Trends in social media: The Motherhood scours the headlines so you don’t have to. Check back throughout the month for more!

Influencer Marketing Industry Resources

How To Avoid The Seven Deadly Sins Of Influencer Marketing – June 9, 2025  

You’ve heard of the seven deadly sins: pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony and sloth. It’s easy for both influencers and brands to fall prey to them because of the nature of social media, where instant gratification is prized and comparison is frequent. For influencers, giving in to the seven deadly sins can mean cutting into their livelihood because it impacts their audience relationships and brands’ desire to work with them. Brands can also be tempted, which can impact their following and credibility. My agency has advised content creators and brand representatives on avoiding these pitfalls and making the most of their influencer marketing efforts.

Five Shifts In Influencer Marketing Reshaping Business Strategy – June 9, 2025  

Once a space dominated by bloggers, influencer marketing has evolved into a multi-billion-dollar industry that dictates how brands connect with consumers across global markets. While Millennials and Gen Z have been the driving force behind this shift, the impact now extends beyond younger demographics, influencing purchasing decisions across all age groups.

Danone Is Redefining the Influencer Marketing Playbook  – June 6, 2025  

At a time when culture moves quickly and content is ubiquitous, Danone is redefining the marketing playbook along with Linqia, its agency of record and one of the largest influencer agencies in the world. Linqia’s chief strategy officer, Keith Bendes, sat down with Danone’s chief marketing officer, Linda Bethea, and executive creative director, Eric Flinn, at ADWEEK’s 2025 Social Media Week in May to discuss their ever-evolving marketing strategy and philosophy.

Most Influencers Use AI to Create Content but Consumers Are Skeptical  – June 5, 2025  

The vast majority of influencers are using artificial intelligence but consumers want influencers to be transparent about how the technology is being used, according to new research commissioned by survey company Typeform.

What to know before you start your B2B influencer campaign – June 5, 2025  

If you think about B2B influencers at all, you might think of large-scale accounts with crossover appeal like Corporate Natalie. But in the emerging world of content creators who specialize in appealing to white collar professionals, small accounts can pay big dividends – especially for those just getting involved in the space.

Google Tests AI Versions of High-Profile Influencers – June 5, 2025  

The implementation of gen AI seems to get weirder and weirder, while we’re continually told about how valuable and useful such experiences will become.

Most B2B marketers say influencer marketing one of ‘most effective strategies’   – June 4, 2025  

While B2B marketers may have been slower to embrace influencer marketing than their consumer-focused counterparts, working with creators is now a core element of their marketing plans. According to new data from LinkedIn, 94% of 3,000 B2B marketers globally say influencer marketing is among their most effective strategies to achieve direct sales.   

How Dove’s first creator-led campaign paves way forward for Unilever – June 4, 2025  

Just days after becoming CEO of Unilever in March, Fernando Fernandez made waves by discussing plans to move to a social-first advertising strategy, shifting 50% of ad spend to the channel and looking to work with 20 times as many influencers. Even as social media remains one of the fastest growing marketing channels across the industry this year, it was a bold statement. 

How Influencer Marketing Is Rewiring The Consumer Journey – June 4, 2025  

The way consumers shop today looks nothing like it did a decade ago. Gone are the days when a flashy TV commercial or a celebrity endorsement could drive meaningful sales. Now, purchasing decisions happen in comment sections, Instagram DMs, YouTube reviews and, increasingly, at immersive brand experiences. Influencer marketing isn’t just a trend; it’s fundamentally reshaping the path from discovery to purchase, creating a new, symbiotic relationship between digital content and real-world connection.

​​16 Strategies For Boosting Company Marketing With Influencers – June 4, 2025  

No marketing strategy today is complete without a social media component. As social media continues to be a major way companies reach their target audiences, influencer-infused marketing campaigns for new products and services will become much more common. However, companies would be remiss to assume that simply partnering with a popular influencer is enough to sway consumers to purchase. Below, 16 Forbes Business Council members share how companies can effectively leverage influencers in their marketing while ensuring it feels genuine and natural to their customers.

How This Influencer Strategy Drove Growth in a Down Market – June 3, 2025  

There comes a time in every company’s existence when “a board asks the brand marketer to validate their existence,” Matt Kerbel, Turo’s global brand strategy director, says. At the San Francisco-based car rental service, that time came last year. According to Kerbel, most marketers in this position argue that their work is hard—or even impossible—to measure. But in his opinion, that’s a myth.

Creative Freedom vs Brand Guardrails: Finding the Sweet Spot in Your Influencer Brief – June 2, 2025  

How much freedom should influencers really have—and where should brands draw the line? That’s the recurring tension in today’s brand collaborations. Creators want to “just do you,” but they also recognize that ignoring a brief can cost them future deals.

Social News

Meta Says Link Posts on Threads Are Seeing Better Performance – June 8, 2025  

According to Instagram chief Adam Mosseri, the Threads team has been working to improve the reach of links in the app, with a view to encouraging more publishers and creators to post to the app.

Instagram Says Trial Reels Have Helped Creators Significantly Increase Reach – June 8, 2025  

Instagram’s trial Reels have been available for just on six months now, and IG is keen to get more creators trying out its audience sampling feature, in order to help boost content performance.

LinkedIn Shares Video Posting Best Practices – June 5, 2025  

Video view time in the app has increased by 36% year-over-year, while video content now generates 1.4x more engagement than other post types. 

Instagram Announces Latest Updates for Edits App, Including More Transition Effects – June 3, 2025  

Instagram continues to roll out more updates for its new Edits app, with another set of new creative tools now available in the video customization platform.

 

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View the archives of trends in social media curated by our influencer marketing experts:

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Trends in social media: The Motherhood scours the headlines so you don’t have to. Check back throughout the month for more!

Influencer Marketing Industry Resources

Unilever’s K18 Tests a New Frontier for Beauty Influencing: LinkedIn – May 30, 2025  

Unilever’s K18 is bringing beauty influencing to an unexpected platform: LinkedIn. The haircare company is working with LinkedIn influencer marketing firm Creator Authority to partner with two LinkedIn influencers, Jade Walters and Elvi Caperonis, to give away a K18 product haul and a mentorship by the creators to two members of each of their respective communities.

E.l.f. Buys Hailey Bieber’s Rhode Beauty in $1 Billion Deal: What Influencer Marketers Should Know – May 29, 2025  

In a huge move that underscores the growing demand for influencer-founded brands, Hailey Bieber’s Rhode Beauty has been acquired by e.l.f. Beauty in a deal valued at up to $1 billion. The transaction includes $800 million in cash and stock, with a potential $200 million performance-based payout, making it one of the biggest celebrity beauty acquisitions in recent years.

How creator marketing has become key to Mastercard’s culture-hacking strategy – May 28, 2025  

Fine dining and globe-trotting travel have been displacing mere objects as consumer status symbols ever since Instagram first arrived on the app store way back in 2010. It’s a shift that brand marketers have long sought to connect with. Few have been as persistent as Mastercard, though. The payments brand first began marketing around “experiences” almost 10 years back, according to CMO Raja Rajamannar; it first unveiled its “Priceless.com” loyalty platform in 2016. Increasingly, Mastercard’s means of reinforcing its position has been through creator and influencer marketing. The company stages hundreds of events a year, including some linked to its sporrts sponsorships like Formula One’s McLaren team and tennis’ Roland Garros tournament, and typically invites several creators to each one, giving it a creator cast of thousands. Rajamannar spoke with Digiday about the brand’s creator strategy, how it picks the influencers it partners with, and whether creator spending could eventually eclipse traditional channels like TV.

How IBM is looking to ‘enter the B2C conversation’ through influencers – May 27, 2025  

As Marketing Week previously reported in the last instalment of ‘Influencers Explored’, B2B brands are becoming braver when it comes to introducing influencers to the marketing mix. Global technology company IBM is one B2B giant investing more into both external creators and its own employees as brand advocates.

Brands are starting to use AI agents to execute creator deals—what it means for the industry – May 27, 2025  

Creator marketing companies are launching AI agents capable of forging and maintaining relationships with creators on a brand’s behalf—both to the industry’s awe and alarm.

How to Create an Influencer Campaign Brief – May 23, 2025  

What was once an afterthought PDF attachment is now a strategic tool that can make or break the success of a collaboration. A well-structured brief not only helps creators deliver content that resonates but also saves brands hours of back-and-forth, failed posts, and unmet expectations.

How CMOs Use Influencer Marketing to Build Trust and Drive Revenue – May 21, 2025  

To understand how CMOs are transforming their influencer strategies, we interviewed marketing executives Sarah Crockett from DSW, Paul Deacon from Volition Beauty, Jessica Jensen from LinkedIn, Elizabeth Money from BÉIS, Isabel Romero from Metricool, Brit Starr from CreatorIQ, and Nick Tran from Farfetch. This report explores how brands are proving ROI, building strong relationships, scaling operations, and integrating AI—while working cross-functionally to meet C-suite expectations.

