The Role of Social Media in Events Imagineering; the Use of Instagram in Imaginative Event Experiences

Abstract

This research aims to investigate the role of social media in event imaging and the use of Instagram in imaginative event experiences. With an increasing degree of digital connectivity and virtually everything becoming a click away, social media such as Facebook and Twitter are playing an integral role amongst us, completely transforming our activities while organizing events from booking venues to handling marketing. This study aims to investigate and discuss how the leading social media platform, Instagram, impacts the construction and development of imaginative event experiences by looking at its role in promoting events, audience engagement, and recipient experience while attending those events. Using a structured quantitative method, the research applies a questionnaire survey to collect data from participants in different roles with event organizers, attendees, and industry experts. The methodology is based on a positivist philosophy, which ensures an objective and empirical approach to the questionnaire. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) will be used to perform a thorough data analysis focusing on Chi-square, which concentrates on relationships and impacts. The practical value of the study lies in its possibility that it may help fill some gaps left by literature so far, explicitly concerning long-term consequences brought about through Instagram use amongst event management professionals and increased strategic consideration towards leveraging its functionalities for better-imagining experiences. This research supports the growing conversation on how digital media changes event management by providing empirical findings and practical implications for industry practitioners. Projected outcomes will likely demonstrate subtle knowledge of the effects, shaping further investigation and practice in changeable event Imagineering.

Introduction and Background

Introduction 

The emergence of the event Imagineering landscape that permeates the current scene of event management and attendee engagement can be attributed mainly to social media, specifically the Instagram platform. Event managers now have this platform at their disposal, which is visual and interactive, and it has become one of their essential tools. The present proposal will explore Instagram and its relationship with event Imagineering. The study will look closely at some cases, user interactions, and how event planners use Instagram to comprehensively examine the platform’s function in improving the event experience. The exploration is essential for exploring the current trends of the events management industry and predicting future occurrences. This study aims to advance understanding of how social media affects people’s perception of public events and their experience in connection to event management studies.

Study Background

This study underscores that integrating social media into event imagining significantly changes the events industry. Interestingly, social media platforms like Instagram have redefined how we perceive and organize events. Instagram is a visually appealing platform whose users are highly interactive and can be used effectively as tools to enhance creativity and interaction in the event management domain (Challa & Anute, 2021). The Evolution of social media in this sense is examined, as well as how it transformed from another tool for promotion to an integral part of event design and attendees’ experience.

In the recent past, Instagram came of age and dominated the events industry due to its capability to display attractive photos. With this characteristic, it was more suitable for the events industry, driven by visual storytelling (Salunke & Jain, 2022). Soon, event planners and marketers were using Instagram for hype sha, ring event moments, and interacting with their fans live. The setting is an essential prelude for apprehending how Instagram operates in modern-event imagining, portraying its evolutionary path from a picture-sharing application to an essential actor of event sensory layout (Salunke & Jain, 2022).

Additionally, Events Imagining, which includes imagining and creating remarkable events within imaginary contexts, is explored further. In this regard, Instagram performs functions other than just marketing during a sporting event. Such activities include engaging with the audience, creating content, and promoting an event’s theme (Taberner & Juncà, 2021). Such comprehension within the scope of Instagram capabilities builds an all-around outlook for this study, taking Instagram as an essential element in the development course of event design and management administration (Taberner & Juncà, 2021).

Lastly, the background part outlines the more significant implications of Instagram on envisioning occurrences, given the latest developments in marketing through digital media, audience members, and interest creation. The case study also addresses how Instagram’s attributes, like stories, live, and IGTV, play a part in enhancing experiences of the day. In a nutshell, there is more to Instagram than just a social network; Instagram is a powerful tool for turning events into memorable milestones.

Justification for the Study

This research is relevant because it focuses on Instagram, which is one of the most advanced digital tools employed during events worldwide. This study targets explicitly the missing dimension in social science scholarship surrounding events imagined in a digitized era and how Instagram is increasingly involved. The study aims to provide in-depth explanations about how Instagram shapes event experiences, an issue that has attracted scant scholastic attention but is highly relevant in practice. A more excellent knowledge of how social media sites, including Instagram, function regarding an event’s planning process is crucial to justify this research.

