How NTSU Boosted Student Engagement with Snap‑O‑Matic

Nottingham Trent Students’ Union (NTSU) empowers over 40,000 students across three campuses with a packed programme of events and experiences. From Saturday night club nights and last-day-of-term parties to quizzes, comedy, and live music - NTSU’s Trent Events team is all about crafting unforgettable student moments.

But in a competitive, trend-driven campus environment, they needed something extra to elevate engagement, increase attendance, and give students a reason to tag, share, and remember. That’s where Snap‑O‑Matic stepped in.

From Idea to Integration

“We wanted to add something that encouraged students to interact with us and share moments online,” said Elsie Madge from the Trent Events team. Four years ago, NTSU began exploring permanent photo booth options. Their goal? An interactive, on-trend feature that matched their brand and their students’ lifestyles.

Snap‑O‑Matic was the clear standout. “We’d seen a booth at a venue in town and were really impressed,” Elsie explained. “But what really sold us was the branding flexibility and the ability to create a schedule of overlay templates. That fits perfectly with our diverse events calendar.”

Quick Setup, Constant Support

The first booth was installed at The Level, NTSU’s largest venue, in 2021—soon followed by a second at another campus. Installation was seamless, and the Snap‑O‑Matic support hasn’t let up since.

“They’re so helpful,” said Elsie. “We’ve got a WhatsApp group with the team, and they’re responsive - even at 8 pm if something comes up. We get alerts for low ink or paper, and the restocks are quick.”

Engagement in Action

“The booth consistently draws a crowd,” Elsie said. “There are queues all night.”That popularity has proven useful beyond just engagement. NTSU uses Snap‑O‑Matic’s free‑to‑use feature during the first hour of select events to bring students in earlier, a clever move that boosts atmosphere and reduces late-night bottlenecks.

“Students come down early to get their prints. Some go back in again and again,” said Elsie. “It’s made a real difference.”

Add in custom overlays for every event, and NTSU’s Trent Events brand is now all over social media. “We get tagged a lot—there’s always activity around the booth.”

Standout Moment: The Wild West Bash

At an Easter term-ender, NTSU went full Wild West. “We had custom overlays, filled the booth with cowboy hats, inflatable cacti, sheriff badges—the works,” Elsie recalled. “We set the booth to free mode for the first few hours and pinned the prints on a board. It became a whole interactive experience.”

Looking Ahead

With Freshers’ Week approaching, NTSU sees the booth as a core piece of their events strategy. “It’s super adaptable,” said Elsie. “Change the overlay, change the timing, and it slots into any campaign.”

Would They Recommend It?

“Absolutely,” Elsie said. “It’s an impactful way to increase engagement, encourage social sharing, and capture moments of fun. The team is reliable, easy to work with—and most importantly, our students love it.”

Thinking about bringiNg a Snap‑O‑Matic photo booth to your student union?

Let’s chat about how it could boost engagement and create lasting memories at your next event.