VIRTUAL EVENTS GUIDE
Community has always been the heart of Instagram, and now it’s
more important than ever.
We’re sharing a few ways you can use Instagram to adapt your
planned events, supporting an online community when you’re unable
to gather in real life.
COVID-19
RESPONSE
Maintain a sense of community
Translate event content into digestible online bites
Keep conversation going post-event
With these tips, we aim to help you:
Guidance by event type
Host from wherever you are
Bring people together with Live
Use IGTV to go deep with your audience
Engage with attendees in Stories
Adapt event content with Feed
TABLE OF CONTENTS
2-3
4
5
6-7
8
9
1
Keynote speech
Giving a talk to a large
audience
COVID-19
RESPONSE
If you were planning a: Try:
Delivering the keynote via Live
•
Promote before in Stories, using the countdown sticker to
help your audience prepare to tune in
•
Use the Q&A sticker in Live to solicit questions and show
them on screen as you answer them
•
Use the Media Sharing tool to display presentation
content (via photos or videos from your phone library)
Making an IGTV video (or series)
•
Convert your masterclass online into one or more 3-5min
IGTV videos
•
Use the Series Tool to group themed IGTV content, so your
audience knows where to keep updated
Going Live for the announcement, then going deeper
with IGTV
•
Announce to Stories before, using the countdown sticker
to help your audience prepare to tune in
•
Promote in Feed by sharing behind the scenes that led up
to this launch moment (use captions to add context)
•
After the Live reveal, create an up close and personal
IGTV video, using text overlay edits to hammer home your
product’s value props
•
Promote in Feed using Feed Preview
GUIDANCE BY EVENT TYPE 1/2
COVID-19
RESPONSE
Adapt your events strategy to be responsive to COVID-19 containment.
Use all of Instagram’s surfaces to bring your IRL event to life URL.
Masterclass
Educational
presentation
Announcement or
Demo
New product reveal
2
GUIDANCE BY EVENT TYPE 2/2
COVID-19
RESPONSE
Adapt your events strategy to be responsive to COVID-19 containment.
Use all of Instagram’s surfaces to bring your IRL event to life URL.
Creating an IGTV series using the Series Tool
•
Collect audio or video from multiple panelists and edit
into IGTV content, featuring a different guest in each
video of the series
•
Launch the series with an intro video, prompting when
you’ll be sharing speaker videos throughout the
following week[s]
Adapting the content for Feed
•
Convert the presentation into an infographic or an
image-drive asset
•
Use a carousel in Feed to share multiple pieces of
content at once
•
Try ‘dropping’ content in batches, tied to the
presentation segments
•
Use captions to add context, including a prompt for
conversation in comments
Using Live With to livestream with your guest speaker
•
Announce to Stories before, sharing a bit about the theme
and speaker. Use the countdown sticker to help your
audience prepare to tune in.
•
Use the Q&A Stories sticker to source audience questions
•
After, share main takeaways to Feed to continue
conversation
Try:If you were planning:
An event that features
a guest speaker
An event that features
a panel
A slide-heavy
presentation
3
HOST WHEREVER YOU ARE
Make a content production space fit to host
from wherever you are.
Background: a solid wall works, or
simply host from your current
surroundings
Materials checklist
Selfie stick (or pop socket)
Tripod
COVID-19
RESPONSE
Space considerations
Lighting: Use a ring light if you can, but
soft natural light also works great
Sound for video:
-
Aim to shoot during quiet times in
your space
-
Limit distractions and other audio
sources for crisp sound
-
Do a test shot to make sure it
works for you before shooting
Editing considerations: we recommend these
apps to help you (or your team) edit content
post capture:
•
Spark
•
Videoleap
•
Carve
•
Videograde
•
90s
•
Inshot
4
•
Live With: Host your session with another
person (eg a guest speaker), splitting the
screen to show both your faces. Learn how
here.
-
Also a way to grow: Live With prompts a
notification to your collaborator’s followers
-
If you want to save your livestream when
using Live With, you’ll need to screen record
•
Q&A Live Sticker: solicit questions live,
displaying them on your screen as you
answer. Learn how here.
•
Media Sharing: if on iOS, try the Media
Sharing button (to the bottom right of your
Live recording screen), which allows you to
share content from your camera roll on
screen
-
Try this to share presentation content
USE LIVE TO BRING
PEOPLE TOGETHER
Live allows you to directly
connect with your audience,
making it a simple way to
create a virtual event.
