Working with a roving reporter isn’t necessarily a new form of event coverage. News stations have been putting together short clips for the six o’clock news for decades. However, with the advent of social influencers and the ability to quick-turn videos optimized for social media, a new opportunity appears for reaching targeted audiences in near-real-time with multiple pieces of content.
Caffelli has executed roving reporter coverage numerous times, including a recent trip to BlizzCon 2019 with one of our favorite gaming and social media influencers, Chris Puckett. Chris was the ideal candidate to work with thanks to his large gamer following on social media and a natural connection to Blizzard (being one of the official casters for Overwatch League). These combined attributes allowed one of our technology clients to garner additional earned media, social buzz, and credibility among gamers at the event. If you’re considering working with a social influencer as a roving reporter, the following may help you find the right fit.
Audience
To begin your search for the ideal personality, you’ll need to identify what audience you plan to reach. If it’s a gaming event, you’ll want a gaming influencer (like Chris!). If it’s a business conference, a speaker in the industry with a large social following would be the smart fit. In short, the audience of the influencer should match those you’re targeting. You’ll maximize the earned media value of the personality further by encouraging or requiring them to post details about your brand coverage on their own social handles.
Goals
Now that you’ve figured out the audience you want to reach, you need to decide on what your goals are. Are you looking to reach a large amount of people via the influencer’s social posts? Then you may want to go with a personality with a following in the millions. Are you just looking for a recognizable face that’s experienced behind a camera for your brand’s own social channels? An influencer with a following in the thousands may suit you just fine. Each option has merit depending on what you want to accomplish at the event and—naturally—what you can fit into your budget.
Budget
This is where the rubber meets the road in terms of which social influencer will be the best roaming reporter for your needs. For a personality with millions of followers, expect to drop tens of thousands of dollars to work with them for a day or two. Influencers with a smaller following tend to have a lower day rate, which in turn opens you up to use more of your budget to run a paid media campaign boosting the number of impressions and engagements on the content captured.
Speaking of the content captured, don’t forget to set aside budget for your favorite agency to capture and edit the content produced. Caffelli has in-house production and editing teams that can film, edit, draft content, and post multiple videos within 24 hours – helping your brand’s content reach your target audience during the news cycle of the event. We can even help you research and find the perfect personality to cover your next priority event. Reach out to us at info@caffelli.com to get started!
