Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where people assume the actions of others in an attempt to reflect correct behaviour for a given situation. It is also a phenomenon seen, and term used, when individuals on social media engage with or buy from businesses because they see evidence (in the form of photographs, posts and videos) that someone else is engaging with that business. For this reason, social media engagement is an increasingly valuable and powerful tool for businesses.

Here’s how you can use photographs to take social proof to the next level for your business: 

The Benefits of Customers Sharing and Tagging Images 

Social media is an easy and affordable way to help your business be seen by a wider audience, which is why it is such a popular tool with businesses of all sizes. 

Some of the benefits of your customers tagging you in their images and posts include: 

  • It guarantees that you will see the imagery. Businesses are alerted when someone tags them on social media, and this is a great way to ensure that you are aware of conversations taking place about your brand, as well as enabling you to be a part of them. 
  • Tags increase customer engagement. If you establish your own tag such as #eventsalbum, and other people are following that tag then not only will they see your business content, but they will also see how other customers are engaging with you. Thanks to the concept of social proof, this is likely to grow their own engagement and encourage them to utilise your services themselves. 
  • When you are tagged in a photo or video, you can retag this to your own account, effectively giving you free and engaging social media content. You can also use those images within your own social media and marketing campaigns, creating a wealth of valuable, user-generated content that is more likely to be trusted by your customers than the content you have created independently. Research has found that the majority of social media users looking for product information prefer posts from other consumers (51%) than from review sites, newspapers and magazines, or the brand itself. 

Using EventsAlbum 

However, whilst there are many benefits of being tagged in customer images, this also comes with limitations. The small size and low resolution of images saved to social media means that it would be difficult for you to use these images in your own social media or marketing campaigns. And approaching your customers for a higher-resolution version of the image can be both time-consuming and awkward. 

The solution to this problem is to use a service such as EventsAlbum. If you are able to send out a QR code to your clients so they can submit their images, rather than ask them to email them to you directly, then this will serve two purposes: making it less of an awkward exchange with customers you don’t know as well as giving you access to the original higher resolution photos at full size. This means that you are able to use those images on your site or social media. This could be mutually beneficial for B2B companies as it means both can take advantage of promotion and social proof where an image is used. However, all businesses could benefit from this system, streamlining the process of gaining high-resolution images from their customers, and making their customer engagement more professional and easier to access.

Photo sharing apps are soaring in popularity and it’s easy to see why. They make sharing special photos and magical memories easier and more efficient than ever before.  We know that gathering photos from events can be time-consuming and stressful. 

But in our increasingly social media driven society, it’s important that events are documented efficiently and that images can be both saved and shared. When using photo sharing apps it is important that they are used effectively.

Wondering how? Here are some best practices for using event photo sharing apps. 

Pre-event Planning 

One of the best ways to ensure any event photo sharing apps are used effectively is to set them up before an event. You might want to consider letting your event attendees know which photo sharing app you will be using before the event so that they can be ready to share too. 

If you are considering using EventsAlbum for your event then the easiest way to do this would be to include the QR code for your event with the event invitation or any follow up email, for example. For other apps, you may need to send a link and ensure your guests have this downloaded before they arrive. Alternatively, you could offer free Wi-Fi so that these can be downloaded by your attendees as they arrive. 

Consider printing signs which can be hung around the venue in advance with the sharing link or code printed clearly, and encouraging attendees to share their photographs. 

Engaging Attendees

It doesn’t matter what app you choose to use or how prepared you are, if your event attendees don’t choose to share their photos then you won’t have gathered the imagery you need. That’s why it’s so important to engage your guests and encourage attendee participation. 

You can do this by informing attendees before an event that image sharing will be encouraged. The most common mistake people make when taking photos at an event is sharing photos without permission: but if people know they are going to be photographed, they are more likely to want to share their own imagery. 

