2016, it’s estimated that 500+ million people use Instagram monthly, 300 million daily, and 58% of Instagram users are 18-29 years old. Why is this important to Event Profs? Because this means Instagram can allow you to reach a larger audience, including millenials!
There are tons of research on the Instagram usage and the ways businesses can utilize it. Also, it’s important to stay up to date with what’s going on with your instagram account. So ABCey Events has created 5 tips to successfully use Instagram for your event business!
1. What to post
First, you need an Instagram account! If you don’t have one, just scroll down to #5 for tips to create the perfect account. Okay, you have an account or just created one, but now what? What do I post? hint: See below to see what types of content to post!
Types of Posts
1. Have a story: Let your followers feel like they are a part of your business and on the inside of the event action with story-like posts! However, don’t post straight advertisements. Instead, have a variety of images from selfies to video interviews. There is no limit to the content you post!
Similarly, studies suggest users want to experience the story rather than see plain objects. Salesforce found most users liked, “amusing, creative, beautiful, and inspiring” content. So maximize your Instagram reach by captivating images, posting entire event processes, features of event speakers and famous attendees, inspirational quotes, and especially human faces!
2. Relatable posts: Keep followers by posting stuff they can relate to! By fusing scenes and possible scenarios that can happen in everyday life with your products and services, followers can see how useful your products and services are!
https://www.instagram.com/p/0tpeJfAUUf/?taken-by=nike
3. Business posts: Advertise your business by posting your sponsors, events, and brand. Do this by sharing images about your sponsors in colorful and fun photos. Additionally, try to get other users, special guests, and famous people to post/tag/hashtag about your event and company. More and more people are basing their decisions on what they see on social media. Therefore, you can grow your business by having ambassadors give you some exposure!
But be careful! No one wants their entire feed filled with obvious advertisements. Learn about event marketing on Instagram below (#4 Instagram for Events).
2. Strategic Posting
Previously, we mentioned that Instagram accounts are more successful when the types of posts are different. But here are other things you can do to boost likes, follows, and comments!
1. Editing your posts: Studies have found what specific aspects of a post make them more popular. They found more people like photos with the Mayfair filter! Also, the 2nd and 3rd most liked filtered photos are #nofilter and Inkwell, respectively. In addition, you’re more likely to get likes on images that are brighter with a single dominant color, especially blue, and background space than others! Don’t forget to use Geographical locations and connect with users by a shared location. Check out Curalate’s full study for more tips.
2. Posting times: Don’t pester and annoy followers! If you are posting multiple times a day, spread them out. However, most studies suggest posting only 5-7 times throughout the week. Specifically, your best bet is to get the most likes by posting on Wednesday from 5-6pm! Additionally, don’t stress about posting right on time and schedule posts with apps like Hootsuite and Schedugram.
3. Gain followers, grow your business
1. Instagram interaction: By interacting with users, you’re sure to gain and keep followers! First off, you can simply ask questions and inviting captions that lead people to comment. From re-gramming someone’s post related to your business/event, tagging companies, responding to comments, commenting on and liking posts, and giving shout outs to your loyal followers, show your followers you care and value their support!
2. Spoil your followers: Reward your followers well by posting announcements, contests, and special offers! You can have them follow, like photos, comment, hashtag, and tag your account to be entered to win prizes and special offers! This encourages people to follow you, as they will be the first to see when you are holding contests. Now you have followers promoting your event and business to others!
4. Instagram for Events
Now, for all you event profs, we have Instagram tricks to make your next event a success!
1. #Hashtag: Make sure you use hashtags to help people discover your Instagram. Use both specific hashtags and popular hashtags so people can find your event/company easily! One study found that interactions increased with 11 hashtags, but most studies suggested using 5-10 hashtags. If your choose to include many, hide them by commenting your hashtags or hiding them many lines below your main caption. This way followers don’t get annoyed seeing them!
2. The Event: You can use Instagram to entertain your attendees and market your next event! Encourage users to post images and include your event specific hashtag in the caption. Then, companies like instafeedlive, will display them on screens around the event, making your guests feel special!