Winning Influencer Strategies in the Real Estate Industry – May 20, 2025  

The real estate marketing landscape is evolving rapidly, with influencer and social media strategies playing a pivotal role in engaging younger, more tech-savvy audiences. Recent trends show that influencer marketing in real estate continues to grow significantly. In fact, reports indicate that 63% of realtors are using social media to promote listings, with 60% of millennials using social media to find their homes. This shift highlights the growing influence of digital platforms, particularly as younger generations turn to social media for everything from research to making purchasing decisions.

‘Embrace the change or get left behind’: Inside the rise of B2B influencers – May 20, 2025  

Working with influencers may have once seemed daunting for B2B businesses, but in recent years more brands than ever have jumped on the creator bandwagon.Ogilvy’s global head of influence, Rahul Titus, describes the growth of B2B influencing as “unprecedented”, growing in popularity since the agency reported in 2023 75% of B2B companies are already using influencers.

Earned Media is on the Rise, But What Does That Mean for Influencers? – May 19, 2025  

Influencer marketing has been the star of the advertising world for years, and it’s still stealing the spotlight. But as the industry matures, a new buzzword is making waves – and it’s giving paid media a run for its money. We are now in the age of earned media, where brands chase authenticity, and influencers juggle gifting with paying the bills.

The Future Of Influencer Marketing: What’s Next In 2025 And Beyond – May 19, 2025  

Among the most defining shifts in 21st-century marketing is the rise of social media influencers (SMIs). Over the past decade, influencer marketing has evolved from a niche tactic into a core component of digital strategy. Today, brand partnerships with SMIs are growing by over 50% annually, underscoring their increasing value and impact.  

It is time for influencers to be shaping, not just selling, your brand – May 16, 2025  

Be it Nike’s creative partnerships or Dove’s community-driven campaigns, influencers are shaping the brands they are working for. Landor’s Anna Kohl believes there is more to come. For years, brands operated on a simple formula: control the message, repeat the asset, and build recognition. Now, the influencer economy has driven a fundamental shift in branding where consumers no longer experience brands in a linear, one-size-fits-all manner.

The future of influencer marketing – Not in the loudest voice, the most trustworthy one – May 16, 2025  

In today’s digital economy, the ability to “influence” has never been more powerful, or more scrutinised. The truth is that real influence stems from integrity and connection.

How To Use Influencer Marketing To Reach Older Consumers – May 16, 2025  

The consumer behavior of older consumers remains understudied despite the group’s large numbers and high buying power. There are over 110 million adults in North America age 55 and over, representing approximately 30% of the total population. By 2050, this group will make up 36% of the population. Moreover, recent studies show that in the U.S., consumers over 50 years old account for more than half of consumer spending.

B2B brands up influencer marketing budgets – May 16, 2025  

Key stat: Over half (53%) of US B2B marketers have a growing dedicated budget for influencer marketing, according to September 2024 data from TopRank Marketing and Ascend2.

Beyond the chart:

• 56% of US B2B marketers who use influencer marketing say social media posts are the most effective content types, according to the TopRank Marketing data.
• Micro influencers, those with 10,000 to 99,999 followers, drove the most success in 2024 for a plurality (43%) of worldwide marketers who found positive results with B2B marketing, according to October 2024 data from HubSpot.

18 Emerging Influencer Marketing Trends Brands Need To Watch – May 15, 2025  

Influencer marketing has evolved far beyond chasing likes and follows. As consumers demand more authenticity, personalization and value from the brands they engage with, new trends are reshaping how companies partner with online creators to drive interest and community. From the rise of nano-influencers and virtual avatars to executive-led thought leadership and B2B advocacy, recent shifts reflect a growing emphasis on trust, transparency and impact. Below, members of Forbes Communications Council explore influencer marketing trends they see gaining momentum and why smart businesses should take note now.

Why flexibility is key to building authentic influencer marketing campaigns – May 15, 2025  

Flexibility, listening and getting creators involved in the creative process is key to making the most of authentic influencer marketing partnerships and storytelling. Speaking at the Creative Equals RISE conference in London today, Helen O’Donnell, Director of Development, BBC Studios, led an uplifting and honest conversation with Riyadh Khalaf, broadcaster, author, podcast host and LGBTQ+ advocate, and Megan Crabbe, author of ‘Body Positive Power’ and broadcaster.

How one influencer campaign can power an entire marketing engine – May 15, 2025  

Influencer content is no longer just for social media. Today’s most agile marketers are discovering that a single creator campaign can fuel their entire marketing engine, from paid social and connected TV to digital out-of-home and retail media. What makes the difference is how you plan, build and scale the content—and increasingly, how you use technology to do it faster and smarter.

Inside the Gen Z creator mindset: what marketers can learn from LTK’s rising stars – May 14, 2025  

At the LTK Upfronts in New York, marketers gathered in the hope of catching a glimpse of the future. What they got instead was something far more valuable: an honest, unfiltered look into the present from the perspective of the generation that’s shaping it.

Why Lyft and Notion Turn to LinkedIn Influencers for Brand-Building – May 12, 2025  

When you think of social media influencers, LinkedIn creators aren’t usually top of mind. However, the professional networking platform has seen an abundance of thought leadership over the past few years, paving the way for a new kind of influencer. 

The Creator Economy Now Outranks TV: What Marketers Must Know – May 12, 2025  

Creators are not just building audiences—they’re shaping culture, redefining influence, and commanding a larger share of brand budgets than ever before. In its latest Measuring the Digital Economy report, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) declares the creator economy’s growth not only sustained but accelerating. In 2024, The New Yorker dubbed it “The Year Creators Took Over,” noting that while traditional media still matters, its cultural clout has eroded significantly. Creators now set the tone across platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Twitch, and beyond, reaching highly engaged audiences in ways legacy media simply can’t match.

From influencers to impact: Why authentic brand partnerships are winning in hospitality – May 12, 2025  

Not long ago, influencers were considered the jewel in the crown of hospitality marketing. The global market for influencers more than tripled from 2019 to 2023. A single post from the right personality could send diners flocking to a new venue. But in 2025, is their influence waning? While platforms like Instagram and TikTok remain essential channels for discovery, are influencers generating the same level of trust, engagement or results?

From feed to street: why brands need to rethink influencer marketing – May 9, 2025  

Influencer marketing is moving beyond social. Jenny Penich of Influencer tells The Drum why brands are now tapping creators as full-funnel partners – from CTV to out-of-home – and reshaping the media mix in the process.

Want to Work With Influencers? Here’s What Small Business Owners Need to Know. – May 8, 2025  

Key Takeaways:

• Actual influence comes from people who genuinely connect with your brand, whether they’re content creators or everyday customers.
• Before partnering with influencers, make sure your own social channels are up to the task. Influencer marketing should be the cherry on top of your existing marketing strategies.
• Nurturing creators over time turns one-time partners into brand advocates.

Winning Gen Z: Five Lessons From Scaling Through Influencer Marketing – May 8, 2025  

When we launched our AI writing assistant, it was just one of many experiments inside our venture capital studio. We had a simple goal: to help students write better, faster and with less stress. We didn’t have the ambition to build a unicorn. We just wanted to solve a real problem quickly. Fast forward 12 months, and our business has scaled significantly and revenue has skyrocketed. One of the key drivers behind that growth? Gen Z. More specifically, we learned to speak their language and play the game by their rules. We had to earn their trust in a way that I’ve found most modern software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies overlook.

Influencer marketing class actions target Shein, Celsius and Revolve – May 8, 2025  

Influencer marketing class action lawsuits overview:

• Who: Consumers recently filed class action lawsuits against Celsius Holdings, Shein, Revolve Group and multiple “influencers.” 
• Why: The class action lawsuits argue Celsius, Shein and Revolve failed to disclose that influencers were paid to promote their products. 
• Where: The class action lawsuits were filed in California and Illinois federal courts. 

Should you use an influencer or celebrity to promote your brand? – May 8, 2025  

When partnering with talent, marketers often ask the wrong questions, says Paula Albuquerque of YKONE. Stop focusing on the big names and instead think about who’ll keep the conversations going longest.

We can still save influencer marketing before AI eats it alive – May 7, 2025  

Unilever wants to spend half its marketing budget on influencers. The Secret Little Agency’s Ludovica Damonte worries that the world’s biggest brands only see ad space in place of the medium’s real strength. Unilever’s new CEO, Fernando Fernandez, recently announced that the company will increase its social media spend from 30% to 50% of its marketing budget. The real kicker? It plans to work with twenty times more influencers than before. Fernandez was even quoted as counting zip codes in India and Brazil, aiming for at least one influencer in every single one.

