Guest Posts

How to Work with Creators and Influencers: The Ultimate Guide for Event Promotion

by
The Eventcube Team
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Event promotion has always sat at the forefront of event planning. Attendance is a primary metric for an event's success so it's essential to grab every opportunity to widen its reach. Influencer marketing is not lost and still is on the rise and event planners need to get on the trend. But before you make costly mistakes, here's everything you need to know about influencers in event promotion.

Are you on the hunt for new methods to promote your events? Have you ever thought about working with creators and influencers for event promotion? Opinion leaders and content creators have become marketing resources for companies that want to get more exposure in a natural way, and when done right, they can help with event promotion, too. Let's dive in.

With the growing popularity of influencer marketing, when 81% of people pay close attention to influencers' recommendations and endorsements, working with creators and influencers for event promotion can be highly effective. In fact, the global influencer market is estimated to be worth a staggering $21.1 billion in 2023, showing just how much reach influencers can have.

If you're weighing whether this strategy is right for your event, let's take a look at some key reasons to work with influencers and creators.

Why Work with Creators and Influencers for Event Promotion?

Working with creators and influencers has become a go-to strategy for promoting events online—and for good reason. These aren't just internet personalities—they're trusted voices who bring creativity, authenticity, and reach to the table. Here's why turning to them can take your event promotion from "meh" to "wow."

They bring fresh, creative ideas

When you collaborate with creators and influencers, you're not just hiring a megaphone to spread the word. You're gaining access to a team of creative minds who thrive on brainstorming unconventional event promotion ideas. Influencers are seasoned experts in knowing what resonates with their audience and can help you design campaigns that cut through the noise. Whether it's a unique Instagram Reel, a catchy TikTok challenge, or an engaging YouTube vlog series, they bring fresh ideas that stand out from typical corporate content.

Followers trust them (and so should you)

When an influencer or creator talks, their audience listens. And more importantly, they trust what they're hearing. This level of trust isn't something you can buy with a flashy ad campaign—it's earned over time. That's why 85% of marketers say influencer marketing is effective. When an influencer promotes your event, it doesn't come across like a stiff corporate message—it's more like a recommendation from a friend, and that's a game-changer.

Image sourced from oberlo.com

Reach a wider (and more engaged) audience

While there might be some overlap in audiences—if you've chosen the right influencer, they're already talking to people who'd be interested in your event—the real value comes from reaching beyond your usual crowd. Influencers bring diverse followers to the table, meaning your event will land in front of more eyes, many of which you wouldn't have engaged with otherwise.

Even better, 36% of brands say influencer content outperforms what they create themselves. So not only do you get broader reach, but you're also benefiting from content that resonates more deeply with audiences. It's a win-win: bigger reach and stronger engagement.

Higher-quality attendees, not just numbers

It's not just about numbers; it's about the right numbers. The State of Influencer Marketing report revealed that 83.8% of marketers noticed higher-quality customers coming from influencer campaigns compared to other channels. What does that mean for your event? You're not just attracting anyone—you're bringing in people who are genuinely interested in what you're offering, which leads to more engaged attendees and a better event experience overall.

How to Choose the Right Creators and Influencers for Your Event?

Choosing the right influencer for your event isn't just about picking someone with a big following. It's about aligning your goals, audience, and the influencer's strengths to create a partnership that makes your event a must-visit, can't-miss for the target audience.

It's important to identify your target market before selecting a specific type of influencer. Consider both major influencers and micro-influencers - while major influencers have a large social media following and wide reach, micro-influencers often have more engaged, dedicated followings whose recommendations carry more weight among loyal followers.

Define the goals of the influencer collaboration for event promotion

Before you start your search, ask yourself: What am I trying to achieve with this event promotion?

  • Brand awareness: Go for influencers with a broad reach.
  • Lead generation: Focus on influencers with a highly engaged, niche audience.
  • Ticket sales: Look for influencers whose audience aligns closely with your target demographic and who can directly influence purchase decisions.