This study is relevant to today’s fast-changing digital environment. Studies focusing on various popular social media platforms in the events industry should be conducted as these become more important when it comes to marketing and engaging in the events industry. Through this, Instagram – a very visually oriented platform and a highly popular one – provides an excellent opportunity to learn more about the potential of other such media in creating an attractive environment for festivals or any other events. This study aims to fill in this knowledge gap, contributing information that can be used not only for academic purposes but also for practice, particularly in areas related to event management.

Additionally, the study results can inform more general marketing and communications strategies. Developing a deeper understanding of how Instagram could be used for event imagining could also lead to better-performing social media strategies among various industries. Thus, this study can lead to more profound insight into the workings of social media, which will greatly assist marketers, event planners, and digital strategists, among others. This study is relevant in terms of current and future research because it focuses on one of the most popular social media platforms, Instagram.

Research Question, Aim, and Objectives

Aim

This study aims to explore and analyze the role of social media, specifically Instagram, in the context of events imagining, focusing on how it contributes to the creation and enhancement of imaginative event experiences.

Objectives

1. Investigate the prevalence and extent of Instagram utilization in the events industry for imagineering purposes.
2. Assess the impact of Instagram on the imaginative aspects of event planning and execution.
3. Identify the key elements and features within Instagram that contribute to the imagineering process in events.
4. Analyze user engagement and interaction patterns on Instagram in the context of events imagineering.
5. Explore the challenges and opportunities associated with using Instagram for creating imaginative event experiences.

Research Questions

The research focuses mainly on how social media, especially Instagram, works as a medium through which Imagineers create envisioned event experiences.

1. How widely and in what ways is Instagram employed in the events industry for imagineering?
2. In what manner does Instagram influence the imaginative aspects of event planning and execution?
3. What specific features and elements within Instagram contribute significantly to the imagineering process in events?
4. How do users engage with event-related content on Instagram, and what is the impact on the overall event experience?
5. What challenges and opportunities are associated with utilizing Instagram for creating imaginative event experiences?

Hypotheses

Two main hypotheses underpin this study, aiming to explain the nuanced role played by social media, particularly Instagram, in imagineering events.

Null Hypothesis (H0): Instagram has a negligible or minor impact on the imaginative aspects of event planning and execution in the events industry.

Alternative Hypothesis (H1a): Instagram has a moderate impact on the imaginative aspects of event planning and execution in the events industry.

Alternative Hypothesis (H1b): Instagram has a major impact on the imaginative aspects of event planning and execution in the events industry.

Significance of the Study

This study makes a strong contribution to the field of event management in multiple ways. The first one focuses on how social networking sites like Instagram are changing the way we perceive events today. The study offers a novel interpretation of media’s influence on event co-creation and experience. This is especially important, considering that in today’s world, digital engagement is paramount for success in experience design. Moreover, the study considerably enhances existing literature on this issue by addressing the particular roles that Instagram plays within event management contexts.

Furthermore, this study should provide useful recommendations to event practitioners, in view of the fact that digital platforms are becoming part of the contemporary industry in organizing events, to comprehend how Instagram could improve fantasy event experiences. These findings guide the effective use of Instagram in audience engagement, aesthetics enhancement, and experience creation. This is critical because even event planners always seek to be different and unique in a very challenging market.

Finally, this study goes beyond discussing event management alone since the analysis allows for a better comprehension of how social media could serve as an instrument of artistic and societal constructs. These results may be very useful for those areas that are beginning to acquire importance in marketing, public relations, or brand management, where the role of social media appears. The study investigates how Instagram influences community perceptions and experiences and how it reflects our world today.

Submission Structure Overview

The following section explains in detail the structure of the submission for this research project, enumerating the order of chapters and the crucial elements that will be included in each. The first section introduces the topic and outlines the goals of the study; it discusses the Study Background and then offers the main justification for carrying out the study. Additionally, the research question, aims, and objectives are explained in this first chapter. Following this is a detailed literature review that carefully reviews previous research and theories on the theme. The methodology describes how exactly the research was conducted, including detailing the various data collection methods. Finally, the overview of the study’s expected results is presented before offering the research timeline and budget.

Literature Review

Introduction to the Literature Review

In a time when everyone has access to digital connections, social media has become very powerful in different areas, this includes organizing events and developing new ideas (Beckwith et al., 2018). This literature review looks closely at different researche studies done and ideas about the use of social media like Instagram in creating plans for fun events, reviewing how Instagram and event planning are connected.