COVID-19
RESPONSE
Keep in mind:
•
Make it conversational
•
Keep the setup casual
•
The majority of Live
content is shot selfie-style
•
Aim for 15mins or longer,
since it takes time for
viewers to join
BEFORE: prepare and promote
DURING: interact and engage
AFTER: learn and share
•
Make sure you have a strong connection for
a high quality stream
•
Turn on comment moderation in your
settings
•
Countdown sticker: Give followers
advanced notice using the countdown
sticker in Stories, so your audience can sign
up to be notified when it's time to tune in
•
Q&A Stories sticker: Solicit questions via
Stories before your session
•
Screenshot the end of your Live to save
analytics
•
Save your Live and upload to Stories and
IGTV.
5
USE IGTV TO GO DEEP WITH YOUR AUDIENCE
IGTV allows you to share longer, specific videos, making it the perfect
vehicle for adapting themed talks and presentations
COVID-19
RESPONSE
Make your IGTV stand out:
•
Try adding text graphics that allow you to
dub videos with captions or define
discussed topics
•
Bring your brand into the look and feel of
the IGTV video
•
Use sound to add dramatic or contextual
effect throughout (try simulating IRL
audience noises
Use the Series Tool to create your own IGTV
series. This is a great way to make your
content work harder for you. Learn how here.
•
If you have multiple sections of your
presentation (or multiple speakers),
upload weekly videos within Series
Think outside the box and try different formats:
•
Audio overlaid atop video / images
•
Speaking direct to camera
•
Split screen view
Engage your audience in the first 3 secs:
•
Adding a compelling hook to start (visually or through your intro)
•
Prompting for (and including) a reveal at the end of your video
Pass the mic:
•
Consider inviting guests or collaborators to create and/or share IGTV
content on your behalf
•
You can then, in post production, add in a look and feel consistent with
your brand using graphics and editing techniques
6
What’s the best way to increase IGTV views?
Always use Feed Previews
What’s the best day to post to IGTV?
Weekends (plus Fridays)
How long should my IGTV video be?
The sweet spot is 3-5mins (consider breaking up a longer video into
3-5min segments)
COVID-19
RESPONSE
IGTV FAQs
Q:
A:
Q:
A:
Q:
A:
Promoting your IGTV video
Before:
•
Promote in Stories using the countdown
sticker
-
If doing a Series, prompt when to
expect the next video
After:
•
Use Feed Preview so your existing
audience sees your IGTV content
-
The new IGTV cropping tool allows you
to select a thumbnail image so it still
looks good on your grid
•
Reshare your video to Stories,
encouraging your audience to watch
7
USE IGTV TO GO DEEP WITH YOUR AUDIENCE
ENGAGE YOUR
AUDIENCE WITH
STORIES
Use Stories to foster a
sense of community rallied
around your event
COVID-19
RESPONSE
Keep in mind:
•
Post multiple Stories per
experience
•
Regularly update
Highlights with themed
Stories from your event
•
Get creative with
interactive tools
Stories about You: ask your audience
to tag you in content relevant to your
event, and share with your thanks to
Stories
•
Ask attendees to share how they’re
tuning in and engaging remotely
•
Access your Stories @-mentions in the
Activity Tab to view, reply-to and share
Stories about you
Spread the word using the
countdown sticker
•
Name your countdown and set an end
date/time for the event. Your followers
can turn on reminders or share your
countdown to their Story
Use Close Friends to share specific
content with your most tuned-in audience
•
Try using the Poll sticker to ask if your
audience wants to be added to Close
Friends, then access who said 'yes'
and create your list from there
Share the behind the scenes set up
process
•
If you have multiple members of your
team, have each upload to your brand
account with their various BTS
moments leading up to your event
•
Don’t worry about being too polished;
share raw content with your audience
8
ADAPT EVENT
CONTENT
WITH FEED
Use Feed to keep conversation around your
event going, and invite your audience to
share in that conversation in comments
COVID-19
RESPONSE
Keep in mind:
•
Post a mix of videos and
photos
•
Go vertical (4:5)
•
Always use hashtags and
geotags (consider creating
a bespoke event hashtag)
•
Use carousels for more
engagement in one post
•
Coordinate your Feed
posts with all efforts on
other surfaces
Convert the presentation into
infographic or image-driven assets
Try 'dropping' content in batches,
tied to the presentation segments
•
Tie your IGTV Series videos to Feed
posts: share your Feed Preview first,
then your ‘wrap up post' for the
corresponding video
Plus: try using Feed as you normally
would have following an event
•
Share an image of the keynote
speaker presenting from his/her/their
home set up with a caption (or in video
speaking) thanking everyone for being
part of the event
Use a carousel in Feed to share
multiple pieces of content at once
9