Understand your target audience

Where does your audience spend time online? Instagram, YouTube, or maybe TikTok? And what kind of content do they engage with? Tutorials, behind-the-scenes posts, or reviews? Partner with influencers who are active on those platforms and create content your audience loves.

Consider which platform(s) your target audience uses most - LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, etc. Also think about what strategy each influencer excels in (reels, giveaways, generating hype, etc.) and how this aligns with your goals.

Research and evaluate influencers and creators

One of the best ways to connect with the right influencers is to work with the right influencers and creators. Don't just focus on an influencer's follower count—dig deeper:

  • Engagement over reach: Look at comments, likes, and shares. Are their followers actively engaging or just scrolling by? High engagement shows their audience cares, which is key for event promotion.
  • Content relevance: Check if their content aligns with your event's tone and message. If their style doesn't match your brand, move on.
  • Influencer network: A well-connected influencer can introduce you to other industry contacts. Choose someone who engages with key players in your space for added value.

When evaluating potential influencers, also consider:

  • Their location (especially important for physical events)
  • How much creative freedom you'll allow them
  • Whether they have any relevant affiliate relationships
  • If their values align with your brand
  • Their audience demographics and how they match with your target market

And if your chosen influencer has higher prices than you can offer, you can consider working with pitch deck designers to  connect with the investors and show all benefits of increasing their budget. When done right, influencer marketing pays off quickly.

Match the promotion style to your event

Think about the type of promotion that will work best for your event and influencer collaboration:

  • Subtle integration: Do you want the influencer to weave your event naturally into their usual content, so it feels more like a recommendation than an ad?
  • Direct promotion: Or is a more explicit shout-out necessary, like a full post dedicated solely to your event?

Ensure credibility

In the influencer world, credibility is everything. Vet the influencer's reputation by looking at their past collaborations, audience feedback, and the quality of the brands they've worked with before. An influencer with a trustworthy track record will be far more effective in convincing their audience to show up to your event.

Working with Creators and Influencers for Event Promotion: Strategies, Ideas, and Tools

Depending on the type of the event you're promoting, the budget available, and the audience you're looking to engage, there are lots of different offline and digital PR tactics for event promotion. Let's look at the most effective ways to promote events on social media with the help of creators and influencers.

Connect with potential participants

Influencers have a direct line to your target audience, making them ideal partners to help connect with potential event participants.

But it's not just about building hype—influencers and creators are also key to gaining real insights from your target audience.

Businesses can use influencers to announce their event, gauge interest, and gather feedback from potential attendees.

The infamous Fyre Festival aced influencer marketing (which partially became the reason it all went South)

By engaging their followers early on, you can discover what excites them, what they expect, and how to tailor the event for maximum impact.

Here's how influencers can help you connect with future attendees and create an event that truly resonates:

Instagram Stories and polls

Make the most of Instagram Stories by having influencers create a series of posts leading up to the event. Start with a simple introduction to your event and follow up with interactive polls.

For example, influencers could ask, "Are you more excited for the keynote speaker or the live performances?" or "Will you attend this event virtually or in-person?" These questions not only engage their audience but also give you valuable insights into attendee preferences.

Behind-the-scenes content

Build anticipation by giving followers a sneak peek into event planning. Influencers can share behind-the-scenes content like setting up the venue, clips of rehearsals, or unboxing exclusive merchandise.

To boost your reach and generate more buzz around the event, break down the behind-the-scenes into a mini-series that spans several days. For example, "Day 1: Setting up the venue" or "Day 3: A sneak peek of the event swag."

Personal stories in blog posts or social media posts

Authenticity is key when connecting with an audience. A great event promotion example would be asking influencers to share personal anecdotes or experiences that align with the event's theme.

For instance, for a business conference, an influencer might talk about how attending a similar event in the past helped shape their career growth.

Make sure the content ends with a strong call-to-action, like "I can't wait to attend [event name]. Will I see you there?" This creates a sense of inclusion and prompts the audience to take the next step, like buying tickets or registering for updates.

