The Democratic Nationwide Conference grants particular entry to 200 content material creators

The platform for content creators at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.

Democratic National Convention Staff

More than 200 digital content creators will attend the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week, with special “creator credentials” that give these influencers special access to the convention.

“By inviting creatives to our convention, we are multiplying our reach and ensuring everyone can experience democracy in action,” Cayana Mackey-Nance, director of digital strategy for the Democratic National Convention Committee, said in a statement to CNBC.

Creators are people who make money by publishing content online that advertisers pay to sponsor. They do not claim to be politically impartial and do not adhere to the traditional code of journalistic ethics.

The decision to officially add a dedicated group of creatives to the board is a first at a Democratic nominating convention.

It also provides insight into the priorities of the innovative media strategy that Vice President Kamala Harris's presidential campaign implemented in its first month.

About a third of adults under 30 say they regularly get their news from TikTok, according to the Pew Research Center. These younger adults are a key demographic for Democratic candidates, helping the party offset Republicans' typical dominance among voters over 65. In 2020, President Joe Biden led voters under 30 by a whopping 24 percentage points.

The Congressional Committee will grant these creatives exclusive access to the week's events and guests. There will also be full-time staff working closely with the creatives to facilitate their engagement with the Harris campaign and the DNC's digital partnerships team.

The DNC even built a raised platform on the convention floor so that creatives would have their own space to attend the event. Similar to traditional television platforms, this one is specifically for creatives to produce content, take selfies, and interview attendees.

“We're simply being given a separate opportunity that respects the professionalism and skills of journalists while recognizing that content creators have something to contribute and have their own unique, special skills,” said Elizabeth Booker Houston, a content creator attending the conference.

Houston is a lawyer and comedian with more than half a million followers across multiple platforms. She creates videos breaking down the latest legal and political news, communicating complex topics in a relatable and easy-to-understand way for her audience.

Authors will not receive any payment for attending the conference or for producing content during their stay. Like journalists, authors must cover their own travel and accommodation costs.

To cover those costs, some creators turn to advertiser sponsorships. Houston said she will produce sponsored content for the Congressional Black Caucus PAC, a political action committee funded by members of Congress who belong to the caucus.

The DNCC is also working with creatives who cannot attend in person to provide them with remote access to participate in the conference.

In addition to a coveted spot on the creator platform, accredited creators also have access to an exclusive lounge in the United Center where they can work on their content, record podcast interviews and network with other creators.

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The Republican National Convention also hosted content creators this year, with more than 70 influential people attending the convention in Milwaukee in mid-July.

“Social media captures the attention of the end consumer to a degree that our society still underestimates today,” VaynerX Chairman Gary Vaynerchuk said Thursday in an interview with CNBC's “Squawk Box.”

He pointed to the role of social media in two of the most volatile presidential elections of the last 40 years, which ended with victories for former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump.

“Obama and Trump's election victories, eight years apart, were thanks to social media,” Vaynerchuk said. “The Facebook execution of the Obama campaign in 2008 is historic and a preview of Trump's Twitter performance in 2016.”

“Those who know how to create, communicate and implement strategies win elections,” he said.

The party conventions aren't the only places where presidential campaigns are trying to engage with content creators this election cycle.

Trump has collaborated with several content creators, including Logan Paul, the Nelk Boys and Adin Ross, and he was interviewed by Elon Musk on X.

Meanwhile, Harris' campaign has developed its own virality on social media, garnering hundreds of millions of views on content such as an impromptu video in which Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, order Mexican food.

Biden's White House has also tasked influencers with spreading the word about his successes on social media. Last week, Biden invited 100 digital content creators to the White House for the first-ever Creator Economy Conference.

“They are the new possibilities,” Biden told the creators. “They are the breakthrough in the way we communicate.”