Theoretical Framework

Event imagineering is an idea that comes from mixing imagination and building skills; It first happened in theme park design, later spreading to other types of event management feelings (Srisombut et al., 2021). Imagineering is all about making fun and interesting things that grab people’s attention (Orefice, 2018). It’s about creating stories and places that take people to a different world. They make it better by paying close attention to these worlds’ details, plot, and feelings. Essential parts of creating an event are being creative, coming up with new ideas, having a united theme, and expressing sensory feelings. It also involves getting people emotionally involved (Orefice 2018).

The advent of social media has significantly changed how events are managed, especially when it comes to connecting with people, sharing marketing messages, and talking about experiences. (Mohammed et al., 2023) Theories and models about how social media affects event management usually focus on communication, building a group of people, and sharing shared experiences. A common idea is the talk-based communication theory, which shows how social media lets us have a back-and-forth, two-way chat between those who organize events and those who join in them while it’s happening. This model illustrates that being attentive, responding, and forming a circle of conversation regarding an event is essential.

Evolution of social media in Event Management

Using social media for event planning significantly changes how the business grows (Mair & Weber, 2019). At first, events needed a lot of old media like newspapers, radio and TV to get people interested and involved. When the internet and then social media came along, it changed how we talk to each other. Now, we can speak in real-time, reach more people and interact with them all over the place (Mair & Weber, 2019).

At the start of the 2000s, site appetites are a solid way to share and join up with others (Dhingra & Mudgal, 2019). Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn have given event companies new ways to promote their events. They also helped them interact with attendees and build online groups. As these websites changed, they added things that helped manage events – like particular pages for events and live updates. They also started using hashtag campaigns (Dhingra & Mudgal 2019).

Starting in 2010, Instagram quickly became a crucial part of managing events because it is all about pictures and has an active group of people. It lets people share good photos and videos. This helped event organizers to show off their events, make stories look nice, and get users into information decorated with beauty. Things like Stories, Live videos and IGTV on Instagram made it easier for people to stay involved in the moment and tell more profound stories (Dwivedi et al., 2021).

Case Studies and Examples

Instagram has become very important for people who organize events as it helps them get more attention, connect better with others, and make the event a good experience for everyone coming to it. Using real-life examples, it can be illustrated how Instagram affects different events.

Music festivals like Coachella and Glastonbury show how Instagram helps to promote events and get people involved. Coachella, a big music festival in the United States, has used Instagram well to talk with people and get them excited. They use the same team, show what happens off-stage and make a lively online presence beyond just the event. They have used Instagram’s picture-telling tools a lot in their advertising plan. These events use their platform to make people interested in going. They do this by telling who’s playing, showcasing artists, and sharing exciting pictures that capture the feel of the festival. Instagram helps tell a story with photos at the festival. This makes it exciting and keeps people involved, allowing them to enjoy more than just attending in person by showing behind-the-scenes looks and live updates through interactive things on their phone’s screen.

In meetings and business events, Instagram is essential for showing big moments, speakers or rooms. It makes it easy to see and play around with the event. This lets people who can’t be there join in or connect over what is happening during this time, allowing them to link up with other content, too. The skill to tag talkers and people involved and use hashtags for specific events makes it more visible. This helps get more considerable involvement from others, too. This higher level of engagement helps to create connections and takes the conference further, making important thoughts and conversations available to more people. The big Adobe Summit event for people who work in digital marketing uses Instagram to show off the speakers, tell about sessions happening and help attendees who meet at it talk with each other. When users tag and mention others, they are more noticed and involved (Adobe Summit, 2023). This helps make the whole conference better for everyone taking part in it. These examples show how Instagram works well in different types of events and show the importance of the platform in changing how we think about organizing and promoting events.

Impact of Instagram on Event Imagineering

Instagram’s primary way of using photos has changed the standard method for telling stories at events and getting people interested in them. (Lim & Childs, 2020) Focusing on good-looking material helps event planners create engaging stories that not only teach but also make an emotional connection with their audience. Using strong pictures and videos, Instagram lets people create a good look that can make events more attractive and memorable (Lim & Childs, 2020).

Instagram’s interactive parts, like Stories and Live chats, along with hashtags, have given new ways for people to join in and connect (Rahman et al., 2022). Tales give people real-time news and a more personal, short link with their audience. This usually results in fast feedback from the viewers. Live sessions help make things feel quick and remarkable. They are a place where people in charge of events, participants or viewers can talk right away (Rahman et al., 2022).