You should also consider setting up engaging areas attendees will want to take photos of. For casual events, photo booths are a good example of this, while plenty of aesthetically pleasing products are a great choice for a product launch. 

Finally don’t forget to have lots of reminders around your event space for attendees to share their images. You could even introduce an incentive, such as a prize draw that attendees are entered into when they choose to share. 

Post-event Follow Up

When you’ve gathered all of the images from your event, it’s important that you store and preserve these properly. The images you gather become a vital resource for future marketing campaigns and social media publication, and they should be treated as valuable. 

Different apps will store your pictures in different ways and it’s important you know what to expect in advance. If your event is of a sensitive nature, involves children, or your attendees are unlikely to want their images shared in the public domain then it’s important that you consider this when choosing your app. 

When you use EventsAlbum your upload page then remains open for a full year after the event date so that attendees can share their photos after the event, and images are private until you choose to share them. This makes it a great tool for events of all themes and sizes. 

Conclusion 

The most important things to remember when using photo sharing apps are to prepare, engage and preserve. Photo sharing apps are a wonderful tool for events planners as they make gathering and sharing images easier than ever before. Photos are a currency, and the more of these you have to work with the better. Try a free demo today.

There’s nothing more exciting or heartwarming than gathering all your friends and family members together for a special event. But one photo shared with the wrong person at the wrong time can make those special events feel a little less special: that’s why photo sharing etiquette is so important. 

But photo etiquette can also be a minefield with different events having different rules. To help, here is a brief list of photo sharing dos and don’ts: 

Dos and Don’ts for Guests 

DO ask for permission before sharing photos. This is particularly important at events like weddings and christenings. Many couples prefer to wait until they have received the photos from their professional photographer before their guests can share their own photos. 

DON’T share potentially embarrassing photos. If you’ve got any pictures of guests gone wild or anything that might make someone embarrassed or uncomfortable then keep it to yourself. 

DO edit yourself. It can be tempting to share every photo you take but bombarding your friends and family with too many photos can be overwhelming. Edit yourself and only share a highlights reel. 

DON’T take or share any images of children that aren’t your own. Sharing pictures of children is a minefield best avoided and only a child’s parents can decide whether their image can be shared on social media or not. 

Event Organiser Etiquette

Event organisers can manage any hurt feelings and misunderstandings by clearly stating the photo sharing rules and etiquette that they will be following, in advance. 

If you don’t want anyone to post your wedding photos on social media before you do, for example, then you should state this clearly on your wedding invitations or on arrival. People aren’t mind readers and won’t know what you want if you don’t tell them! 

There may also be parts of your event you don’t want photographing at all. Some parents choose not to take photos inside the church at a christening, for example. Again, clear communication is the best way to manage this. Let people know what your expectations are in advance. 

Why not consider using a service such as EventsAlbum? This is an online album where your guests can easily share all their photos from your event via a QR code. No download or login required! It means that your guests can share their photos as they’re taking them, but you are able to see every photo and control if and when you choose to share it. 

Common Mistakes

The most common mistakes people make when taking photos at an event are sharing photos without permission, and sharing them too soon. Both mistakes are easily avoided. 

If you are taking pictures of other people, then ask their permission before you share them online. And ensure that the event organiser is happy for you to share your photos, particularly if you plan to share them on social media. 

There's always a chance that feelings could get hurt when someone sees posts from an event they weren’t invited to, so think carefully before you share and if in doubt, don’t! 

Conclusion

No matter what type of event you are planning, whether an elaborate wedding or a simple birthday, it's important to consider how you will share photos of your special event. You can promote responsible and respectful photo sharing practices in advance by being as clear and straightforward as possible with your guests. And as an event guest, you should understand what your event organiser needs and think before you share!

Take a look at what EventsAlbum can do for you today with a free demo.

Your wedding day is one of the most significant and memorable days of your life. 

Capturing this special day on camera is integral to most happy couples which is why most brides and grooms are advised to set aside a minimum of 10% of their wedding budget for photography and videography. More if they’re particularly focused on photography and aesthetics. 

