Today's guest post is by Mark Kao, department manager for COS Group, and head of COS Rental. This is the third in a three-part series on successful strategies for using Instagram for events.
Instagram boasts over 300 million active and highly engaged users. In parts 1 and 2 of this series, we looked at actionable steps for building a healthy following on the social network and how to create posts that boost event registrations.
However, there’s more to Instagram than just generating leads for your events business.
The photo-sharing platform is also an endless source of ideas as the industry's best planners and award-winning brands regularly share their best work on the network.
To help keep your bag of gala, reception, and other special event ideas full of inspiration, here are five event professionals and planning companies you should follow on Instagram!
Caravents is the go-to full-service events agency for several international brands, responsible for big, successful events like Samsung Galaxy SIII's launch party, Target's Party For Good, and ELLE Independent Spirits Award.
Their excellent design and production chops have won awards including Best Decor for Special Event's Gala Awards 2009, BizBash 2009 Event Style Awards, as well as ISES 2009 Best Event Entertainment Concept & Execution.
Follow their Instagram account to catch the pros at work behind the scenes, along with brief but interesting moments from their events.
Not every special event needs luxury linens and table design, but when top event planners, hotels, and celebrities need awe-inspiring designs for their gala, party, or awards night, they turn to NuageDesigns for help.
The company is led by Creative Director Pablo Oliviera, and their Instagram account is a massive gallery of some of the most beautiful table arrangements and decor.
Mindy is not your average event planner. She started as a party planner while also designing custom party invitations, and went on to write three best-selling books, run a full-service event company, and even own a jewelry line.
Check out her Instagram account if you're looking for design ideas that are sure to make your menu, invitations, and venue decor pop!
With over 150,000 items that event planners, designers, and hotels rent day in and day out, A Party Apart is a large and diversified party contractor in Northeast Indiana. They cater to just about every type of event: street fairs, fashion shows, corporate gatherings, and even backyard parties. Following their Instagram account is sure to add a breath of fresh air and diversity in your feed.
Want to catch the latest concerts, festivals, and sporting events near you? Event Seeker, staying true to its name, can find it for you. Their Instagram account offers inspiring ideas from the best parties and festivals around the world, with impressive photos of massive crowds having the time of their lives and performers doing what they do best.
5 Meeting Professionals to Follow on Twitter!
We originally wanted a compilation of must-follow Instagram accounts for event pros and meeting professionals. Unfortunately, the meeting professionals we love aren’t on Instagram. But there’s no need to worry as you can still catch them on Twitter. Check them out!
Jeff Hurt is the event and meeting planning pro behind Velvet Chainsaw, a consulting company and a team of industry experts that provides game-changing expert advice for conference and tradeshow organizers.
Follow Jeff’s Twitter account to catch the latest industry trends and developments, golden nuggets of wisdom from meeting pros, photos from meetings and conferences, and more.
Named as one of “The 25 Most Influential People” in the meetings industry, Corbin Ball is the certified speaking and meetings professional behind the popular TechTalk newsletter. Follow his Twitter account to get the latest updates on must-read posts in the space, bits of event tech wisdom, and more.
MeetingsNet’s online library of awesome articles and videos is your one-stop shop for all things meetings: from medical, corporate, and association meetings, planning tips, design ideas and inspiration, career advice, and more in between. Get updates from their Twitter account for the freshest and most insightful stuff they publish!
Adrian boasts over 30 years of experience in conference and meeting planning, and he’s also the author of Conferences That Work, an Amazon best-seller with a 4.2 star rating from other meeting and conference planners.
Independent meeting planner and event professional Janice Field has a particular focus on attendee experience. Follow her on Twitter where she shares her latest finds from the leading Web sites and blogs in the meetings and events industry!