On the other hand, hashtags make groups around specific events or themes. This encourages people to share their stuff and talk with each other (Rahman et al., 2022). This makes the event reach more people and helps create a feeling of connectedness and shared experience among those there, along with others watching from home. The writing shows that getting involved in this way can improve the experience of being at an event. It makes people feel like they belong and are part of everything (Rahman et al., 2022).

Instagram’s power goes beyond the event to include creative planning and advertising (Harb et al., 2019). The platform helps people who organize events understand what is popular now, what the audience likes, and what works well to engage them. With its pictures and activities, Instagram is a great way to think of cool ideas for events or themes. For raising awareness, Instagram’s focused ad features, influencers, and spreading-fast content options give robust methods to connect with possible visitors. (Harb et al., 2019).

Challenges and Opportunities

• Challenges

Instagram’s connection with event planning has changed things but also brought some problems. Planners need to handle these carefully. One of the biggest problems is keeping constant and good involvement (Dwivedi et al., 2021). As there’s lots of content on the platform, getting noticed and keeping attention needs new ideas that constantly change. The ever-changing way people act and often a constant change of rules make it hard for those in charge to keep showing up. This makes maintaining attention difficult (Dwivedi et al., 2021).

Another big problem is the need for constant, interesting content-making (Dwivedi et al., 2021). Making good stuff that can be interesting, informative, and promotional stuff needs lots of work. You have to use your imagination, plan carefully and spend resources well. As people’s tastes change and the online world grows, planners must create stuff that connects with users without making them tired or bored (Dwivedi et al., 2021).

The constantly changing Instagram system causes an extra problem (Register et al., 2023). As the platform changes how it shows things and who sees them, people planning events must keep learning and change their plans based on that. (Register et al., 2023) These changes can significantly affect how far and effective promotions go. This makes it very important for those who organize to know about the algorithm so they can use it in their favour (Register et al., 2023).

• Opportunities

Even though there are some problems, Instagram has lots of chances for event planning. It gives tools to significantly improve organizing events and make them known to more people. One of the best chances is how well this platform can better tell stories (Atiq et al., 2022). Instagram’s pictures and fun parts let those planning things make stories that involve listeners’ feelings and experiences (Atiq et al., 2022). By cleverly using photographs, videos, Stories and Live sessions, organizers can bring their audience into the event’s feeling. This helps build up excitement and eagerness for that happening.

Lastly, Instagram’s constant updates with new features provide new ways to creatively and successfully promote events (Dwivedi et al., 2021). Things like AR filters, shopping choices and different interactive options help event organizers get people’s attention, keep audiences involved and boost participation. Using these tools allows people in charge to make their events more seen and liked. They help create great memories that stay with participants even after the event (Ibáñez-Sánchez et al., 2022).

Comparative Analysis: Comparison with Other Social Media Platforms

Instagram is one of many social media platforms used in event imagining, each with unique features and audience demographics. A comparative analysis highlights the distinct role Instagram plays alongside these platforms. Regarding social media, each site has impressive things and groups of people. This dramatically affects how event planners decide which ones best meet their needs. A look at the other ways these sites are used shows what sets Instagram apart when designing events or fun activities for people to remember and share with others on social platforms (Instagram, 2023).

Facebook is often joined with Instagram because it can reach many different people. It gives many choices for putting ads on and lets you make detailed pages about events or talk to the community (2023). But by focusing on pictures, Instagram gets a younger crowd that likes to look good. It has become the top pick for telling quick visual stories and staying connected in real-time. Facebook is good at detail and width, but Instagram stands out with its attractive look and quick optical link.

Twitter is famous for its quick updates. Hashtag talks help make it a top choice when people need to talk fast and share information with many others around them. Twitter allows events by using its fast way and many users. It gets people involved in short talks quickly (2023 Twitter data). On the other hand, Instagram provides a deeper and more involved visual experience. Its ability to keep the audience’s focus with exciting pictures and stories gives a different kind of worth. It keeps people interested longer and makes them feel closer to the story happening during such events (Instagram, 2023).