Fohr CEO on Influencer Marketing & How Brands Can Get It Right – May 6, 2025  

Key Takeaways

• The best partnerships happen when brands prioritize alignment, shared values, audience fit, and content style over raw numbers.
• Be clear about your brand’s values and boundaries upfront, so that you can respond and act if any issue or controversy arises.
• Treat your agency like a collaborator, not a vendor. The more you share about what you want and how you want it, the better they can build a strategy.

Why Influencer Marketing is Critical to PR – May 6, 2025  

It’s understandable that some in the industry might feel unsure whether PR should take ownership of influencer marketing efforts. Especially since those partnerships usually involve commercial arrangements, in contrast to traditional media relations, where payments are almost never made for editorial coverage. But despite this difference, there are too many similarities to ignore. Influencer marketing is just as much about storytelling, relationship building and reputation management as public relations is. A key role of PR is to communicate brand messages to the right audiences via trusted intermediaries such as the free press.

The most effective influencer campaigns are built on fit, not fame – May 5, 2025  

Explore the disciplined approach behind today’s most successful influencer campaigns — built on insight, alignment and results. Long gone are the days of experimenting with influencer marketing. It’s now a proven lever for strategic growth. But outperforming in this space isn’t about jumping on trends or chasing fame — it’s about brand alignment, scale and strategy.

SAG-AFTRA is expanding its reach into the influencer economy – May 2, 2025  

In late April, the union’s board unanimously voted to establish a new influencer committee, appointing New York-based lifestyle influencer Patrick Janelle as chair.

LinkedIn emerges as a serious player in the creator economy – May 5, 2025  

Creators are flocking to LinkedIn — and brands’ dollars are right behind them. As LinkedIn positions itself more firmly as a home for creators, influencer marketers who operate within the platform’s ecosystem say that their business is booming.

Possible 2025 takeaways for marketers—Gen Z strategies, creator economy moves and media innovation – May 2, 2025  

As the conference haze clears, a few dominant themes from Possible have emerged: marketers are grappling with how to effectively reach Gen Z, get influencer partnerships right and use technology to boost media buys. These topics came up repeatedly throughout the Miami Beach event. Below, Ad Age rounds up the top takeaways for marketers.

Glossy Pop Newsletter: Medicube’s influencer marketing-fueled mission to be No. 1 is working – May 2, 2025  

Medicube, the 11-year-old K-Beauty brand known for its Booster Pro skin-care device, has been making waves in the U.S. since at least 2023, prior to the current “second-wave” explosion of K-Beauty. In July of 2023, the brand’s most famous gadget was seen in one of Hailey Bieber’s GRWM videos on TikTok. It was an organic mention, and Bieber had not been seeded the product, according to the brand. That post, in which Bieber doesn’t say a word but goes through her skin-care regimen, has 1 million likes.

How the ‘Jaws’ TikTok Trend Is Changing the Way Brands Approach Influencer Marketing – May 1, 2025  

TikTok trends are not just for fun—they can have a massive impact on marketing strategies. The viral “Jaws” TikTok trend, where users imitate sharks circling around in humorous ways while the iconic theme from the movie plays in the background, is a perfect example of how brands can tap into viral moments for influencer marketing.

Traditional Marketing Funnels No Longer Work In The Social Media Era – April 30, 2025  

The traditional marketing funnel is broken. Customers today behave differently. In the era of social media, brands need to keep up and adapt their strategies. After nearly a decade of collaborating with leading brands across hundreds of influencer campaigns, I’ve seen first-hand how brands need to engage customers through culturally relevant influencer partnerships. In today’s world, influencers and social commerce drive culture and customer demand over traditional media.

Glossy 101: The dos and don’ts of influencer partnership disclosures – April 29, 2025  

In mid-April, fashion brand Revolve was hit with a class-action lawsuit alleging that the company and its influencer partners had failed to disclose paid partnerships. The lawsuit alleged that this gave consumers the false impression that endorsements of Revolve by various influencers were organic rather than paid.

LTK wants to be creators’ post-social platform of choice – April 28, 2025  

Founder and President Amber Venz Box said the platform is “playing the long game” and aiming to provide a home for creators amid social platform and economic uncertainties. Everyone is pivoting to video, and LTK is no exception. Amber Venz Box started as a creator on WordPress, and founded the platform formerly known as LiketoKnow.it and RewardStyle in 2011 as an affiliate platform for bloggers, which is now often cited as one of the original social commerce platforms. Today, the affiliate space is booming, but LTK has diversified beyond its original purpose as an affiliate marketing channel, and Venz Box, who is also LTK’s president, said it now drives less than half of the platform’s revenue. (Last year, LTK reportedly generated more than $5 billion in sales from creators.)

Leveraging Influencer Marketing In The Mining Industry: Opportunities And Challenges – April 28, 2025  

The mining industry has traditionally relied on conventional marketing methods such as industry conferences, investor relations campaigns and paid media to reach stakeholders. However, a marketing trend is emerging: influencer marketing. While this strategy is more commonly associated with consumer brands, influencers are now playing a role in shaping investor relations, public perception and attracting talent to the mining sector.

Pharma

Trust in pharma and health care industries plummet with young people leading the way: report – April 30, 2025  

Fewer and fewer people trust institutions when it comes to health information and advice, according to the latest 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer health report. Even worse, they think leaders are misleading them on purpose. The majority of people in the global survey believe industry leaders say things that they know are “false or gross exaggerations” when it comes health topics. That includes 59% of people who believe business leaders are misdirecting them, and 57% who believe both government leaders and journalists mislead the public.

Social News

ChatGPT’s Rising Traffic Versus Other Top Websites – May 27, 2025  

No matter how you look at it, ChatGPT has had a transformative impact on web usage trends, and the broader tech industry as a whole. Because while generative AI tools in a similar vein to ChatGPT have been in development for years, with Meta, Google, and many others exploring the possibilities of AI tech, no one had launched a user-friendly, conversational AI interface like ChatGPT, and that quickly made the app synonymous with the new tech.

Are AI Chatbots Taking Over Online Search? – May 18, 2025  

Are AI chatbots really taking over online search, and just how long will it be before Google is supplanted by AI tools? While trends are definitely shifting towards AI, with Google recently seeing its first ever decline in search volume, Google still has a commanding share of online search traffic. And with its own AI-based summaries now being filtered into every query, Google itself could well end up winning out in the AI battle on this front, however ChatGPT has quickly become synonymous with discovery, and is rising fast.

Instagram Shares Advice on Switching Content Focus in the App – May 15, 2025  

Thinking about changing up your approach on Instagram?

You may want to take a cautious approach, in order to ensure that you maintain engagement and reach in the app. That’s according to IG chief Adam Mosseri, who’s provided some new notes on how creators should go about switching up their content approach in the app, and what they should be mindful of in the process.

TikTok Adds More Accessibility Features, Including Alt Text for Photos – May 14, 2025  

Today is Global Accessibility Awareness Day, and TikTok is marking the occasion by rolling out some updates to its inclusive access features, including alt-text for photos, enhanced text presentation options, and variable color contrast.

An Ad Quality Control Checklist – May 14, 2025  

Digital ads expert Savannah Sanchez has shared an overview of her key tips for ensuring your ads tick all the right boxes, and get maximum attention and engagement.

Meta Adds More Creative Options To Edits App – May 13, 2025  

Meta’s certainly staying true to its word on rolling out regular updates to its new “Edits” video editing app, with another round of new Edits features now available to users.

Unlockable Reels Are Now Live on Instagram: Here’s What Marketers and Creators Need to Know – May 10, 2025  

Instagram has just rolled out its highly anticipated Unlockable Reels feature, allowing creators to share exclusive content that’s hidden behind a secret code. After a successful test run, this feature is now live, offering fresh opportunities for marketers and creators to engage their audiences in unique ways. With the popularity of exclusive content continuing to rise, Unlockable Reels could be a game changer in how brands and influencers drive engagement.

TikTok Announces a Range of SMB Support Initiatives for Small Business Month – May 8, 2025  

May is Small Business Month, and TikTok has announced a range of activations and opportunities for SMB, including a chance to win a share of $1 million in TikTok ad credits.

YouTube Outlines Advanced Creator Collaboration Tools at NewFronts 2025 – May 8, 2025  

YouTube’s announced some new tools to help brands collaborate with creators on promotions, including an AI-powered search option that will help brands find relevant creators on any given topic.

Meta Provides Guidance for Advertisers Based on Latest Engagement Trends – May 1, 2025  

Following Meta’s latest earnings call, the company has shared a listing of five key stats of note for advertisers, and how to apply them to your own ad efforts. From video, to Threads ads, to AI tools, Meta’s provided some pointers that indicate what it’s looking to capitalize on, which is likely where you should also be looking in order to boost your content performance.