In addition, by simply using your event hashtag, your guests can leave your event with memorabilia! Printers, like Photoboxx and Luster, scan Instagram for your event hashtag and print the images out instantly. Also, you can allow guests to print a postcard and polaroid picture when they hashtag their photos! Learn more about them here. So give your event and company immediate publicity and get these tools at your next event!
3. Event hype: When showing the story of your event, there are tons of things to capture! Post about the event before, during, and after to keep the event fresh in your follower’s minds. First get them excited with behind the scene images of the venue set up with your event team hard at work! Moreover, use Instagram to not only remind followers when tickets go on sale, but also hype up attendees with event fliers and countdown day photos. This makes them feel like they are right in the middle of the everything happening at the event!
5. Creating Perfect Profile
Your profile is extremely important as it’s how they judge your account! Therefore, you need to be sure that your Instagram looks like something they should follow.
1. Your Bio: First, create a bio description that is short, fun, and interesting. But it still needs to say your business name or who you are, what your business does, and make it unique!
2. Get them to your website: If you didn’t know, links on your photo captions don’t work. Thus, the only link to get people to your website is in your bio. So make sure you include your website link, and any other informative names you want people to search and find you by (ex: Event Planner).
3. First impression/Profile pic: Along with photos and your bio, users see your profile picture first. Get a good quality photo of your logo or a picture that represents your company to bring in more followers!
How are you going to use Instagram at your next event? Tell use in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter. Also, follow us on Instagram!
ABCey’s Weekend LineUp: 7.31.14- 8.03.14
We can’t believe it’s August already! The girls at ABCey want to share our top picks for this weekend to kick off the last summer month with a bang! From tech events to chocolate tours, we cover it all!
Featured Event: Eat Drink SF |Friday August 1st-Sunday August 3rd|Festival Pavilion at Fort Mason| We all know San Francisco has no shortage of amazing dining; from food trucks to high class gourmet dinners, this city has plenty to offer! So if you’re a food lover, Eat Drink SF is the event you have been waiting for! The Grand Tasting features over 200 of San Francisco’s finest restaurants, bars, distilleries, breweries and wineries. The weekend festivities also include classes, demonstrations, tastings, competitions and parties throughout the city. Taking place in Festival Pavilion at Fort Mason, bring along some friends and an empty stomach! Tickets are selling out quick so get them while you can! Prices start at $30+
1. Meet, Mingle and Mentor: Box Women in Tech Social| Thursday, July 31| 5:30-8:30 pm| Box HQ 4440 El Camino Real, Los Altos| This is a great opportunity for Bay Area tech women to meet other women in the industry, network with one another, learn more about Box’s Women in Tech group, and look for potential mentors and mentees. The event will include plenty of networking opportunities and delicious food and drinks. We love when women are highlighted and this looks a fantastic event to hear from some of the top women leaders in the tech industry.
2. Hustle Con | Friday, August 1st |Starting at 8:00am| The Brava Theater San Francisco |Hustle Con is a conference about learning the specific skills and tactics needed to start and grow your startup from successful founders. Learn from some of the founders of the hottest startups giving you specific advise to get it done yourself. If you want to learn real skills to grow your company and join a strong community of hustlers, then this event is for you. We love that this conference targets non-techies who think they need to know complicated coding in order to start a business! We agree with their motto, “You don’t have to know how to code to be an entrepreneur…you just have to know how to hustle.” Tickets range from $150-$350.
3. Urban Wine Xperience |Saturday, August 2nd|1:00 – 5:00 pm|Ferry Lawn at Jack London Square| Come over to the East Bay to experience over 20 urban wineries from the East Bay Vintner’s Alliance. There will be a wide array of white, rose, red and dessert wines for you to taste and enjoy. There will also be local eateries that will team up with the various wineries, creating yummy bites that pair beautifully with the EBVA’s wine portfolio. Tickets: $35 Wine Club Members , $45 Advance Tickets, $60 At the Door.
