A long-standing client asked VisualFizz for marketing support with a multi-city event series. This client is one of the most influential private equity firms in the world.
The VisualFizz team was responsible for managing a real-time social media campaign for the event series.
Due to the high-profile nature of the engagement, every detail had to be absolutely perfect—misspellings, incorrect information, and slip-ups were unacceptable.
Learn how VisualFizz executed the social media coverage of the event operation by:
- Assembling specialized teams
- Creating engaging content on the fly
- Adapting to unexpected challenges
- Measuring success across various platforms
This case study covers the following services provided by VisualFizz:
About the Client and the Challenges They Faced
Before tackling the event series, VisualFizz assisted the same client with social media campaigns for their corporate accounts. The engagement also included the management of several division-specific social media accounts within the organization.
VisualFizz had built strong relationships with key stakeholders within the client’s organization, and one of them recommended VisualFizz to provide social media coverage for the event series.
The events were designed for industry leaders, innovators, and tech enthusiasts. The series spanned three weeks and three major cities. Each city had its own distinct audience and flavor:
- San Francisco: The Bay Area events focused on cutting-edge technology and its impact on society. The series had a corporate feel, but the level of innovation made the SF events just as exciting as the others.
- Los Angeles: The LA events appealed to the city’s creative industry, attracting some of the biggest names in entertainment, tech, and venture capital. The events included mansion parties, beachside kickbacks, and rooftop corporate gatherings.
- New York: The events in the Big Apple focused on tech in the context of finance and investment. The fast-paced energy of New York was present at each event—and there was lots of pizza, too.
Key Challenges
The VisualFizz team was thrilled to cover the event series, but the project also presented some challenges:
- Developing guidelines: VisualFizz was the first social media team the client hired to cover the event series. As a result, both parties were involved in writing the social media guidelines as the events progressed. The two teams collaborated to find the best approaches to communicate the brand’s message perfectly—and these guidelines served as the blueprint for creating on-brand content in real time.
- High-profile execution: This operation called for flawless execution due to the event’s high profile and influential backers. In fact, that is an understatement. The events reflected upon one of the most prominent organizations in the world. There couldn’t be any spelling errors or information mistakes whatsoever.
- Logistical challenges: VisualFizz faced complex logistics in managing events across multiple cities:
- The dense population of the New York events limited cell phone data to a point that made live posting nearly impossible without WiFi. Or, the long distances between events in Los Angeles required us to pre-plan travel times, often taking over an hour to get from one event to the next.
- On some days, the VisualFizz team navigated harsh weather conditions, such as pouring rain that made it difficult to move from event to event. This was especially prevalent in New York, which is designed to be a walkable city.
- The team had to pay close attention to detail to create content that abided by the privacy rules of high-profile celebrities and groups associated with each event.
- VisualFizz coordinated the flow of information across multiple teams and key stakeholders, avoiding miscommunications along the way.
- Resource limitations: Despite a relatively tight budget, there was a need to maximize the volume and quality of social media posts.
VisualFizz’s Solution
The team took this challenge head-on, crafting a comprehensive enterprise-level social media strategy to help the client achieve their goals.
VisualFizz began by assembling a dedicated team of social media experts for each city, ensuring local insights were incorporated into the overall approach.
Each team consisted of:
- (1) project manager
- (2) social media content creators
- (Up to 3) “boots on the ground” creators who were responsible for:
- Taking photos
- Commuting between events
- Working with event hosts
- Coordinating content approvals with the client
- Having to communicate in real-time with VisualFizz Project Managers and Social Media team
- To assemble the local teams, VisualFizz sourced professionals via referrals from trusted sources.
Each candidate had to provide information on:
- Their creative processes, especially pertaining to live events
- Time management processes
- Collaboration styles and ability to work with others
The VisualFizz team conducted multiple rounds of interviews to find the right candidates for each role. The planning stage was extensive—each team member was provided a pre-event checklist that included:
- Owning newer phones for the best quality photos,
- Having battery packs on hand,
- Learning the team’s communication structure,
- Planning meal times in coordination with the event schedules,
…and much more.
The “boots on the ground” team had a quota for a certain number of events to hit each day. During each series, they worked all day, every day to get the best shots of the events to post on Twitter.
VisualFizz learned that there’s a major difference between planning a monthly content calendar in advance and posting on the fly. The success of the project relied on the creativity and agility of the team. Every moment was critical.
Coordinating Logistics
To streamline the logistics of the project, VisualFizz created a centralized command center that coordinated efforts across all locations.
