It’s perfect for advertising events, elevating your products and connecting with communities of potential customers.
Take a look at the customisable social media images already made for you here.
• Always use the official handle @sotonboatshow and hashtag #SIBS26 so we can amplify your posts.
• Include your stand number in every post. Where relevant, you can also reference your Exhibitor Guest Ticket code — a discount code that gives your customers reduced-price general admission. Learn more about Exhibitor Guest Tickets here.
• Always link to our tickets page so people can take action when they decide to attend.
• Post when your audience is most active to boost visibility. Find your peak times on Instagram on your insights page. Simply click on ‘Followers’ and scroll down to see when they’re most active. Alternatively, if you use Meta Business Suite, you will be prompted with ‘Optimal times’ when scheduling your posts on Instagram and Facebook.
Use our customisable social media templates. All templates are editable in Canva, a free editing tool, so you can create posts with consistent branding quickly. Follow this step-by-step Canva guide to learn how to customise assets.
Give followers a reason to stop scrolling with behind-the-scenes updates, short-form videos and Instagram Stories that show what visitors can expect when they come to the show. Show the human side of your brand to improve engagement.
You could:
• Give a walkthrough of your latest boat or product
• Show your team preparing boats or setting up displays
• Start strong with an eye-catching first shot, like a sweeping deck view or fast paced water clip
Here are some examples of Instagram posts that had success in 2025:
A caster taking viewers behind the scenes of one of their boats
Team pictures at the show
Offering private boat tours at the show
An eye-catching first shot attention
Behind the scenes of a boat ride
Adding our Instagram account as a collaborator on Instagram posts can help your content reach a wider audience by appearing on both your profile and ours.
Simply upload your image or reel as normal, and before clicking ‘share’ click ‘Add Collaborators’ and search for the official @sotonboatshow account.
This gives us the option to share your post on our profile too.