LinkedIn’s work-focused space is perfect for company meetings and business gatherings. Instagram is a helpful tool for finding jobs and connecting with other professionals in many fields (LinkedIn, 2023). But if you want to reach many people from different walks of life or make an attractive story using powerful images, Instagram’s fun nature might be better suited. It appeals to work-related and personal hobbies because it lets users see exciting things (Instagram, 2023).

Young people like Snapchat and TikTok because of their short-lived, remarkable content. Snapchat’s live updates and place stickers are suitable for covering events as they happen, giving people an enjoyable way to join in with what is happening (Snapchat 2023). TikTok is good at making viral trends and getting attention because it has short videos. (TikTok, 2023) Instagram has the same qualities in its Stories, Reels and IGTV. It puts together fast-moving content with longer-lasting plans on these platforms. Its ability to work with all groups and use many types of content makes it valuable for organizing events (Instagram, 2023). This comparison shows how important it is to choose the best platform for an event based on its goals and audience. Instagram usually does an outstanding job at exciting events with graphics that pull you in.

Conclusion

This literature review discusses how Instagram is involved in many different parts when making events and plans explaining how this app affects telling stories through pictures, getting people interested and helping plan fun parties or gigs well. The review gives a clear example of using its pictures and fun features to make events intense and exciting for people participating. The review further explains the challenges and opportunities offered by Instagram, in relation to how good it could be to improve events while pointing out problems like keeping attention, making interesting stuff and adjusting for changes in rules on what you can post. Lastly, the study notes significant gaps in current studies for instance, a need for long-term research, a better understanding of ROI (return on investment), adjusting to platform changes and exploring how Instagram affects more comprehensive events.

Research Methodology

Introduction to Methodology

This study aims to understand Instagram’s active role in event creation, focusing on its impact on promotion, engagement, and enjoyment. It employs a comprehensive research methodology that combines quantitative and qualitative approaches to explore social media’s role in event organization. The research design involves the use of a questionnaire to gather extensive data from various individuals, which is later analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). This approach facilitates a deeper understanding of user interaction with Instagram and image engineering at events. The research plan, designed to maintain high learning quality and provide valuable event organization insights, was chosen for its effectiveness in answering the research questions and its potential to generate actionable data.

Research Design

Research Methodology and Philosophy

The study employs a quantitative research approach, utilizing a questionnaire survey as the primary method for data collection. This method is picked because it works well in getting numbers and similar data from many people. Using a careful list of questions, the study wants to get lots of information about people’s thoughts and actions regarding Instagram in different gatherings. This kind of research uses numbers, which helps to find general results and trends.

Surveys are the choice instrument among other tools for our study of the role of social media in events imagineering because of the several advantages. They are good at reaching the target audience, mainly when circulated online, which happens in the context in which our research is done, that involves the Internet, like Instagram platforms. The study also includes sensors that collect quantitative and qualitative data, thus giving us a clear picture of the participants’ behaviors and attitudes.

Regarding distribution, the study will use Microsoft’s online survey forms, which allow easy sharing and accessibility (Microsoft, 2019). We shall mainly focus on internet distribution through social media, where the study participants are already engaged and directly to the participants who have consented and authorized us as their study guideline. By adopting a two-pronged strategy, the subjects under research are covered widely. The distribution and collection timeline will be four weeks, sufficient for the participants’ responses and applicable data while also being current.

The research is grounded in a positivist philosophy, which posits that reality is objective and can be discovered through empirical observation and analysis. This philosophy aligns with the quantitative approach of the study, as it involves the collection of observable data to test hypotheses about the relationships and effects of Instagram on event imagineering. The positivist approach is particularly suited to this study’s aims to provide clear, quantifiable insights into social media’s role in event management, allowing for the establishment of cause-and-effect relationships and the generation of reliable, unbiased results.

Population and Sample

The population of interest for this study encompasses individuals who have interacted with or been influenced by Instagram in the context of event imagineering (n= 30). This means many people take part, like those who plan events, go to them and use Instagram or interact with content about the event on this social media platform. This big group of people lets the study find a wide range of feelings and experiences, showing how Instagram is used in many ways to plan events or publicize them.

The study will use random selection in different groups to get a good sample of this group. This way of doing things splits the people into separate groups based on essential reasons like involvement in an event, how often Instagram is used, and factors such as age and gender. Then, it picks participants at random from each group. This ensures that different groups have enough people so we get more accurate and complete information about what is studied.