Invite Creators and Influencers to Attend Your Event

Nothing sparks FOMO like seeing an influencer attending a cool event. Invite them to your event, and let them share the experience in real-time through live stories, posts, and behind-the-scenes content.

Tip: Provide them with event-specific hashtags and social handles to ensure their followers can easily connect with your brand and event.

To ensure your event gets as much creator coverage as possible, focus on crafting photo-worthy moments, like branded photo booths, interactive installations, or exclusive performances that influencers will want to capture and share with their followers.

You can also inform influencers about these key moments beforehand so they can plan their content around them.

JennAir is a prime example of how influencer partnerships can elevate event promotion. They launched their new brand vibe, which they called the "Bound By Nothing" ethos, at the Architectural Digest Design Show through live influencer engagements. Using Lightricks' Popular Pays platform for influencer collaboration, JennAir connected with creators to produce luxury content showcasing their appliances at the event.

The campaign reached a total follower audience of 2.6 million on Instagram, driving significant awareness of the rebrand. Within 48 hours, creators produced dynamic event-focused content, resulting in a library of over 33 pieces of content to support JennAir's rebranding efforts.

Run an Event Ticket Giveaway

Running an event ticket giveaway is a fantastic way to create buzz and increase visibility. It encourages engagement and spreads word-of-mouth promotion organically, as participants often share the contest with their friends and followers. Here's how you can execute different contest scenarios with practical mechanics:

Partnering with influencers for ticket giveaways can boost visibility and drive engagement. Here's how to execute different giveaway strategies with influencers:

  1. Commission influencers to ask their followers to engage with a post promoting your event by liking, commenting, and sharing.

    For example: “Tag a friend you’d bring to [event name], like this post, and share it for a chance to win two VIP tickets.”
  1. User-Generated Content challenge Use influencers to start a UGC trend centered around event-related content (with a branded hashtag and tags) that their followers would like to replicate. Not only do creative challenges make the experience enjoyable for participants, but they also generate authentic content promoting your event.

    For example: "Share a photo of your favorite tech gadget with #TechSummitGiveaway for a chance to win tickets to [event name]."

  2. Referral giveaway Influencers promote a contest where participants earn extra entries by referring friends. This event promotion model drives organic leads and helps your content to reach a broader audience.

    For example: "Invite friends to join [event name] using your referral link for a chance to win free tickets."

Drive Ticket Sales with Influencer Discounts

Use Eventcube to provide influencers with unique discount codes they can share with their followers, making it feel like an exclusive offer ("Use code INFLUENCER20 for 20% off tickets to [event name]"). This not only incentivizes followers to act quickly but also helps track which influencers are driving the most ticket sales.

Tip: Keep the discount simple (10-20% off) to avoid complicating the purchase decision and ensure it's enticing enough to encourage sales.

Create Engaging Content Leading Up to the Event

Influencers and creators are fantastic at driving last-minute event purchases by creating content that generates urgency and excitement. Consider incorporating live streaming or video conferencing to allow remote attendance. You could ask your influencer to host the live feed to their audience as well as your own, helping bring two audiences together and increase overall engagement.

Here are some creative and unconventional content formats influencers can use for last-minute event promotion:

  • Get Ready With Me (GRWM) videos: One of the most popular content formats, it lets influencers take their followers behind the scenes as they pick outfits, pack essentials, or get glam for the event. As they prepare, they casually mention key event details, hyping up what attendees can expect.
  • Unboxing event swag: Influencers showcase the event's swag bags or exclusive merchandise through an unboxing video or post. As they reveal each item, they highlight the value of attending the event.
  • POV: Create a POV-style video where influencers show their followers what it's like to attend the event, giving them a virtual sneak peek.

Offer Event Swag Bags Before and After Events

Event swag bags do wonders. In fact, 61% of marketers say promo products boost brand awareness, and 58% of consumers enjoy receiving branded items from businesses.

That's why swag bags are a perfect tool for influencer event promotion, regardless of whether it's creators receiving swag bags or giving them away…

Send swag bags to influencers pre-event

Kick off the hype early by sending influencers exclusive swag bags. They can share unboxing videos or posts, giving their followers a sneak peek of what's coming and generating discussions around your event.