But it’s important to remember that your official wedding photographs aren’t the only images being captured on your big day. Every wedding guest with a camera or a smartphone has the opportunity to become a storyteller, each providing a unique perspective of your wedding. 

Here’s how you can use your wedding guests to showcase their experience through photos. 

Gaining a Unique Perspective 

Couples work hard to ensure that all of their guests receive a uniform experience: the same food, the same favours, the same cake portions. But from the angle of their table to the guests that they are sitting alongside, every guest will have a different experience at your wedding. 

Looking at the photos from each guest, and seeing how these pictures come together, will enable you to create a full and real picture of your wedding from different points of view. Secret glances, joyous dance moves, crying in bathrooms. Wedding guests are able to capture moments of your wedding day that your photographer can’t, and that you otherwise wouldn’t see. 

These moments may seem small and insignificant but they are precious. They are the glimpses of joy that turn an ordinary day into an extraordinary one. There is magic to be found in amongst the mundane photos: whilst every guest will take a photo of their same dinner, for example, only one will sneak a shot of your grandparents kissing when they think no one’s looking. 

Gathering Your Images With Ease 

A Hitched survey found the average number of guests at a UK wedding is 82 day guests and 103 evening guests. That’s a huge number of different unique perspectives of your wedding day, as well as a huge number of images to gather and coordinate. 

Whilst some brides will use social media tools such as Facebook groups or WhatsApp to gather these wedding photos from their guests this can be complicated and time-consuming. The best way to ensure your guests share these images with you is to capture them as you go along and to make sharing as easy as possible. 

EventsAlbum allows you to gather photos taken by your guests on your wedding day using a QR code and display a livestream of the photos at your event. Sharing is easy and the thrill of seeing your photos shared on the livestream will also make your guests more likely to share their photos. 

You set up the event, create a QR code and link to your album from our site. Your guests then scan the QR code or enter the link and they can easily upload all the photos they've taken, no need for them to create an account or download a specific app. It’s simple, it’s easy, and it could completely revolutionise your wedding. 

A picture says a thousand words. That’s because images are powerful. The right photograph can trigger a strong emotional connection. And it can also help businesses to make connections in their arena. If you’re not already harnessing the power of photography in your business, then you could be missing out. Here’s how photos can create lasting business connections for your brand: 

Photos Help Build Relationships

Many businesses will attend events or awards ceremonies to network and build relationships with their business partners or with other businesses in their sector. These events are a great place to make new connections. 

Research shows that business professionals prefer in-person meetings and networking events because they allow them to read body language and facial expressions, boost bonding opportunities, and ultimately build more meaningful business relationships. 

When you attend these in-person networking events, awards ceremonies, or corporate away days there is often a photographer. Photos from networking events or awards ceremonies are often shared on business social media platforms such as LinkedIn. This gives businesses an additional opportunity to reach out to their new contacts and to build new conversations that focus on trust, camaraderie and collaboration. In short, photos can help to build personal relationships that become valuable business relationships. 

Photos Are Great for PR 

If you are a B2C business, then photos are great for reaching out to your consumers, humanising your brand, and demonstrating your business's expertise. Photography is an incredibly important tool for a business, especially for PR purposes. Consumers are more likely to trust brands where they know what the team looks like, and where they can see brands engaging with other brands they know, use and trust. This is particularly important if your brand is relatively new and unknown, and needs to build online trust and online engagement. 

If you want to put out a press release about your brand or are regularly in contact with journalists and media outlets to promote your brand, you will also get high-quality images to support your story. Access to relevant imagery is important. 

When Hosting Events

If you are hosting a networking event, launch party, or any other kind of business shindig then it is important to keep photography at the forefront of your mind. Does your event space have lighting that is conducive to good photography? Do you have props, a background board, or other tools to encourage attendees to take photographs? How can your photography create those lasting business connections? 