The rules for choosing who can join are people over 18 years old who use Instagram to talk about events. This includes those organizing the event, others sharing their experiences, and users interacting with content related to such occasions. People must have used Instagram in the last year to ensure their experiences match what’s on the platform.

Data Collection Methods

Primary Data Sources

The primary information for this study will be gathered using a well-organized set of questions in the survey, (a structured questionnaire survey), (appendix A). As Mihas (2023) states, the research instruments are central to the data collection process, ensuring that the information gathered is relevant, accurate, and reliable (Mihas, 2023). For this study, the primary research instrument will be a structured questionnaire designed to capture quantitative data on the role and impact of Instagram in event imagineering. The data collection process will begin with the development and validation of the questionnaire, involving pre-testing with a small subset of the target population to ensure clarity and effectiveness of the questions. Getting information will start by making and checking the list of questions. This involves trying it out with only a few people from the target group first to ensure all parts are clear and reasonable for asking essential things. When done, the questionnaire will be sent out online in many ways using Microsoft online survey forms, and the data recorded both in excel and word visualized by charts and graphs.

Secondary Data Sources

Besides the primary information, this study will also use extra data from books and reports about how social media influences organizing or marketing events. This additional information will give a setting for the primary data. It helps to get a more profound knowledge of how research and practice are being done now in that area. The sources of second-hand information will be sources like school books, business papers, and internet websites, allowing many differing views for a better understanding (Wickham, 2019).

Validity and Reliability

The validity of the research will be ensured by an expert review that will include at least an event planning expert and a social media expert so that the questions cover all the aspects of the chosen topic. A pre-test will be conducted in small groups to make any possible required modifications. Stability will be ensured by using a sameness of formats and scales of questions. The questionnaire test will be pre-tested on the target population to facilitate the identification of ambiguities and inconsistencies. To examine the reliability of the questionnaire, Cronbach’s alpha will be calculated for each part of the Likert scale; this will dictate the internal consistency of the items and serve to improve the reliability through any necessary adjustments. This procedure shall allow us to have a deep study of our results, where we will receive the most valuable data regarding the impact of Instagram on image creation for the event.

Ethics

This study complies with strict ethical standards that maintain its integrity and credibility, safeguarding the interests and well-being of all participants (Yip et al., 2016). All participants are fully informed, provide consent, and are given all relevant information about the study. This, among others, includes the study’s purpose, procedures, risks, and benefits. Participants are not bound in any way. They can quit the study anytime they desire without any charges.

On the other hand, confidentiality is ensured through data anonymization and controlling team member’s access to the information. The data is safely kept in the frame of the encrypted digital servers and locked physical storage and retained only for the appropriate length of the study. Ethical issues are subjected to review by an Institutional Review Board or a comparable ethics committee, which is a requirement for retaining ethical standards and reducing possible risks for participants. Research is conducted using strict procedures such as confirming consent and maintaining confidentiality and data security with the primary goal of achieving participant safety, research integrity, and valuable data contribution to event planning and social media studies.

Results Chapter 

Introduction

This chapter aims to highlight the expected outcomes of the research that will examine the role of social media in event imaging, focusing on Instagram in experiential event portrayal. With the increasing development of digital connectivity and the changes in the event organization processes that occur through social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, this study comes with a basis. Considering that it is one of the leading platforms, Instagram is, to a large extent, of interest because of its visual nature and influence on promoting events, engaging the audience, and providing the perfect experience at events. The following sections are dedicated to the outcomes that will emerge due to applying qualitative and quantitative research methods and analyzing survey data collected from different stakeholders and actors in event planning.

Anticipated Findings

Role of Instagram in Event Promotion and Engagement

This study predicts that the findings to be generated will show extensively how Instagram works as a promotional platform and an engaging audience. It is also considered that thanks to its widespread availability and visual appeal, Instagram has a significant number of participants and creates hype around events even before they happen.

Impact on Imaginative Event Experiences

The data is predicted to show that Instagram significantly influences how visitors perceive and experience events. This could be achieved in several ways, such as pre-event build-up, immersive storytelling, and event highlight sharing, which all form part of collective memory.

Influence on Event Management Practices

It is projected that the analyses will reveal whether Instagram impacts the practice of event management as a profession. The platform may be helpful to event marketers for whom a strategic consideration of the events is likely to be made, and a more imaginative approach to event planning and execution is expected.

