Imagine a small town tucked between green hills and a sleepy lake. Every year, the townspeople host the “Maple Moon Festival”—a cozy local event with food trucks, bonfires, indie music, and homemade maple syrup tasting. For years, only the same 200 people showed up. It was sweet, but predictable.
Then came Kayla.
She wasn’t a big-city marketer—just a local cafe owner with an eye for Instagram and a burning desire to bring the festival to life. She used Instagram Ads, and in one month, the festival’s attendance grew from 200 to 1,500. Vendors sold out. The band got signed. And suddenly, the Maple Moon Festival had a waiting list.
How?
This article is your behind-the-scenes look at how to promote your local event using Instagram Ads, untold tactics, and a sprinkle of NLP magic to get real results.
1. Forget Broad Reach — Go Local, Hyper-Local
Kayla didn’t advertise to “everyone in the state.” She drew a radius around her zip code—just 15 miles wide—and layered in demographic filters:
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Ages 25–45
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Interests: indie music, food festivals, local coffee shops
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Behaviors: frequent event-goers, Instagram story swipers
Pro Tip:
Use “pin drop targeting” instead of city-based targeting. This means selecting a physical pin on the map and setting a small radius around it (as low as 1 mile). Perfect for urban neighborhoods, college towns, or local districts.
2. The NLP Trick: Use Local Language That Resonates
Let’s talk Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). No, it’s not just for life coaches and hypnotists. NLP principles help you speak in a way that clicks with your audience’s internal narrative.
For example:
Instead of saying:
“Come to our music festival!”
Say:
“Feel the rhythm echoing down 5th Street again. You know the sound.”
The latter activates memory and emotion, using local references (“5th Street”) and sensory words (“feel the rhythm”).
Pro Tip:
Use geo-emotional anchoring—mix sensory words with local landmarks:
“Smell the chili fries by the old town clock tower” hits way harder than “Enjoy local food.”
3. Use ‘Carousel Memory Anchors’ in Your Ad Format
Carousel Ads are more than just swipeables. Here’s the trick:
Make the first image a nostalgic throwback.
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“Remember last summer?” with a faded Polaroid look.
The next 2-3 slides walk them through this year’s excitement.
The final slide? A limited offer:
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“Only 50 early-bird tickets left.”
Why it works:
This taps into episodic memory. You’re literally walking the brain through a storyline. It increases ad engagement and conversion rates.
4. The Untapped Power of Local Influencers (Even Micro Ones)
Kayla messaged 12 local creators. Most had fewer than 5,000 followers. But they had local love.
Instead of paying them, she gave each influencer a custom Instagram Story Template to fill in:
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“Catch me at the Maple Moon Festival ”
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Countdown sticker
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Their own promo code
Instagram Ads let you amplify THEIR stories to THEIR followers. It’s like borrowing their trust.
Pro Tip:
Run Engagement Custom Audience Ads: After you boost influencer stories, re-target people who watched 75% or more of those clips with your direct ticket link.
5. Ads in Stories > Feed
Most marketers run ads in the feed. Smart ones? They go for Instagram Stories.
Why?
Stories are full-screen, immersive, and swipeable. That means fewer distractions.
Pro Tip:
Use tap-tap pattern language:
“Tap if you love music. Tap if you love fall nights. Tap to grab your ticket.”
This uses micro-commitment NLP, leading the brain to say “yes” before the purchase CTA.
6. Emotion > Information
Let’s be real. People don’t come to local events for the info. They come for the vibe.
Compare these two ads:
“Join us Oct 14 at City Park. Live bands, food trucks, games.”
“Watch the sun set behind City Park’s oaks as music drifts into your soul.”
Which one would you share?
Pro Tip:
Create emotion-first captions. Start with a feeling, end with the details. Never lead with logistics.
7. Use Instagram’s Chat Ad Feature
Here’s a hidden gem.
Instead of sending people to a website, use Instagram’s “Click to Message” Ad Objective.
When users tap the ad, it opens a chat where your brand can say:
“Hey! Want the secret link to our early-bird tickets? ”
This makes the event feel exclusive, personal, and local. Like a whispered invite, not a billboard.
8. Retarget Foot Traffic and Event Interest
If your local venue has WiFi, use Facebook’s Offline Conversions to upload foot traffic data and retarget those who visited before.
Also:
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Retarget event page engagers
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People who clicked “Interested” or “Going” on your linked Facebook Event
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Viewers of your event teaser Reel (watch time >3 sec)
Instagram Ads let you build these audiences and warm them up over time.