For years, PR teams measured event media success by the number of journalists covering their conference. Today, another audience is becoming just as important: content creators.
As creators increasingly shape how people discover brands' products and experiences, Communications teams are moving beyond offering them press credentials. Many are building dedicated creator programs with tailored onboarding, networking opportunities and content support while giving creators the editorial independence that makes their coverage valuable in the first place.
Rather than treating creators as an extension of social media marketing, organizations are beginning to view them as a distinct storytelling audience with different needs than traditional reporters.
That evolution is happening at events like the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and POSSIBLE, where communications leaders say supporting creators requires a different playbook than supporting the press.
Creators Need a Different Experience
Although creators and journalists often attend the same events, they rarely work the same way.
Traditional reporters typically arrive with scheduled interviews and filing deadlines. Creators often produce multiple pieces of content throughout the day, filming, editing and publishing while moving across an event.
"The needs of a traditional reporter at CES are very different than what a creator wants," says Melissa Harrison, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at the Consumer Technology Association. "We recognized that they had a different way of telling the story and that we needed to show up in a different way for them."
That realization led CES to rethink how it supports creators. In addition to giving them access to media events and press conferences, the organization developed creator-specific resources including guided show floor tours, scholarship opportunities and pre-event briefings designed to help creators navigate the show's size and complexity.
POSSIBLE has taken a similar approach but with a greater emphasis on integrating creators into the event experience itself. The conference created a dedicated creator track and provides guidance on sessions and activations while encouraging creators to tell stories in their own voice.
"We don't want any of them in a box,” says Leah Steinhardt, Vice President of Marketing at POSSIBLE. “We want them to bring their own unique individuality."
Successful Programs Create Value for Both Sides
Both organizations say creator programs work best when they benefit more than the host event.
That approach also shapes how both organizations select creators. Rather than prioritizing the largest audiences, both say they look for creators whose communities align with the event's goals. Engagement and audience fit often carry more weight than follower counts. At POSSIBLE, that means bringing in local Miami creators, B2B voices and creators serving niche communities.
CES takes a similar approach, evaluating creators based on audience engagement and the communities they reach across different platforms. Harrison says follower count alone isn't enough because engagement provides a better indication that audiences trust and interact with a creator's content.
Rather than expecting creators to generate exposure, each event has focused on helping creators grow their own businesses through networking and access to brands.
"I don't think it's enough for a show to say, 'Come and post and talk about [us],'” Steinhardt says. What do we give back to them too? It has to be an all-fulfilling cycle."
She points to one creator who attended POSSIBLE shortly after transitioning to full-time content creation. The creator secured enough business at the conference to help sustain that career, illustrating the mutual value these programs can create.
CES has found creators are equally interested in building relationships with exhibitors. Harrison says many arrive looking not only to cover new technology but also to connect with brands that align with their audiences.
"It's also a business," she says, noting creators often want opportunities to further their work while attending the show.
That mutual benefit extends to exhibitors as well. CES provides access to credentialed creators so brands exhibiting at the event can identify potential collaborators and begin relationships during the show.
Listening Matters More Than Follower Counts
While metrics such as reach and engagement remain important for vetting creators for events, both organizations say their creator strategies continue to evolve through observation and feedback rather than assumptions.
POSSIBLE plans to expand its measurement capabilities by analyzing creator content before and during the event to understand better what resonates with audiences and refine future programming.
CES has adjusted its program after watching how creators actually worked onsite. One early investment in dedicated recording studios failed because creators preferred filming alongside products on the show floor. Other creators began using the event's stage between sessions as an organic backdrop for content, leading organizers to rethink how creator spaces should function.
Those experiences reinforced a simple lesson.
"Listen to them,” Harrison says. “Give them what they need to do their job. We spent a lot of time talking to creators across the show saying, 'What is it that you want?' ... It was really important to find a core group that knows who you are, who your audience is and talk to them about what it would take to make them successful, because their success is our success."
As creator programs continue to mature, communications teams may find that the biggest shift is recognizing that creators have become another audience deserving of the same strategic planning, relationship building and long-term investment that media relations has long required.