4. The Original San Francisco Gourmet Chocolate Tour|Saturday, August 2nd| 2:00 pm| Embarcadero Plaza, 1 Market St San Francisco| Who doesn’t love chocolate? On this tour you will learn about what makes fine chocolate and sample from a wide array of San Francisco gourmet chocolate boutiques. You will learn about the history of chocolate, its health benefits, and all the latest trends. Everyone on the tour will receive a Chocolate Lover Card entitling you to discounts and VIP treatment at 10 different San Francisco chocolate boutiques! How awesome is that!? Ticket price is $53 per person.
5. Art and Soul |Saturday August 2nd-Sunday August 3rd|Noon to 6 pm|Downtown Oakland|Thousands are expected for the popular two-day event, now in its 14th year, packed with music, food, fun, dance and art in beautiful downtown Oakland. Blues, R&B, Soul, Funk, Gospel, Rock, Latin, Turf and Urban/World Dance will take place on four stages. Prices at the gate are $15 adults, $8 seniors (65+) & youth (13-17), 12 & under free.
Will you be attending any of these awesome events?! Let us know if we missed any in the comments below or on Facebook & Twitter!
Startup Monday: Karma
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 that we would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey Events.
A perk of being an event planner is having the ability to be invited to so many great events. What better way to thank your host, than to give them a gift? Instead of giving a box of chocolates and flowers, let San Francisco’s newest start-up company Karma help you make things more personalized.
Founded in 2011, Karma is the newest social mobile gifting service. It lets you give gifts to others just by using a mobile device. First, pick a card to go with the gift. Then the recipient will be notified via Facebook, email or text. You don’t even need to bother them for their address. When the gift is finally received, the recipient can choose which color, flavor, or style of gift they want.
Another great thing about Karma is that recipients have the chance of swapping a gift or donating to charity. You can consider this the gift that keeps on giving. I know what you’re thinking, “I don’t want them to know that I exchanged or donated the gift”. Don’t worry, Karma doesn’t tell if the recipient does either.
The Karma app is currently available at the iTunes app store and Android market. They have also partnered with great companies like, Domaine Chandon, Kate Spade, and Magnolia Cupcakes.
Next time you gift, have Karma help you decide what to send! Let us know if you’ve tried this service in the comments below, or on Facebook or Twitter!
Startup Monday: Speakeasy
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 that we would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey Events.
Planning an event involves many different elements. One of the most important and also challenging, can be the venue. Any experienced planner knows that the venue can really make or break an event. Speakeasy is a new startup that helps people find and book a space for their upcoming events!
The best part about this company is that it works hand-in-hand with venues and event planners. You can use Speakeasy’s website to search and filter by type of venue, location, price, etc. After finding the perfect venue, you can then request a quote for free! Speakeasy can also help with listing your venue to help attract new customers!
Speakeasy is a perfect site for event planners and venue owners to come together. Each company works independently and can charge their own rates. With its headquarters located in Oakland, they are set to help the Bay Area become a more fun and social place.
How do you find and book your venues? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!
Startup Monday: RAVN
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 that we would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey Events.
They say people are creatures of habit. We tend to eat at the same place, watch shows at the same theater, exercise at the same park. Once we get comfortable doing the same thing, it only becomes that much harder to try something new. This is where the newest RAVN app comes in handy.
RAVN lets users discover the best events going on in their city. The wonderful thing about this app is that it has a handpicked database of over 20,000 upcoming events. We say handpicked, meaning the employees actually go out and search for the most interesting events located in your city. Therefore this provides users a diverse selection of events to choose from, such as attending a movie in the park or participating in a local marathon.
Unfortunately there is no search function within this app. That means events can only be found chronologically. Once users find an event they’re interested in, they can “like” that event and add it to their Wishlist. They will also have the ability to see who else liked that event. This can help them see which are the most popular, or which ones their friends want to attend. The more often certain events are liked, the more personalized the app becomes. Eventually it will filter out events that are not interesting to the user.
Would you use RAVN to find something new and unique to do in your city? Let us know in the comments below, and on Facebook or Twitter!