Tip: Make sure the swag feels personalized and matches the influencer's style. If you've selected the right event swag products, it's more likely that influencers will show them off on their profiles, driving more awareness for the event.

Collaborate with influencers on swag for attendees

Take it further by co-creating swag with influencers—this will do numbers if you get a well-known influencer or celebrity with lots of devoted fans. For example, design exclusive items with their input for jersey customization and give them away to event attendees or through a giveaway.

Tip: Emphasize the swag's exclusivity—available only to event-goers or winners—to boost excitement and participation.

Repurpose Event Promotion Materials

When working with influencers for event promotion, don't let their content stop at just a few posts—repurpose it to maximize its impact. If you make sure to include this option in the terms of your collaborations, influencer-generated content can be reused across multiple channels to extend its reach and keep the excitement going long after it's posted.

  • Social media: Share influencer content on your brand's own social media accounts. Instagram Reels, Stories, and posts can be reshared with proper credit, amplifying the message to your audience.
  • Email campaigns: Use influencer photos or testimonials in email blasts to add a personal touch and boost credibility. Featuring influencers in your event reminder emails or follow-ups adds social proof that resonates with recipients.
  • Event page or blog: Embed influencer content—such as videos, posts, or even quotes—directly on your event landing page or blog. This not only adds a fresh, authentic perspective but also helps drive conversions with relatable, third-party endorsements.

Collaborate on Post-Event Activities

Post-event collaboration with influencers helps maintain momentum and keeps your event in the spotlight even after it's over.

Work with influencers to create engaging recap videos highlighting key moments from the event. They can share their favorite parts, feature behind-the-scenes footage, or even interview attendees and speakers.

Host a live Q&A session or AMA with influencers who attended the event, where they answer follower questions about their experience, the event's highlights, and key takeaways.

Invite influencers to be featured in follow-up interviews or on podcasts to discuss the event in more detail. This could include talking about what made the event stand out or how it impacted their industry knowledge.

Evaluate and Measure Success

To ensure your influencer marketing campaign is effective, track these key metrics:

  • Engagement rates on influencer content
  • Reach and impressions
  • Ticket sales through influencer affiliate links
  • Sentiment analysis of comments and feedback
  • Email sign-ups and subscriber growth
  • Post-event survey responses
  • ROI on influencer partnerships

Monitor what people say on influencers' pages about the event. What did they feel was good, and what criticisms did they have? Use this feedback when planning future events. Pay particular attention to:

  • The quality of engagement on influencer posts
  • Whether the content reached the intended target audience
  • Any negative sentiment that might need addressing
  • Which content formats performed best
  • The conversion rate from engagement to ticket sales

Maintain Long-Term Relationships

If your evaluation shows that influencer marketing has been successful, focus on maintaining and strengthening these relationships:

  • Keep influencers involved even during quiet periods
  • Make them among the first to know about new events or initiatives
  • Be open to renegotiating terms as their value grows
  • Show appreciation for their contribution to your success
  • Consider their input when planning future events

Remember that successful influencer relationships are built on mutual benefit and trust. When influencers feel valued and see positive results from the partnership, they're more likely to become authentic, long-term advocates for your events.

Conclusion

Influencers can be the rocket fuel for your event promotion—but only if you play it smart. From hyping up ticket sales to keeping the buzz alive post-event, their power to engage is unmatched.

Repurpose their content, collaborate on unique experiences, and let their authenticity shine. Get the right influencers on board, and your event will be more than just a date on the calendar—it'll be the one everyone's talking about. With the influencer marketing industry continuing to grow, building strong relationships with the right creators now can set you up for long-term success in event promotion.

Remember that successful influencer marketing isn't just about reaching a large audience—it's about reaching the right audience with authentic, engaging content that drives real results. By following these strategies and continuously evaluating and adapting your approach, you can create influencer partnerships that not only promote your current event but build lasting relationships that benefit both parties for years to come.

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