LinkedIn Takes First Steps Toward Creator Monetization With ‘BrandLink’ – May 1, 2025  

With video consumption rising on LinkedIn, the professional social network is adding new ways for marketers to tap into popular video content, with an expansion of its Wire program, which it’s now renaming as “BrandLink”.

LinkedIn Reports Record Engagement Once Again in Latest Performance Update – April 30, 2025  

Oh look, Microsoft has published its latest quarterly performance report, I wonder whether LinkedIn saw “record engagement” in the period?

LinkedIn Shares Technical Specs and Posting Tips for Video Content – April 28, 2025  

Looking to post video to LinkedIn, and tap into rising video engagement in the app? You probably should be. LinkedIn recently reported that video watch time rose 36% year-over-year in 2024, while video content also generates 1.4x more engagement than other formats.

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View the archives of trends in social media curated by our influencer marketing experts:

April 2025

March 2025

February 2025

January 2025

December 2024

November 2024

October 2024

September 2024

August 2024

July 2024

June 2024

May 2024

Trends in social media: The Motherhood scours the headlines so you don’t have to. Check back throughout the month for more!

Influencer Marketing Industry Resources

Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report 2025 – April 25, 2025  

As we enter 2025, the question is no longer whether influencer marketing works but how to unlock its next evolution. In 2024, influencer marketing propelled social media to become the world’s largest advertising channel, surpassing paid search with a staggering $247.3B, reaching $266.92B by end of 2025 in global spend, cementing its role as the epicenter of consumer influence and engagement.

Top Influencer Marketing Strategies Every Insurance Brand Should Implement – April 25, 2025  

If you assume insurance is too regulated or “boring” for influencer marketing — the numbers and campaigns say otherwise. State Farm’s viral TikTok campaign with Khaby Lame is a standout example. Instead of promoting policies directly, the campaign leaned into humor and cultural moments, positioning State Farm as a recognizable, trusted name among Gen Z and millennial audiences. With tens of millions of views, it proved that even legacy insurance brands can resonate online — if they let creators lead with authenticity.

Top Influencer Marketing Campaigns Driving Success for Insurance Brands – April 25, 2025  

If you think influencer marketing can’t work for insurance, you’re underestimating just how much the landscape has shifted. Insurance brands are quietly cracking the code — not by mimicking viral lifestyle brands, but by meeting people at financial and emotional crossroads where trust matters most. In a category known for skepticism and complexity, influencers aren’t just driving reach — they’re reframing the conversation around life, health, auto, and renter’s insurance with relatable storytelling, financial literacy, and real-life context.

From Employees to Influencers – April 25, 2025  

If you’re not following influencers on Instagram, you are part of a rare minority. In case you’ve been living under a rock, you will know that the importance of influencer culture has grown to the extent that even employees are becoming influencers now. And yes, that could very well include you. You know those iPhone unboxing videos you love? Or the ASMR iced latte reels that you stop to watch mid-scroll? They are prime examples of user-generated content (UGC). UGC is very commonly used on social media these days. In fact, with the boom of influencer marketing and microinfluencers, you have probably been guilty of an irrational purchase because of them.

Top Influencer Marketing Strategies to Revolutionize Investment Platforms – April 24, 2025  

Influencer marketing is no longer just a buzzword—it’s a powerhouse that’s reshaping industries, including the investment platform sector. With the influencer marketing platform market expected to soar from $20.24 billion in 2024 to a staggering $71.04 billion by 2032, brands are hopping on the bandwagon faster than you can say “ROI.” And it’s not just about the big names; Asia-Pacific is seeing a surge with 27% annual growth driven by social media engagement and digital adoption. More and more brands are sinking serious cash into influencers—55% of them, in fact, are investing over $1 million a year.

How marketers, creators vet influencer agencies as the creator economy continues to expand – April 24, 2025  

When major marketers like Unilever are saying they’re dramatically increasing their ad spending on influencer marketing, the agencies who manage influencer marketing are, naturally, chomping at the bit to get those ad dollars.

What brands get wrong about influencer sourcing – April 24, 2025  

We’re back with the latest edition of our series, @Me Next Time, where we invite Team Sprout and some of our favorite social experts to share how they really feel about the latest trends. This time, we’re breaking down what brands get wrong about influencer sourcing. We’ve all seen those overly-scripted, cringe-worthy sponsored videos. The ones where the influencer completely changes their tone and content style to talk about a product they would never use. The influencer seems more like a paid actor than a content creator.

Influencer Marketing in 2025: Why Brands are Backing Micro and Nano-Influencers – April 24, 2025  

The age of mega-influencers isn’t over, but it’s definitely evolved. In 2025, more brands are shifting budget and attention towards smaller creators — specifically micro and nano-influencers — in search of stronger engagement, better ROI, and more authentic content.

Does size matter? The power of micro- and mid-tier creators in podcasting – April 23, 2025  

Gone are the days when major celebrity endorsements dominate every consumer decision. Today’s consumers are turning to creators they trust—and increasingly, it’s not the biggest names commanding the most influence. While blockbuster shows grab attention, smaller, niche podcasts are increasingly driving deeper trust, higher engagement and stronger conversions. Consumers are looking to niche podcasts where micro- and mid-tier creators’ authentic voices resonate on a deeper level. This connection affects not only listening engagement but positively impacts ad engagement and conversion. Savvy advertisers are getting wind of the high-conversion opportunities and are exploring these smaller but mightier markets.

Why the NFL hired a fashion editor—and other moves from its social media playbook – April 22, 2025  

The NFL is enhancing its social media and influencer marketing strategies as it looks to create more fans all over the globe. The work includes the appointment of stylist Kyle Smith as the league’s first-ever fashion editor, a move to create more content featuring players’ personal lives and families, and dispatching a small army of creators to Green Bay, Wisconsin, to cover this week’s NFL Draft.

Marketing Briefing: How the current chaos affects influencer marketing – April 22, 2025  

Marketers may be expecting, and prepared for, chaos but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to navigate yet another round of economic uncertainty — especially when the last one was just a few years ago. The replanning, re-forecasting and expected budget cuts has the marketing community on edge, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Why B2B influencers are an essential spend for marketers – April 22, 2025  

With B2B influencers on the rise, experts in the region advise marketers to prioritise trust and credibility over visibility and metrics. Meanwhile, an emerging business to human (B2H) trend is overtaking B2B storytelling. Anna Ong never set out to become a B2B influencer. After a 15-year career as a banker, she took a break and stumbled across a storytelling event while on a trip to New York. On stage for the first time, she realised the ability to tell a story is the ability to own the room. Today, with more than 20,000 followers on LinkedIn, Ong helps leaders craft stories that build influence.

YouTube influencer marketing guide to boosting brand awareness – April 21, 2025  

YouTube influencer marketing is a powerful but often underused tool in a marketer’s toolbox. According to data we collected using our Sprout Social Influencer Marketing platform, in 2024, YouTube influencers generated 28.4 billion engagements in the United States alone. That kind of attention is hard to ignore.

Why Micro-Influencers Are Winning the Trust Game in Marketing – April 18, 2025  

What people remember about Calvin Klein’s #MyCalvins campaign is the way it encouraged social interaction through micro-influencers and paved the way for users to share their own photos, creating a sense of community around the brand. The influencers that the company selected are also indicative of the brand’s presence, and by interacting with fan posts, it initiated a reciprocal relationship among the brand, the influencers and their followers.

New Survey Highlights Creators’ Demand for Clarity in Sponsorship Agreements – April 18, 2025  

In 2025, influencer marketing is more than just a buzzword—it’s the cornerstone of how brands are connecting with their audiences. But as the industry grows, there’s one glaring oversight: the voices of the creators themselves.

Why influencer performance, not just reach, mattered more at Coachella this year – April 18, 2025  

Thousands of influencers descended on the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival last week for the first weekend of the annual music festival—most with brand partners financing their trips or showering them in free products, as has become standard practice at the marquee influencer marketing event.

The Traditional Barrier Between PR And Marketing Has Fallen—How Brands Should Adapt – April 16, 2025  

Picture this: You’re a skilled writer living in the 1960s. You can write compelling newspaper articles, memorable radio scripts and snappy lines for TV news broadcasts. You dream of launching your own newspaper and have the talent, but you lack the finances needed to get distribution—running the presses and getting your newspaper to thousands of people. Unless you can find funding, you have to put your dream on hold.

YouTube’s cross-platform takeover is putting pressure on creators – April 15, 2025  

When the first YouTube video was uploaded in 2005, the only way to watch it was on a desktop computer. Now, 20 years later, YouTube has moved on to other screens. It’s the No. 1 streaming service on connected TVs (CTV), and in a recent blog post, CEO Neal Mohan called YouTube “the new television.” Even older folks are in on the trend, with the 65+ crowd doubling their YouTube consumption on TV sets in the last two years alone, according to Nielsen.