The client expected the team to attend a large number of events each week. Instead of waiting until each official week started, VisualFizz coordinated the logistics of as many events as possible in advance.
Waiting until the last minute would have been catastrophic. By being proactive, VisualFizz created enough wiggle room to overcome the unexpected roadblocks that popped up.
Ahead of each day, VisualFizz communicated the arrival details, daily goals, and other information with key stakeholders on the client side and all the event coordinators.
Efficiency was key at every step of the project. The command center briefed each “boots” team member on the game plan for each day of the series, including a morning time slot (9am – 12pm) and an evening slot (5pm – 9pm).
With dozens of events happening in just a few hours, the operation required an organized and strategic approach to hit as many locations as possible.
VisualFizz spent hours reviewing each map and event schedule to give the “boots” team members clear and concise instructions.
Real-Time Content Management System
The purpose of the engagement was to tweet as much as possible in real time, responding swiftly to event happenings and audience reactions.
The client didn’t have a defined process in place since this was their first time collaborating with an agency to provide social media coverage for the event series.
VisualFizz took the opportunity to develop a scalable system for:
- Uploading content to back-end folders
- Facilitating internal content approvals before showing the client
- Streamlining approval processes from the client’s side
- Making quick revisions based on the client’s feedback
- Posting on the go to give the campaign an “in the moment” feel
The agile approach to the campaign allowed VisualFizz to capture the excitement of each city’s events while staying true to the brand.
Assembling and Managing Event-Specific Social Media Teams
The event series was city-specific, so VisualFizz assembled three media teams of local experts who could provide informed coverage.
By hiring specialists with knowledge of each city, VisualFizz was able to save the client thousands of dollars in travel and hotel costs.
Because the series spanned three weeks, the travel fees would have added up quickly. The local representatives provided unique cultural perspectives while cutting overall expenses.
Improving via Real-Time Insights
VisualFizz analyzed the data to identify trends and patterns across different cities and platforms. The team used these insights to refine the content strategy and improve performance throughout the event series.
By the New York event, which was the final one, the operational checklists were far more comprehensive than they were at the beginning. Both VisualFizz and the client felt more accustomed to the processes for facilitating real-time event coverage.
Client Reporting and Future Recommendations
VisualFizz provided the client with comprehensive reports detailing the campaign’s performance. These reports proved to be valuable tools for future event planning and social media strategies.
Results: A Successful Real-Time Social Media Campaign
Despite some of the unique challenges that were faced through the events, VisualFizz’s efforts paid off, resulting in a successful social media campaign for the client’s event series.
The social media coverage led to an increase in attendance and engagement, which helped the client fulfill their objectives of gaining international exposure for the series.
Across the three major cities, the total events VisualFizz covered were as follows:
- San Francisco: 27 events attended by 1 team member (5.4 events/day)
- Los Angeles: 66 events attended by 2 team members (6 events/day)
- New York: 111 events attended by 3 team members (7 events/day)
It’s also important to note that the events were placed sporadically across the three cities. Especially in Los Angeles, which is a widespread area, the VisualFizz team still covered a huge number of events within a few short hours.
Efficiency Improvement
VisualFizz’s efforts resulted in a significant 168% increase in the number of events visited over the week, achieved with only 50% more team members from the LA team.
The San Francisco and Los Angeles events laid the foundation for the New York series. Based on the experiences from the first two weeks, VisualFizz created a tailored process that massively improved efficiency during the New York events.
Even though New York posed unique challenges, such as limited cell service and an unexpected medical emergency that prevented a key team member from working, VisualFizz still accomplished a 168% increase in the number of events visited.
Notably, the quality of the posts was also better during the New York series. The “boots” team took the time to source quotes from key figures and attend presentations to share takeaways from. These content types gave the social media coverage an “in-house” feel that was seamless and on-brand.
Total Posts and Engagement
In terms of social media engagement, VisualFizz noted significant growth in the total number of posts across cities:
- San Francisco: 54 post threads, totaling around 200+ posts
- Los Angeles: 127 post threads, totaling around 500+ posts
- New York: 331 post threads, totaling around 1,200+ posts
This data reflects a 240% increase in the total number of tweets posted. VisualFizz achieved this with only one additional boots-on-the-ground team member.
Need Social Media Coverage for Your Next Event? VisualFizz is Ready to Help!
At VisualFizz, we specialize in creating engaging content and managing social media coverage for events of all sizes and industries.
Contact us for a consultation to see how we can elevate your event’s online presence and deliver real-time results!