Practical Implications

The expected results show that they can bring new ideas and methodologies to industry professionals in practice. Through identifying opportunities in the literature that handle the extended effects of Instagram usage on event management workers, the research could serve as a guidepost in making decisions about the platform’s functionalities and how to use it to give captivating experiences.

Contribution to Knowledge

Outputs modeled will be anticipated to give rounded knowledge of the field of event Imagineering. They will stress the complexities of the impact of digital media on event management, and the field will keep being discussed as a result.

Summary

The presumed outcomes chapter introduces how Instagram changes the function of the event management industry. It can be an advanced look at the possible conclusions that will add to the academic debate and be of immediate use to the industrial actors. The different chapters will explain the actual outcomes and the discussions that will either support these assumptions or present new findings about the influence of social media on imaginative participation in events.

Data Analysis

The data analysis phase is pivotal in transforming the collected data into meaningful insights relevant to the research questions (Mihas, 2023). It helps change the gathered information into practical knowledge that connects to the current study (Mihas, 2023).

Quantitative Data Analysis

The primary way to do a number-based study will be using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). This program was chosen because it can do many math tests and manage data well. First, the study will make sure all answers are complete and consistent. Then, it will use simple math to see what information can be learned from them. This involves figuring out averages, middles, and regular changes to know the main parts of change within the data.

The central part of the study of numbers will use guessing math to check out the ideas made in research. We will use a test called Chi-square to check for any connection between categories. For example, this could be done by comparing the type of people who go to an event and how much they feel Instagram affects their experience. The Chi-square test is excellent for this study because it lets us examine connections between two or more grouped values. This makes it perfect to see patterns and trends in how different groups use Instagram during events (Mihas, 2023).

Qualitative Data Interpretation

Thematic analysis will be employed to interpret this data; this process involves careful reading and re-reading of the responses, from which initial codes will be developed. This involves reading and re-reading responses, then creating first codes from them. These codes are then sorted into more extensive topics that show the main patterns and discoveries in the data (Mihas, 2023). Qualitative studies are used to understand people’s feelings and thoughts better. It adds more depth to numbers, helping us see things more clearly with their experiences (Maida et al., 2022).

During the data analysis, care will be taken to follow rules of truth and consistency. Counting things means ensuring the data is used correctly and picking the best statistics tests for what we want to learn from it. Qualitative study needs a careful and self-aware method to label and create themes. This makes sure the results accurately show what’s in the data information. By following these steps carefully, the study wants to offer solid and informative results that add value to event designing using social media and studying people’s online behaviour.

Research Timeline or Project Schedule

After making a detailed plan, the next important part of this project proposal is when it will be finished or how long it will take, specifically the research timeline. This part clearly shows how the different parts and actions in research happen one after the other and at certain times. A reasonable timeline is essential for making plans and showing how solid and orderly the research project is. This must be directed to those checking it and those who care about it.

To show the research plan well, we will use a Gantt chart. The Gantt chart is a popular tool in project management that gives a clear picture of when each task starts and ends. It shows how long each job takes and how they connect (APM, 2021). The chart helps understand the order and connections of functions, ensuring all required jobs are listed and arranged correctly. This is very helpful in showing essential points and dates. It gives a quick view of the project’s range and time limits (APM, 2021).

The part below will show the Gantt chart or the research. This chart shows each step of the study, from start to finish. A story will go with the chart, telling essential points in time and how they match with what we want to learn and how we research. The goal is to give a complete plan covering all research parts. This helps make sure the study progresses smoothly and finishes on time.

Figure 1: Gantt Chart Structure 

Conclusion and Recommendations

Conclusion

The above proposal has examined a thorough plan of studying the influence of Instagram on the design and experience of events. Therefore, using a proposed mixed-methods approach, the study wants to close the knowledge gap of digital platform`s role in event management and audience engagement. This study, which is preliminarily planned, aims to provide a unique perception of how Instagram, a visual and interactive metaverse instrument, may be utilized purposefully to facilitate events. The expected outcome of this research will contribute to the theoretical foundation of the event industry, which emphasizes social media. It aims to build a picture of the interplay of event organizers, attendees, and Instagram narratives as it emerges during the digital age. The proposition establishes the scope for Instagram to serve as a driving force in the creative process model of event imagining, providing a new concept of blending marketing and community building into one package.