We hold influencers to an impossible standard. It is unsustainable – April 14, 2025  

Influencing is no walk in the park. Charlie Oscar’s Hannah Cooke thinks we’ve set the bar way too high for content creators, and that needs to change. It’s 2025, and if you’re an influencer or creator, it’s tough. You’re expected to be a marketer, a public figure, an activist, a role model, a content creator, a media personality, and a moral compass – all while keeping your engagement rates high and your personal life Instagrammable.

Five Things We Learned About… The Increasing Influence of Creators – April 14, 2025  

Experts debate the growing power of influencers, including Rahul Titus, Ogilvy’s global head of influence, and Suzy Barker, AMV BBDO’s strategy partner. Influencers are on the rise at an exponential rate. Whether it’s being sold mascara on TikTok, the promotion of a skin care product, or a 12-part storytime with an ‘#ad’ in the caption’, audiences are now used to a constant state of being influenced. 

6 Standout Influencer Marketing Campaigns Food & Beverage Brands Nailed – April 12, 2025  

If you haven’t noticed by now, influencer marketing isn’t just a trend—it’s a full-fledged movement, particularly in the food and beverage industry. With an estimated worth of $24 billion in 2024, this powerhouse strategy is expected to grow at a staggering pace, reaching $32.55 billion by 2025. And it’s no surprise, given how food content (hello, drool-worthy photos and viral recipe videos) dominates social media feeds worldwide.

Game-Changing Influencer Campaigns in the Tech Space – April 12, 2025  

Influencer marketing in tech is like that secret sauce everyone’s been searching for—it’s finally been discovered, and now it’s making everything better. With influencer marketing spending hitting a record-breaking $35 billion in the U.S. alone in 2024, the tech industry is riding this wave of growth. And it’s not slowing down anytime soon. In fact, the global influencer marketing platform market is expected to soar to a jaw-dropping $25.44 billion by the end of 2025, growing at a clip of 23.3% year-over-year. Talk about an industry boom.

Meghan Markle is on ShopMy. Is everyone next? – April 11, 2025  

Even the Duchess of Sussex isn’t above a link in bio. Earlier this month, Meghan Markle joined affiliate marketing platform ShopMy and shared commissionable links for everything ranging from a Reformation button-down to a Uniqlo trench coat. Meghan is certainly not the first public figure looking to make a buck off a product recommendation, and this isn’t her first rodeo, having used affiliate platform LTK prior to becoming a royal. But her decision to join ShopMy as one of the world’s most influential and recognizable people marked a high-profile moment for affiliate marketing and led some online to wonder whether everyone will soon have a monetizable lookbook as part of their online presence.

Why Liquid Death’s chief media officer pays special attention to the upper funnel – April 10, 2025  

Ad Age is interviewing in-house media execs for their thoughts on trends, best practices and gripes they have with the industry. Below, the first edition of this recurring series.

What Brands Should Look For In An Influencer Marketing Agency – April 9, 2025  

Nowadays, influencers play a large role in many brands’ marketing strategies. But finding the right influencers whose content aligns with your brand’s mission and values can be a challenge. Influencers also need to be reliable, professional and genuinely interested in collaboration.

TikTok Launches Expanded Creator Incentive Program To Fend Off Advances From Instagram – April 9, 2025  

As Meta gears up to target TikTok creators in a new push, TikTok’s looking to retain them via a new, invite-only “Specialized Rewards Program”, which will provide additional monetization opportunities for selected creators in the app.

Meta Looks to Scoop up TikTok Creators Amid Ongoing Uncertainty – April 8, 2025  

With TikTok creators facing another few months of uncertainty about the app’s future in the U.S., Instagram is preparing a new push to scoop up wavering TikTok influencers, as it seeks to capitalize on the TikTok sell-off saga, as well as the worsening U.S.-China trade war.

Liquid Death’s Latest Collab May Keep You Awake if You’re Scared of Clowns – April 8, 2025  

Liquid Death, expanding its ongoing collab streak into the health and wellness space, partners with organic supplement maker MaryRuth for a limited-edition product called Sleep Like the Dead. The video to announce the nighttime sleep aid, though, might have the opposite effect on anyone suffering from coulrophobia—that’s the fear of clowns. 

How Life is using influencers to market its new immunity cereals – April 7, 2025  

Life cereal is making a new appeal to parents with varieties meant to support kids’ immune systems and bones. The lineup, called Mighty Life, began hitting shelves in January. Immunity-focused Mighty Life Strawberry Blueberry Bliss contains vitamins C and D along with zinc. Very Vanilla, which contains vitamin D and calcium, is positioned for bone health.

B2B influencer marketing is now an essential marketing strategy – April 4, 2025  

B2B influencer marketing success requires careful influencer selection, data-driven measurement, and alignment with broader marketing goals. Marketers must balance AI-driven efficiencies with human creativity, ensuring that influencer partnerships remain trustworthy, measurable, and impactful. Influencer marketing budgets continue to gain traction. In a 2024 TopRank Marketing survey, 81% of B2B marketers cited dedicated influencer marketing budgets, including 53% who said their budgets were growing, while 9% will introduce such programs in 2025. However, more investment is needed for technology, research, and audience analysis to scale programs effectively.

Why Brand Partnerships Are More Meaningful Than Just Hiring An Influencer – April 3, 2025  

For years, brands have treated creators like billboards. They’ve hired them to hold up products, hit share buttons, and boost reach. But the game has changed. As the creator economy matures, the most forward-thinking brands are rethinking their approach—not as buyers of influence, but as partners in creativity.

WFA sees 54% of multinational brands boosting influencer spending — with more relying on agencies to find creators – April 2, 2025  

With influencer marketing budgets steadily rising, more multinational brands are partnering with influencer agencies as the industry becomes more complex. The World Federation of Advertisers released a report today showing that some 54% of multinational brand marketers plan to boost influencer marketing spend in 2025, with 61% agreeing that influencer marketing will become more important in the future. However, due to ongoing challenges navigating the space, like issues with disclosures and transparency on creator campaigns, more brands are employing the help of agencies that play a role in influencer marketing.

10 Essential Skills For Influencers In 2025 – April 2, 2025  

Ninety-three percent of brands plan to increase their influencer marketing budget this year, but there are also more influencers and creators vying for work than ever before. My agency’s platform matches companies with the right influencers to promote their brands, and over the years, we’ve noticed a set of skills that help influencers stand out, maintain a consistent stream of brand partnerships and generate strong, reliable results for the companies they work with.

Influencer trips are out. Customer trips are in – March 25, 2025  

While some gifts keep on giving, others, as certain brands have learned, can keep on taking. Extravagant influencer trips, like Tarte’s ventures to Bora Bora and Dubai, and large-scale influencer offerings, like Poppi’s decision to loan vending machines to creators ahead of the Super Bowl, have prompted consumer backlash, causing some brand marketers to reevaluate whether big-name creators are the best recipients for lavish gifts or trips.

Pharma

How Publicis Health Media is planning for pharma advertising disruptions – April 1, 2025  

If you’re sick of hearing that one jingle about lowering your A1C, you may soon be in luck. On the campaign trail last year, then-presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he’d ban pharmaceutical TV ads on his first day in office, claiming that the industry’s ad dollars had warped media coverage of the category. Today, he’s the secretary of Health and Human Services, which the Wall Street Journal recently described as something of a “worst-case scenario for drugmakers,” as he is now responsible for regulating the same industry he’s skeptical of. Other high-level Trump administration officials, including FCC chair Brendan Carr, have also voiced support for a drug advertisement ban.

Nonprofit

In An Era Of Eroding Trust, It’s Nonprofits’ Time To Lead – April 4, 2025  

We’re living in an unprecedented moment of institutional mistrust. As major social media platforms embrace “anything goes” speech policies and misinformation proliferates, Americans are increasingly uncertain about whom to believe. The statistics are sobering: According to Pew Research Center, only 22% of Americans “trust the federal government to do the right thing,” a record 28% have unfavorable views of both major political parties and even traditionally respected institutions such as higher education and scientific organizations are seeing sharp declines in public confidence.

Social News

TikTok Marketing Report – Key Trends, Statistics, and Insights – April 25, 2025  

Consider this striking statistic: 71% of TikTok users decide whether to continue watching a video within the first three seconds. This underscores the rapid pace and fiercely competitive nature of digital content consumption, where a fleeting moment can make or break a campaign. TikTok has emerged as a titan in the social media space, boasting over 1.6 billion active users and an unparalleled engagement rate. Every day, millions of videos are uploaded, creating a deluge of content that vies for users’ fleeting attention. Marketers face a tough digital landscape, fighting to be seen and resonate. According to our survey, 61.2% of marketers focus on brand awareness as their primary objective. Therefore, the challenge is to create content that captures attention instantly and resonates deeply to convert interest into meaningful engagement.

