Trade shows are a visually stimulating affair. Think about it — you’ve got thousands of people coming and going, bright lights, huge signs, glossy brochures, stunning promotional models and enough nifty looking swag to fill a warehouse. If you’re wondering how to leverage your trade show marketing, why wouldn’t you take advantage of the most visual-centric social media networks out there? Instagram has all the social cachet of Facebook minus all the nonsense and ads (for now at least); it’s strictly visual, visual, visual. Use this hot social network the right way and you’ll more easily engage with your audience, generate real leads, and get the most out of your trade show marketing. Here are 7 valuable Instagram tips for trade shows.

Here are 7 helpful tips to help you supercharge your trade show marketing with Instagram.

1. Tell a story with images

Posting on Instagram won’t do you any good if share dull, lifeless images with your audience. Rather than post a boring shot of some flyer you have lying around, why not snap a photo of someone on your staff? While you’re at it, how about taking a few shots while your team is setting up and/or breaking down your booth, giving your audience an inside look at the comings and goings of your brand? Heck, you could even take some shots of local landmarks (e.g. Times Square, the Sears Tower). Make your images meaningful — tell a story — and your audience will be more likely to respond.

2. Include relevant hashtags

Imagine you’re attending a trade show in Cleveland and trying to promote a new video game. You’d want to tag your photos with the hashtag #Cleveland, #trade show, and #videogames, right? You also might add the words #Ohio, #conference and #gamers. The tags you add play a huge part in your photos being found by your target Instagram audience. Take the time to think of all the relevant hashtags you can, and include them with your photos. Note: Most modern trade shows will probably have an official hashtag (e.g. #NYCC for New York Comic Con), so definitely include this with all of the photos you share.

3. Network via the Explore option

You might not realize it, but there’s likely a good amount of your audience using Instagram already, whether they’re posting about important business or throwing up pictures from their vacation in Honduras. You can find Instagram users who are into the kind of stuff you’re promoting by using the Explore feature. Simply search by keywords that make sense for your brand (e.g. if you owned a traveling circus company, the keyword “clowns”) and connect with people who are likely to be interested in working with you and/or buying your product/service. This is also a great way to listen in on conversation and find out what your target customers are into.

4. Record quick videos

You’re hip to video marketing, aren’t you? Whether you’ve got a sweet sizzle reel or wouldn’t know a promo video if it hit you in the face, you can use Instagram to leverage the power of video marketing. Instagram lets you record 15 second video clips, just enough time to show off a hot new product or share a funny sound bite from one of your staff. Engaging little clips can help you stand out from the hordes of trade show marketers posting generic-looking, static photos and connect with trade show attendees.

5. Name your location

Remember how we mentioned that you should include the city your trade show is in as a hashtag for each of your photos? Well, you can take the whole location thing a step further by naming the location for each of your photos. Simply name the location of your booth (e.g. Booth A-5) and/or city (e.g. Boise, Idaho) with each of your photos, and trade show attendees will be more likely to find your Instagram savvy self.

6. Stage photo opportunities

Got a really cool part of your booth that you want to show off? Want to get trade show attendees more involved with your booth? When you’re developing the look of your booth, consider creating a special section where you can take pictures with attendees. This might be something as simple as a backdrop or as elaborate as a special “Photos with Brand X” seat. This will help create a more memorable image for your business and make it easier for you to truly engage with visitors.

What do you do on Instagram to win the attention of trade show attendees? Contact us to discuss more Instagram tips for trade shows.