One tool that you might wish to consider is EventsAlbum. Attendees scan a simple QR code and then upload their photos to the album for the event directly. This will encourage your business guests to share any photos of your event and effectively turn every attendee into an official event photographer. The best of these images can then be shared via social media, creating another social and networking link and building valuable business relationships. 

Why not find out more about how EventsAlbum could work for you? Try a demo today.

 

Your wedding day is one of the happiest days of your life, so it makes sense that after the ‘big day’, you will want to share your photos far and wide. But what is the best way to share your wedding photos? Some couples choose to share their images on social media, but if you do this then you can’t control who can see your photos. More private newlyweds prefer to control who has access to their images by using photo sharing apps or WhatsApp to share their wedding snaps. But which option is right for you? 

Here’s everything you need to know about comparing wedding photo sharing apps with sharing photos via WhatsApp: 

Using WhatsApp For Wedding Photo Sharing

WhatsApp is an easy and convenient way to share photos. You can simply add your friends or family members to a WhatsApp group and then send over all of your favourite wedding photos. Using WhatsApp is free, and most people are already using the app.  However, if this sounds too good to be true that’s probably because it is. There are also some drawbacks to using WhatsApp for photo sharing. 

Firstly, you can only send up to 100 photos or videos via WhatsApp at any one time. So if you have taken more photos than this, you will have to break them down into more manageable chunks. Secondly, sending and downloading photos via WhatsApp can be time-consuming as you are dependent on a speedy Wi-Fi speed for your transfer to be successful. 

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, if you choose to remove yourself from a chat group then you will lose access to all of the photos within that group. And given that social media and messenger apps are constantly changing or installing updates, you may find that you can’t save the images within the group to your own device. For this reason, WhatsApp is a great tool for sharing quick snaps from parties but shouldn’t be relied on to share photos from events as important as a wedding. 

Using Photo Sharing Apps For Wedding Photo Sharing 

By contrast, when you choose to share your wedding photos via a designated photo sharing app, you know that your photos will be stored in a way that is safe and secure. When you go back to look at them at a later date, they will still be there. 

Photo sharing apps also allow users to share their photos instantly. You can upload your photos and ensure that they can only be seen by your chosen audience in just a few clicks and a matter of seconds. You can either limit access to your family and friends, or lock down your photos further so that access is by invite only.  

Websites like EventsAlbum even allow wedding photos to be shared by your wedding guests when they’re still at the event, simply by scanning a QR code. If you want to control your images, ensure that they are safe and won’t become lost, and make accessing your wedding photos easy and accessible, then a photo sharing app is likely to be the best option for you. 

Your wedding day is one of the happiest days of your life, and yet it passes in the blink of an eye. 

You’ll remember the most important moments, such as cutting the cake or saying ‘I do’ and proclaiming your love to your favourite people in the world around you, but for many couples, the rest of the day quickly becomes nothing more than a blur. 

That’s why wedding photography is so important. Your wedding images help tell the story of your wedding day. Most couples will choose to document the day as soon as they wake up and start getting ready, all the way through to the end of their wedding reception. 

Sharing Relationships

Your wedding photos are a wonderful opportunity to show off your most cherished relationships to the world, whilst everyone is smiling and wearing their Sunday best. Weddings are a chance for distant relatives to gather, and many families will use this as an opportunity to snap photographs of different generations meeting for the first time, or of old friendships being rekindled. 

These are moments that you will want to capture, share and cherish for a lifetime. To make sure you get all of the group photos you are expecting, plan ahead. Write a list of group shots for your photographer ahead of time, so that you don’t have to think about it on the day. 

Capturing Secret Moments 

Often the official wedding photographer will be capturing beautiful images of the happy couple, but the real fun of the party is usually happening elsewhere. Pictures of bridesmaids cuddling, pageboys stealing wedding cake, and usually shy and retiring uncles ripping off their ties and making a beeline for the dance floor are what make a wedding. These are the moments couples want to treasure forever. 