Facebook Announces New Measures to Combat Spam Posts and Comments – April 24, 2025  

Meta’s taking some new steps to crack down on spammy content on Facebook, in order to combat the rise of inauthentic profiles seeking to game its algorithms for engagement.

YouTube Launches New Features To Mark the App’s 20th Birthday – April 23, 2025  

YouTube is celebrating its 20th birthday, and to mark the occasion, it’s launching a range of functions and add-ons to help users engage with the broader celebration.

Instagram Launches Video Editing App – April 23, 2025  

After months of previews, Instagram has now launched its new video editing app, which it’s creatively titled “Edits.” Essentially, Edits is Instagram’s answer to CapCut, the video editing platform published by TikTok owner ByteDance, with Instagram helpfully offering a replacement for CapCut in case TikTok actually does end up getting banned in the U.S.

YouTube Publishes New Insights Into the Rise of Virtual Influencers – April 20, 2025  

YouTube has published a new report into the rising significance of virtual influencers and how AI-generated or digitally-enabled entities are gaining traction, both on YouTube and more broadly. Which may sound farfetched, it’s a little strange to consider that non-human characters are somehow building bigger followings than real people online.

Instagram Experiments With Collaborative Stories Feature – April 20, 2025  

After adding its engagement-focused Blend option for Reels sharing last week, Instagram is also working on another way to encourage more interaction, this time within Stories.

YouTube Continues To Dominate Streaming Market Share – April 20, 2025  

If you need a reminder that YouTube is the new TV, this latest data from Nielsen further solidifies the online video giant’s expanding TV presence. According to Nielsen’s “The Gauge” overview of the biggest streaming video services in the U.S., YouTube reached a new high of 12% of overall streaming watch time in March.

Zuckerberg Admits That Time Spent on Facebook and Instagram Has Declined – April 17, 2025  

As you’re no doubt aware, Meta is defending itself against an FTC antitrust case at the moment, which has seen Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg face several days of questioning in a federal court, in regards to the company’s acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp and is motivations in buying up potentially competing apps.

YouTube Shares Tips on How To Convert Long-Form Content Into Shorts – April 17, 2025  

Looking to get into YouTube Shorts, but only have long-form content? YouTube’s keen to help, because Shorts are now driving a lot more engagement in the app, and as such, feeding in more short-form content is likely to be a win, both for YouTube and for creators. Over on the YouTube blog, it’s shared a new overview of key tips on how to repurpose your long-form content into Shorts.

TikTok Adds Community Notes to Complement Fact-Checking – April 16, 2025  

TikTok is the latest social app to jump on the crowd-sourced fact-checking shift, with the platform launching a live test of what it’s calling “Footnotes”, which are user-submitted contextual notes appended to posts.

Meta Shares Tips on How To Maximize Click-To-Message Ads – April 16, 2025  

Meta’s click to messaging ads have seen significant growth of late, with the promotions helping brands tap into the familiarity and intimacy of DMs, and sparking immediate connection.

Instagram Tests New Sorting Filters for Reels Feed – April 16, 2025  

Instagram appears to be testing two new search filters for the Reels tab, which would enable you to sort your recommended Reels by “Latest” or “Most Viewed.”

Meta Shares Insight Into How Brands Can Connect With Gen Z Audiences – April 13, 2025  

Meta has published some new insights into the content consumption habits of Gen Z, and how marketers need to align with these shifts in order to maximize the impact of their promotional and branding efforts.

Snapchat Shares Research into Travel Purchase Influences – April 10, 2025  

Snapchat has shared a new report into the latest consumer travel trends, and how Snap ads can help you connect with travelers ahead of the Summer season. The report, conducted in partnership with Publicis Media and NRG, looks at how different ad approaches can help to engage travel shoppers, along with the specific elements that drive purchase decisions.

Reddit Adds Partner Collaboration Within Its Ads Manager Platform – April 10, 2025  

Reddit has added a new option to enable partner connection within Reddit Business Manager, so that advertisers can approve access to a third-party to either collaborate on, or help them manage their Reddit ads.

YouTube Shares Tips on How To Create Engaging Shorts – April 9, 2025  

As with all social platforms, YouTube is looking to capitalize on the popularity of short-form video clips, with YouTube Shorts now driving massive growth in views and engagement within the app. Indeed, Shorts are now YouTube’s fastest-growing content format, driving over 70 billion daily views. Which means that if you want to maximize your YouTube opportunities, you need to at least be considering short-form content, and this week, YouTube’s shared some pointers on how to get into Shorts for your channel.

Snapchat Shares Data on How Happiness Drives Snap Ads Response – April 9, 2025  

Snapchat has published a new study, in conjunction with IPG Mediahub and Amplified Intelligence, which looks at how happiness drives engagement in social apps, and what that means for brand promotions on Snap.

LinkedIn Tests Video Trends to Encourage Member Engagement – April 6, 2025  

LinkedIn’s taking another step into TikTok territory, with a new video trends feature that will encourage members to add their own video responses to trending topics in the app.

Trump Extends US TikTok Sell-off Deadline Once Again – April 4, 2025  

So it’s D-Day for TikTok, the final day of its 75-day extension to work out a deal in the U.S. to avoid being banned, the final chance for the Trump Administration to wrangle an arrangement that will appease all sides, and keep the app available for American users, and…President Trump has announced another 75-day extension of the deadline.

Amid ban uncertainty, TikTok’s role in brands’ social presences has decreased – April 4, 2025  

January’s TikTok outage has served as a wake-up call for brands, reinforcing the need to diversify their spending across multiple platforms to avoid over-reliance on a single channel. That’s meant marketers have spent more on other platforms like Instagram and YouTube, both of which outpaced TikTok’s spend in the month following the platform’s Jan. 18 outage, representatives of influencer marketing companies Later, Collabstr, BENlabs and BrandCycle told Digiday.

YouTube Adds New Editing and Creative Options for Shorts – April 3, 2025  

YouTube’s rolling out some new features for Shorts, including an updated video editing UI, automated beat-synching to music tracks, AI stickers, improved templates, and more. And with Shorts engagement continuing to rise in the app, these new options could be worth considering, as a means to maximize your video creation and channel boosting efforts.

The Best Time to Post in 2025, Based on 30K Brands and Creators – March 31, 2025  

Yes, I know that these guides can be overly specific, and that there are nuances for every brand and industry. But best times to post overviews can assist in your planning, by giving you some additional considerations for your own experiments which could help to improve response to your social media updates. On this, Sprout Social has published its latest “best times to post” guide, based on insights gleaned from its user base (30k business users), and when they’re posts see the most engagement in each app. And again, while there are variances by business, these notes could give you some more guidance for your own tests, in order to find the right time to post for your business.

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Trends in social media: The Motherhood scours the headlines so you don’t have to. Check back throughout the month for more!

Influencer Marketing Industry Resources

How YouTube creators are pitching brands on reaching Gen Z with long-term partnerships – March 31, 2025  

Younger audiences are spending more time with YouTube creators than traditional TV, prompting advertisers to rethink where and how they show up. At Spotter’s inaugural Showcase last week, top creators including MrBeast, Dude Perfect, Kinigra Deon and Rebecca Zamolo laid out how they’re building appointment viewing for Gen Z—and why advertisers should treat them like the new networks.

Sustainability sells: time to make it central to your influencer strategy – March 31, 2025  

Let’s be honest. At first glance, influencer marketing doesn’t exactly scream ‘sustainable’. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be. In this article, Sadé Weeden, influencer marketing executive at Awin, shares her insights on running influencer campaigns that put sustainability front and center. Read on to discover how, with the right approach, sustainability and influencer marketing can not only coexist – but thrive together.

Best Influencer Marketing Strategies for Packaged Food Brands – March 30, 2025  

Influencer marketing in the packaged foods sector is no longer just a trend—it’s a full-on marketing revolution. With global influencer marketing set to hit a record-breaking $32.55 billion this year, brands are tapping into the massive power of influencers to boost engagement, increase sales, and build lasting connections with consumers.

Best Influencer Marketing Strategies for Restaurants & Cafes – March 29, 2025  

In the fast-paced world of food and drinks, standing out isn’t just about having the tastiest dish on the menu—it’s about having your brand be seen and heard in all the right places. Enter influencer marketing: a medium that’s not just a trend, but a must for restaurants and cafes looking to engage younger crowds and amplify their brand presence. With 70% of Millennials and Gen Z increasingly making dining choices based on influencer recommendations, it’s no surprise that the influencer marketing industry is on a serious growth spurt.

