Cision: Tips for Driving Results at Events With Social Correspondents

During an interview with Cision, I helped give insights into my experience working with brands as a social correspondent. From that interview, they created a tip sheet that includes ten tips to help you find, work with, and leverage social media correspondents at your next event. 

Digital correspondents drive higher engagement rates and produce a ton of nontraditional content like videos and photos alongside social updates and in-person conversation. To help you get started, here are 10 tips to help you find, work with, and leverage social media correspondents at your next event:

1. Know The Skills

Social media correspondents have a unique skill set. Many people make the mistake of hiring someone with traditional reporting skills. Instead, look for people who are comfortable with the camera; know how to write; can establish rapport and guide conversations, online and off; and know when to dive into people’s answers and when to stop a conversation that isn’t going anywhere.

2. Be Strategic

Not every event needs a correspondent. Look at your PR and event-planning calendar. When might a correspondent make the most sense? How would their presence benefit your brand? What content and conversations could they generate? Are you sponsoring a conference, for instance? Then a social media correspondent can increase awareness of your brand at the event and extend your impact beyond the booth.

3. Seek Alignment

Social media correspondents are a great way to reach new and existing audiences, but only if they align with your brand. When you find someone who can represent you in a professional manner, they will garner the right kind of interactions and content.

4. Establish Ground Rules

How will social media correspondents decide whom to interview? Where will they be active online? What brand guidelines do they need to be aware of? Give them the information they need to succeed as your representative.

5. Let Correspondents Be Themselves

Correspondents are partners, not employees. You hire them because of their unique voice and reach. Let them be themselves. They’ll be perceived as authentic, making you more credible and trustworthy.

6. Choose Content Creation Goals

What one content piece do you hope to get out of your social media correspondent’s presence? Branded event coverage? Customer interactions? Testimonials? Thought leadership? Determine your goals before the event.

7. Augment Interviews With Live Streams And Messaging

Meerkat and Snapchat aren’t blips on the screen. They point to a time when live streams and fast-moving interactions are everywhere. How can a social media correspondent create that type of content?

8. Go Behind The Scenes

Give correspondents backstage access. Let them share behind-the-scenes activity with videos, photos and social updates. It’ll build excitement and grow attendance.

9. Repurpose Content

Once you have original content, think through alternative formats. Create outtakes. Take quotes from interviews and turn them into social media updates. Use photos as stand-alone highlights. Publish a post-show wrap-up. Produce teasers for next year’s event. You can repackage content in many, many ways. Get creative!

10. Know Your Metrics

What defines success? Sales is only one metric. Also track increased engagement, brand awareness, and website traffic. How will you measure those things to assess value and improve future efforts?