Using a website such as EventsAlbum is a great way to make sure you see all of these photos too. Wedding guests can scan a QR code and then add all of the photos they have taken on their camera phones with ease, meaning you get access to the most candid snaps of your wedding, and your photographer can focus on taking beautiful and elegant photos of you. 

Everything Feels Worth It

Planning a wedding can be stressful and time-consuming. But when you look back at the photos of your beautiful and successful day, it will all feel worth it. 

Your wedding photos will capture all of your guests having fun and enjoying the fruits of your labour. You’ll see the people you love smiling, dancing, and enjoying the food you selected so carefully. Your photos will show much more than just the people you share your day with though. Photography is also a great way to remember the flowers, the colour schemes and the table centrepieces that you agonised over. You can look back at these photos whenever you want and feel proud of the work you put in, the choices you made, and the long and happy marriage that will follow. 

One of the easiest ways to gather all of your wedding photos, especially those unexpected snaps from guests, is to use a website such as EventsAlbum. Why not visit the website to find out more about how EventsAlbum could work for you?

There is nothing more exciting than receiving your wedding photos. It gives you the opportunity to relive the best day of your life, where you created memories that you will want to keep forever. 

Once you have poured over the photos yourselves, the first thing most couples want to do is share them with their friends and family members. But sharing a huge number of photos can be time-consuming and take up a lot of your data allowance too. So what is the best way to share your wedding photos online? 

Here are five great options:  

  1. EventsAlbum
    EventsAlbum is an innovative way to share your wedding photos with others, both at your wedding and after the event. Couples can share a QR code with all of the guests at their wedding: guests then scan this code and use it to quickly and conveniently upload all of the photos they have taken. 

This is a fun and easy way to share the photos that have been taken not only by your wedding photographer but by all of your wedding guests as well. And because no app or social media account is needed to use EventsAlbum, every guest can be part of the sharing experience. 

  1. Google Drive
    Many wedding photographers will use Google Drive to share images with their brides and grooms. This is an easy and convenient way to organise photos, as they can be categorised into different folders and sub-folders.

The happy couple can give access to friends and family to view and edit their wedding photos, but sharing a Google Drive folder with a huge number of people can be more time-consuming than many of the other methods on this list. 

  1. Facebook
    Perhaps one of the most common ways to share your wedding photos with friends and family is via Facebook. There are around 350 million photos shared every day on the popular media site.

    You can create an album on the site and choose whether you want your images to be seen by all of your Facebook friends or just a selected group of friends and family members. The main drawback of using Facebook to share your wedding photos is that only people you are ‘friends’ with on the site will be able to see your album. This means that extended family members, distant friends, or those without Facebook accounts could be excluded.
  2. Picshare Party
    This is a unique tool that allows couples to gather images into one album via text message. This is a great way to access those late-night party photos and funny moments that wedding guests might not otherwise think to share. As no app or social media account is needed, this might also be another good option for older guests. 

The main drawback of this approach is that the images shared by text message will not be of the highest resolution, making it difficult to print them in a large format. 

  1. Flickr
    Flickr is a photo-sharing website and free app that allows users to create their own accounts and albums. Whilst Flickr is a communal photo-sharing site, it is possible to set the privacy of your photos or album so that they can be seen by everyone, no one at all, or just friends and family. 

However, some photos and groups can’t be accessed if you don’t have a Flickr account, meaning that this photo-sharing method won’t necessarily work for everyone.



QR codes are increasingly utilised by marketers. Adding QR tools to physical marketing tools such as flyers, posters, and even business cards is a great way to encourage engagement with prospective customers and leads. It is also a valuable way of providing them with access to valuable additional information. 