Best Influencer Marketing Strategies for Fitness & Nutrition Brands – March 29, 2025  

Influencer marketing in the Fitness & Nutrition world isn’t just riding the wave—it’s creating a tidal wave of change. With the influencer market projected to soar to $32.55 billion by the end of 2025, it’s clear that brands are doubling down on influencer partnerships to connect with today’s health-conscious consumers. Just look at how Gymshark and Alo Yoga have flipped the script on traditional fitness apparel giants like Nike and Adidas.

Influencer Marketers: Don’t Underestimate the Power of TikTok Shop – March 28, 2025  

TikTok Shop has often been an overlooked contender in the e-commerce industry, yet it has the potential to wield the most power of any social media store. The platform has made it easier than ever for influencers to market products by simply adding a button to sponsored videos, which takes you straight to the product page. Users no longer need to leave the app to make purchases. TikTok Shop should be an integral part of any influencer marketing strategy, since the social commerce market in the UK is projected to grow to more than double and reach £16 billion by 2028.

Influencer Marketing: The Social Media Platforms That Wield The Most Purchases – March 28, 2025  

Influencer marketing continues to gain momentum as social media becomes an increasingly powerful force in consumer decision-making. New CivicScience data reveals that 20% of U.S. adults have purchased a product or service based on an influencer or blogger’s recommendation – a significant jump from 2020, when only 13% reported doing so. Additionally, the percentage of Americans who follow at least one content creator has increased since 2023, from 41% to 43% today. With its growing influence on consumer behavior, CivicScience explored the evolving role of influencer marketing and its impact today.

Why Big-Name Influencers Are Losing Power — and Micro-Influencers Are Taking Over – March 28, 2025  

Micro-influencers are reshaping digital marketing by offering brands higher engagement, authenticity and cost-effective reach compared to traditional celebrity endorsements. Celebrities endorsing products have long been a cornerstone of the marketing world, driven by the simple fact that people trust familiar faces. A well-known name attached to a product has historically provided businesses with instant credibility, recognition and reach. However, with the rise of social media, this dynamic has significantly evolved, paving the way for a new breed of influencers who wield substantial power over consumer decisions.

Survey: Creators are seeking greater transparency in brand deals – March 28, 2025  

Turns out, many creators want to be more than just mouthpieces. They want to be marketers. But a recent survey from influencer marketing agency Influencer, which sampled 500 creators primarily from the UK and North America, found that there are plenty of perception gaps that exist between brands and creators, including beliefs around how involved creators can or want to be in the marketing process.

Influencer marketing surges: Here’s what the numbers say – March 28, 2025  

In 2025, 59% of marketers plan to partner with more influencers compared to 2024 as consumers explore new social media platforms, per Sprout Social. Influencer marketing continues to grow in popularity, with 59% of marketers reporting they plan to partner with more influencers this year compared to 2024. Only 37% plan on partnering with the same number, according to data from Sprout Social. While marketers are increasing their investments in influencer marketing, rapid changes in the social media landscape raise questions on effective strategies for implementation.

B2B Influencer Marketing Social Media, Video, Events, and AI Are Driving Trust and Engagement – March 27, 2025  

B2B influencer marketing is transforming digital strategies. Micro-influencers, video content, and events are reshaping engagement, while AI-powered analytics are optimizing influencer ROI. Learn how brands are leveraging trust, credibility, and data-driven insights to stay ahead.

The creator economy: Making dollars and sense out of social partnerships – March 27, 2025  

Remember a few years ago when op-eds used to claim influencer marketing was a fad? Fortunately for influencers, creators and brands, that turned out to be completely wrong. Consumers proved with their loyalty, engagement and purchasing power that influencer marketing is here for the long-haul. Today, the creator economy is worth $250 billion (yes, that’s billion with a “b”). By 2027, that figure is expected to balloon to $500 billion. Once a small-but-mighty phenomenon, the creator economy has transformed into a full-fledged force—reshaping everything from how we consume content, to the relationships between audiences and brands.

YouTube Shorts Added to Google: The Rise in Social Search Is Changing Influencer Marketing – March 26, 2025  

With the recent integration of YouTube Shorts into Google search desktop results, a unique opportunity has emerged for influencer marketers to harness the power of social search. YouTube Shorts, YouTube’s own short-form video platform, seems like the perfect answer not only to level out the TikTok and Instagram Reels playing field, but also to solidify Google’s search engine status.

How UGC creators are transforming influencer marketing – March 25, 2025  

Leaders from Creator and Gen3 Marketing joined Ad Age’s NextGen Summit to discuss how user-generated content, AI and social search are reshaping brand strategies. Brands are no longer partnering with influencers purely for social engagement; they’re making influencer content an essential component of their top-of-funnel strategy to drive brand awareness and growth.

How influencers and politicians built an unregulated supplement empire – March 24, 2025  

If you search social media for workout tips or healthy meal ideas, you’ll likely be bombarded with ads for supplements. “Bloom will boost your energy and make your skin glow,” “AG1 Athletic Greens will fill any gaps in your diet,” “Magnesium will improve your mood and your sleep,” “Lion’s mane will enhance your memory,” and somehow, all of them promise to increase cognitive function. Influencers are quick to assure us: “You can’t trust anyone when they talk about supplements, but you can trust me.”

How to Measure Influencer Campaigns Effectively in 2025 – March 23, 2025  

As the influencer marketing landscape has evolved, marketers are getting better at measuring the impact of their influencer partnerships. In fact, 70% of marketers now measure the ROI of their influencer marketing, according to our State of Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report. However, while there’s a significant drop in the number of marketers struggling with campaign measurement, 13.6% still face this challenge.

The Shape of the Influencer Economy – March 15, 2025  

In Episode 5 of The Media Room, media expert and author Vanita Kohli-Khandekar speaks to 2 experts, Harikrishnan Pillai co-founder and chief executive officer of digital marketing agency The Small Big Idea as well as Kalyan Kumar, co-founder and CEO of influencer marketing platform KlugKlug. They discuss the influencer economy, how marketing campaigns utilise influencers, the duopoly of Meta and Google, breaking down parameters and levels within the ecosystem and the effect of recent events on current trends. Tune in for insights on how brands view influencers and how they capitalise on their influence.

Why Is Unilever’s CEO Fernando Fernandez Investing In Influencers? – March 13, 2025  

Unilever believes influencer marketing will accelerate growth in a competitive market. Under new CEO Fernando Fernandez, the FMCG giant intends to spend 50% of its media budget on social channels and will increase influencer marketing investment twentyfold. His vision? “Desire at scale.” Instead of relying solely on traditional brand messaging, Unilever is making creators a key driver of its marketing efforts, signaling a new era in how brands leverage influence.

50% of Unilever’s ad spend will go to social media. Will an influencer-first strategy work? – March 13, 2025  

In a major strategic pivot, its new CEO says it’ll spend half of its media dollars on social channels and work with 20x more creators. Here’s why the move makes sense. In a shock leadership change last month, Hein Schumacher stepped down after less than two years as chief executive of Unilever, to be replaced by Fernando Fernandez, an Argentine executive with almost four decades at the conglomerate.

Creators and influencers on edge about Meta’s reported Reels spin-off – March 11, 2025  

Meta’s plan to potentially spin Instagram Reels into a standalone video app has sparked excitement among creators and influencer marketers — but also concerns that the move could disrupt creators’ brand partnerships on Instagram.

How cult brands like Crocs, Southwest see influencer marketing evolving – March 10, 2025  

AUSTIN, TEXAS — Influencers have long played a role in brands’ bids at relevance with young consumers. What happens when they climb to the top of the strategy agenda? Executives speaking at South by Southwest (SXSW) over the weekend detailed how influencer marketing is expanding to impact everything from campaign casting decisions to experiments with new shoppable ad formats. Looking ahead, some see the potential for the tactic to command a greater share of budgets once reserved for more conventional forms of advertising — the latest sign that industry decision-makers are shifting to a social-first mindset as channels like linear TV decline and Gen Z’s career aspirations turn further toward internet stardom.

Influencer Marketing Is Busting Through The Walls Of Social Media – March 10, 2025  

As influencer marketing rose to fame over the last decade, it’s gone through several stages of maturity. Influencer marketing 1.0 was fairly simple and straightforward. Brands worked with people with social media followings to post about the brand. That content reached the creator’s audience, and their following was a predictable signal of reach.

Brands hire Gen X and boomer influencers as the ‘power of the silver influencer’ rises – March 7, 2025  

When you think of influencer marketing, you typically picture brands working with a younger creator to target Gen Z (ages 13-28) or Gen Alpha (up to 12 years old). That’s not always the case. As the influencer marketing space and creator economy continues to grow, so-called silver influencers, or creators from Gen X (45-60 years old) and boomer generations (ages 61-79) are increasingly catching marketers’ attention.