Recommendations for Future Research

Following the completion of the proposed study, several recommendations have been highlighted for further analysis and application in practice. On the one hand, future research could focus on exploiting the tactical functions of multiple Instagram tools, including Stories and Live sessions. These utilities enable event organizers to apply distinct methods of engaging their audiences; these techniques could be evaluated to improve social media strategies. Also, it will be necessary to look at how people react through engagement metrics on Instagram to determine how they can manage these measures’ effect on meeting performance. Such an analysis could help to improve the understanding of audience behavior and their preferences on the whole.

Besides, the research data could also serve as the basis for developing policies and guidelines. They would be within the context of ethical, social media usage in event management to prevent privacy violations, ensure consent, and have good data security. There is also the possibility to conduct cross-platform comparative studies that involve the accumulation of data on the effectiveness of various tools for event professionals and thus allow a better assessment of the efficiency of Instagram compared to other social networks. This type of research could then be used to supplement an event manager’s knowledge of the resource pool that is available to them.

Besides, longitudinal could be worthy as well. By monitoring the long-term consequences of implementing Instagram strategies in event planning, key lessons could be drawn concerning how these methods are sustainable and developmental over time. This is a practical approach, which will provide for keeping up with the evolutions in the market and delivering messages to your target audience. Ultimately, the research may focus on creating specific training and further education schemes. This project will entail curriculums concentrated on social media management for the event industry, mainly where the study uncovered some emphasis. This would imply that event professionals are competent and have the newest abilities to leverage social media conveniently.

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Appendix

Appendix one: Questionnaire: The Role of Social Media in Events Imagineering

Please answer the following questions about your experiences and perceptions related to Instagram and event imagineering. Your responses are valuable in understanding the impact of social media on event experiences.

Demographic Information

• Age (Please tick the range that applies to you):

1. 1. • Under 18
      • 18-24
      • 25-34
      • 35-44
      • 45-54
      • 55-64
      • 65 and above

• Gender (Please tick the option that applies to you):

1. 1. • Male
      • Female
      • Non-binary/Third gender
      • Prefer to self-describe: ________
      • Prefer not to say

• Occupation (Please tick the option that applies to you or provide your occupation if not listed):

• • Student
  • Employed (full-time)
  • Employed (part-time)
  • Self-employed
  • Unemployed
  • Retired
  • Homemaker
  • Prefer not to say
  • Other (please specify): ________

General Instagram Usage

• How often do you use Instagram for viewing or posting content related to events?

1. 1. • Never
      • Rarely
      • Sometimes
      • Often
      • Always

• What type of events do you most commonly follow or engage with on Instagram? (Select all that apply)

1. • Music and Festivals
   • Conferences and Workshops
   • Art and Cultural Events
   • Private Functions (e.g., weddings, parties)
   • Other (please specify): ________

III. Event Imagineering and Instagram

• To what extent do you agree that Instagram posts from events (photos, stories, videos) enhance your understanding and appreciation of the event?

1. 1. • Strongly disagree
      • Disagree
      • Neutral
      • Agree
      • Strongly agree

• Have you ever attended an event primarily because you were inspired or informed by content you saw on Instagram?

1. • Yes
   • No
   • If yes, please briefly describe the event and the content that influenced your decision: ________

Engagement and Interaction

• How likely are you to engage with (like, comment, share) event-related content on Instagram?

1. 1. • Very unlikely
      • Unlikely
      • Neutral
      • Likely
      • Very likely

• What features of Instagram do you most commonly use to interact with event-related content? (Select all that apply)

1. • Liking posts
   • Commenting on posts
   • Sharing posts/stories
   • Using event-specific hashtags
   • Participating in live sessions
   • Other (please specify): ________

Perception and Influence

• How does content on Instagram influence your perception of an event’s creativity and imaginative quality?

1. 1. • Significantly diminishes my perception
      • Slightly diminishes my perception
      • No effect
      • Slightly enhances my perception
      • Significantly enhances my perception

• In what ways has Instagram changed the way you discover and choose to attend events?

1. • Open-ended response: ________

Additional Comments

• Please provide any additional comments or insights about your experience with Instagram and event imagineering:

1. • Open-ended response: ________

Thank you for participating in our survey. Your insights are valuable in understanding the role of Instagram in events imagineering.