But marketers are also utilising QR codes in the event space. QR technology has developed incredibly quickly, and as it continues to evolve, it can be hard to know how best to use it in the events arena. So, what are the newest QR trends in the event space? And how successful are these trends? Here’s everything you need to know: 

Interactive Experiences 

QR codes can be used to provide event attendees with access to interactive experiences, such as the virtual gamification of an exhibit or display. QR codes encourage event attendees to interact with hands-on content in a way that they may not have felt comfortable doing so in the past. Attendees only need to use the camera on their smartphones to engage with new content quickly and easily. Marketers should be using this content to excite their customers about their brands, creating positive, feel-good experiences. They will then associate those positive feelings with the brand that brought them the experience. Virtual reality and immersive gamification are hot trends in the events space, and QR codes can be used to tap into this. 

Engaging with Video Content

One of the most common ways that QR codes are being used in the event arena is to encourage attendees to engage with video content. QR codes can be included in displays that link to an expanding video: This video should enhance the physical display and further promote your product, whilst having an entertainment value. 

But as well as utilising QR code technology to share more information about your brand with your customers, you can also use QR codes in a reciprocal way, generating content, and engaging with your customer base directly. EventsAlbum is an online album which enables your guests to use a QR code to easily share all their photos from your event. This is a great way to make your event attendees feel valued and engaged with your business. What’s more, viewing their photos and images will give you a unique perspective on your event. You can then use this content for social media and other marketing tools, utilising user-generated content captured via QR code to advertise your brand to a wider audience. 

At a basic level, QR codes are fantastic design additions to physical marketing tools. If you consider taking their use a step further, QR codes could enable you to organise a completely paper-free event. Event registration, check-in, information and unique brand experiences can all be orchestrated via QR code. The global QR code market is forecast to grow to $1268.1 million by 2026: a significant increase from its value of $916.7 million in 2020. Far from being a gimmick, QR codes are here to stay, and they have the potential to completely revolutionise the modern events space. 

A picture is worth a thousand words, with photos immediately sharing the tone, style and success of an event, in a way that no other medium could. Whether you’re planning a personal event such as a wedding or christening, or a business event such as a conference or performance, ensuring that it is fully photographed will be essential to forming positive long-term memories in your attendees. Photography documents your event journey, affords immortality and captures details that you might otherwise not even notice. Here are just some of the reasons why event photography is so important: 

Photography Makes Memories 

There’s a reason that a woman will never be photographed more than she is on her wedding day: this is because taking photos is one of the very best ways to memorialise special and unforgettable moments. Photography acts as a portal to the past, ensuring that treasured details that might otherwise be forgotten will live on forever. Photos can be shared, saved, and kept. If you are making memories at an event, and want to ensure that your guests won’t forget it, then the best way to do this is with photography. 

Photography is a Great Marketing Tool 

Photography increases engagement and instantly tells your target audience what your event, or your business, is about. You’re more likely to order a pizza from a company that includes a photo of a pizza on their flyer.  You're also more likely to attend an event where you have seen photos of other event attendees having a great time. From a pure marketing perspective, ensuring that you have photographs of every aspect of your event will be integral to selling the event. 

Photography Encourages Event Attendance 

If you are hosting an event that runs on a regular basis, then photography will be integral to growing and encouraging event attendance. Humans are naturally visual creatures and will seek out imagery, particularly when assessing the value of an event. The more photographs you have of your event, the more likely it is that people will attend. This is supported by statistics: images promoted on Facebook get 352% more engagement than links promoted without images. And web content containing images attracts 94% more views than account content without associated imagery. This clearly demonstrates that the more images you can gather from your events, the better. 

To gather as many photos as possible from an event without the expense of using professional photographers on a regular basis, why not consider using EventsAlbum? EventsAlbum is an online album where your guests can easily share all their photos from your event. You simply set up the event, create a QR code which you share with your event attendees, and then they scan this to share their photos with you, enabling you to see your event not only from a brand-new perspective but from a wide range of different perspectives. EventsAlbum is a great way to add value to your event for attendees and to gather as many photos as possible from the event at the same time.