From Marketplaces to Community Power: 2025 Rules of Influencer Marketing – March 7, 2025  

I also got the ultimate insight toolkit: top platforms, key metrics, and tips based on my XP as a Creative Director at an influencer marketing agency AAA Agency — why kick off your campaign 3-6 months early? why you shouldn’t be writing the script for the influencer? and more secret sauce for marketers.

Uncovered Industry Gems at Creator Economy Live 2025 – March 6, 2025  

The creator economy is thriving and on track to become a $500 billion industry by 2027, making it more important than ever for brands and creators to stand out from the pack. At the third-ever Creator Economy Live conference in Las Vegas, industry leaders – brands, marketers, platforms/tools and creators – uncovered some invaluable insights and growing trends to help them do just that. Spoiler alert – our favorite buzz word ‘authenticity’ is just the tip of the iceberg. From platform strategy (hint: LinkedIn is that girl!) to community engagement (real-time interaction continues to be king), here are five gems we uncovered during the conference that can help both brands and creators navigate and excel in this ever-evolving space.

Olipop is Worth $1.8 Billion. Here’s Its Influencer Marketing Strategy, Which Can Work for Any Brand – March 5, 2025  

Most small businesses look at influencer marketing and assume it’s out of reach. They’re wrong. “People assume influencer marketing is all about cash deals,” says Steven Vigilante, director of strategic partnerships at the soda brand Olipop. “But some of our best partnerships started with a free sample and a conversation.”

How creator partnerships go beyond awareness and conversions to fuel advocacy – March 5, 2025  

While brands see creators as a safe bet to boost awareness or drive conversions, they’re missing something. Analyzing influencer campaigns from 2024 uncovered an intriguing trend: that much of the industry isn’t necessarily utilizing or thinking about influencers in the most beneficial way. They’re overlooking the true superpower at their fingertips: influence.

Why More Influencers Are Turning to LTK – March 3, 2025  

Affiliate marketing has been around for decades, but it’s undergoing a major shift. LTK (formerly known as LikeToKnowIt) is aiming to revolutionise how creators monetise their influence, positioning itself as the AdSense of affiliate marketing.

DICK’S Varsity Program Goes Public, Influencers Able To Apply – February 28, 2025  

The Varsity Team influencer program, once limited to internal employees at DICK’s Sporting Goods, recently opened to the public for the first time with an “open call” for influencers. Sports enthusiasts and content creators with no prior association with DICK’s were eligible to apply—with a select few set to receive benefits like athlete mentorship, paid contracts, and brand exclusives. DICK’s opened the program to prioritize user-generated content (UGC) as the brand searches for authentic stories from sports enthusiasts.

How Gen Z teens are becoming social influencers against gun violence – February 26, 2025  

Students are getting and sharing the message that they’re safer without guns. On March 22, 2012, I got a Facebook message with a simple call to action: “Today, walkout, 1st lunch, justice for Trayvon.”

Pharma

The new rules for pharma marketing influencers = authenticity over audience – February 14, 2025  

The days of the Kardashian celebrity influencers are waning in pharma and health care marketing. Not exactly literally—although Kim and Khloe Kardashian were once high-profile influencers for drug brands Diclegis and Nurtec, respectively—but in general, celebrity influencers with million-plus social media audiences are not as sought after, or effective, as micro-influencers and content creators today.

Healthcare

Best Influencer Campaigns for Medical Devices and Health Services – March 23, 2025  

Influencer marketing has moved from “let’s get a celebrity” to “let’s get a trusted expert who knows their stuff.” And in the Medical Devices & Services sector, it’s booming like a TikTok trend gone viral. With the global influencer marketing market expected to hit a whopping $32.55 billion in 2025, and with over 80% of marketers stating its effectiveness in modern digital marketing, it’s clear that something big is happening here. This surge isn’t just about posting pretty pictures; it’s about the tech behind the scenes, like AI and machine learning, optimizing everything from influencer discovery to campaign success.

Social News

Reddit Shares Data on Rising Women’s Health Discussion in the App – March 30, 2025  

Reddit has shared some new insight into the rise of women’s health discussion in the app, and the broader benefits of such across various Reddit communities. In conjunction with Weber Shandwick, Reddit recently looked at the scope of women’s health engagement across the app, and found that overall discussion about women’s health increased by 37% between 2023 and 2024.

Instagram Launches Schools Partnership Program To Protect Teens – March 25, 2025  

As part of its broader effort to keep young users safe within its apps, and reduce instances of cyberbullying, Instagram has announced a new schools partnership program, which is designed to help teachers and educators report potential safety issues directly to Instagram.

28 TikTok statistics marketers need to know in 2025 – March 24, 2025  

TikTok’s growth is unlike any other platform, consistently breaking records when it comes to usage, engagement and ad performance. While the app isn’t without its challenges, recent social media statistics highlight that TikTok is still a marketing powerhouse for brands of all shapes and sizes. And the app’s momentum isn’t slowing down anytime soon. In this post, we dig into key TikTok statistics that marketers should know and how you can use them to inform your TikTok strategy.

Instagram Experiments With AI-Generated Comments on Posts – March 16, 2025  

I can’t imagine why anybody would want this, nor why Meta thinks that anyone would want it, while I also can’t see it having an overall positive impact on social media interaction. But… Apparently, Instagram is now experimenting with AI-generated comments on posts, so you don’t even have to come up with an opinion, or an original thought of your own, in order to respond to an update.

Oracle Emerges as Most Likely Partner for US TikTok Deal – March 13, 2025  

A quick update on the TikTok U.S. saga: In what will be a surprise to absolutely no one, Oracle is firming as the favorite to establish a partnership deal that would enable TikTok to keep running in the U.S., according to latest reports.

Facebook Adds Stories to Its Creator Monetization Program – March 13, 2025  

Facebook has announced that it’s adding Facebook Stories into its creator monetization program, which will give creators another way to earn money in the app. Last year, Facebook merged its in-stream ads and performance bonus programs into one scheme, in order to simplify its creator monetization process. That means that creators posting videos, Reels, photos and text posts now only have to opt in to a single initiative to make money from their content.

Meta Invites More Advertisers To Link Their Google Analytics Account – March 13, 2025  

After working on its integration with Google Analytics over the last year, Meta is now inviting more ad account managers to link their Google Analytics data into Meta’s system, in order to feed in more traffic insights to help improve ad performance.

Bluesky Adds Longer Videos, DM Requests Folder – March 12, 2025  

Open source Twitter-clone app Bluesky has announced its latest app update, with longer videos, a new chat requests filter, and additional language translation options.

TikTok Shares New Report on Its Impact on the US Economy – March 11, 2025  

As TikTok continues to fight for its life in the U.S., the platform has today outlined the economic benefits that it’s delivered for the nation, with expanded data showing that TikTok exposure is connected to over 28 million American jobs.

TikTok Rolls Out More Teen Safety Elements – March 11, 2025  

TikTok’s rolling out some new tools to help parents manage their kids’ use of the app, and ensure that they are indeed taking breaks from TikTok’s addictive, never-ending ‘For You’ feed.

TikTok Provides Tips on Creating Engaging Photo Posts – March 9, 2025  

Looking for more ways to engage your TikTok followers? Maybe still image posts could be worth trying, and to help with this, TikTok recently published an overview of its still image posts, and how you can use them to best effect.

US TikTok Negotiations Stall With Only a Month Left To Arrange a Deal – March 6, 2025  

Checking in on the U.S. TikTok situation, and with a month to go before the platform’s 75-day negotiation window closes, things don’t exactly look great.

TikTok Sets Deadline for the Switch to Its Creative Suite – February 27, 2025  

TikTok One, which was originally announced at its “TikTok World” event last May, will provide a more centralized home for all of TikTok’s creative tools, including analytics, campaign creation, Creative Challenges, and more. Which also includes its current Creator Marketplace, TikTok’s discovery tool that connects creators with brands.

Instagram Provides Tips on How To Maximize Content Recommendations – February 26, 2025  

Instagram has provided an update on its effort to maximize exposure potential for smaller creators, which it says has now resulted in significantly more opportunities for creators to reach a broader, more focused audience in the app.

Instagram May Be Exploring a Separate Reels App – February 26, 2025  

That’s apparently what Instagram is currently weighing, according to a new report from The Information, which suggests that Instagram chief Adam Mosseri recently floated the concept of a separate Reels app to IG staff.

Instagram Explains How Its Algorithm Weighs Time Spent Watching Longer Clips – February 25, 2025  

Instagram chief Adam Mosseri has provided some more insight into how its content algorithm measures watch time as a percentage of a video, as opposed to a binary count.

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