Influencer Marketing Resources: July 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

Why brands are ditching celebs for influencers – July 29, 2024 

The balance of power between celebrities and influencers is shifting. Celebrities have long been used by brands to drive awareness and shape consumer opinions given their profile and popularity. Celebrity images are highly crafted and resilient, and their popularity creates a wave of mass reach that is easy for brands to ride. But the fast-growing influencer economy has been disrupting this long-standing approach for some time, and we are now at an inflection point.

Influencer Events Are Revolutionizing the Marketing Landscape – July 22, 2024 

Influencer events have emerged as a game-changing marketing strategy. Once seen as a trendy buzzword, these events have solidified their place as a cornerstone of modern marketing campaigns, driving engagement, fostering brand loyalty, and delivering measurable ROI. For businesses keen on staying ahead of the curve, understanding the impact and potential of influencer events is crucial. Events and experiential marketing are some of the highest ROI in marketing. It’s no wonder more brands are allocating budget for this segment, especially after the pandemic.  

Influencer Marketing: Is It Worth it and Is It Brand Safe? – July 22, 2024 

Social media has revolutionized how consumers make purchase decisions in every aspect of life—from choosing a restaurant to selecting their financial institutions. This cultural shift is predominantly driven by digitally-native millennials and Gen Zers. The financial services sector must embrace social-first marketing to reach these new target demographics.

How Entrepreneurs Are Making More Money In Today’s Market – July 22, 2024 

As an entrepreneur, you are constantly seeking new ways to enhance your income and maximize profitability. By staying attuned to market trends and leveraging the latest technological advancements, you can identify and capitalize on opportunities for growth.

How to Implement ChatGPT to Enhance Influencer Marketing Campaigns – July 22, 2024 

To keep up with the ever-changing influencer marketing industry, brands are always seeking innovative ways to differentiate themselves and capture attention. That’s where ChatGPT can help; this dependable language model provides exclusive tools for optimizing your influencer marketing strategies. For some time now, ChatGPT has positioned itself as a fan-favorite AI tool used by almost everyone, from individuals to businesses, amassing a staggering 180 million users as of December 2023.

Startup Acceleration: Innovative Strategies For Maximizing Your Potential – July 18, 2024 

Influencer marketing is becoming a strategic tactic for companies looking to further differentiate themselves in the face of intense market competition. To help entrepreneurs understand how and why influencer marketing can be a powerful tool for growth, I have gathered the essentials from my experience helping clients with social media marketing. Let’s dive in.

Why brands that let creators thrive unlock influence – July 18, 2024 

Following on from influencer marketplace pioneer Social Soup’s recent event, Influencer Upfronts, Marketing Mag spoke with founder and CEO Sharyn Smith on the state of the influencer market, navigating successful influencer partnerships and what brands can expect for the future.

Why You Shouldn’t Overlook LinkedIn Influencer Marketing Anymore – July 18, 2024 

As a marketer, you’re accustomed to questions about whether your brand is jumping on the next big social platform. However, many brands are also finding themselves leveraging an older platform in a new way. LinkedIn influencer marketing is a great example of brands finding additional ways to stay relevant and engaged on existing social platforms.

Influencing 101: Maximizing The ROI Of Influencer Partnerships – July 17, 2024 

Influencer marketing is anticipated to reach $74 billion by the end of 2024, according to eMarketer, which should be no surprise to anyone in our industry. Over the past 15 years, we’ve seen the evolution of the creator economy from the OG YouTube vloggers to Gen-Zers building TikTok business empires scoring six- to eight-figure brand deals that fund Hamptons houses and luxury vehicles. (Full disclosure: TikTok is a client/partner of my company.)

HOW CERAVE IS BUILDING ON ITS SUPER BOWL SUCCESS WITH A NEW INFLUENCER-LED CAMPAIGN – July 15, 2024 

CeraVe is extending the layered approach to influencer marketing that recently earned a Cannes Lions Grand Prix to its latest creator-led campaign. But rather than recruiting hundreds of influencers to help the brand fabricate an elaborate social media conspiracy as it did for the Super Bowl, CeraVe is tapping a roster of 40 creators to turn a telenovela parody into a broader lesson in proper facial cleansing. 

Influencer marketing is soaring despite troubles in other areas of the creator economy. 11 insiders break down how the industry is scaling. – July 15, 2024 

• Influencer marketing is going strong in 2024, with firms seeing a jump in deal volume and value.
• The creator economy has had its ups and downs, but influencer marketing remains a bright spot.
• Eleven industry insiders, including influencer firms, told BI how the category has shifted this year.

Beyond Likes: 5 Ways To Know Your Influencer Campaign Is Effective – July 9, 2024 

Over recent years, influencer marketing has become an increasingly common strategy for brands looking to expand their reach and engagement. But how do you know whether it’s truly working? Beyond the obvious likes and follows, there are more subtle signs that can reveal the real impact of your efforts.

How Monte’s Fine Foods is embracing ‘tomato girl summer’ – June 28, 2024 

After the phrase “tomato girl summer” emerged last summer, you best believe that fashion brands took notice. Clothing retailer Lisa Says Gah partnered with Hunt’s on tomato-shaped earrings and a line of apparel, and designers like Rachel Antonoff and Tyler McGillivary are selling tomato-print pants and shirts. Most recently, Staud unveiled a version of its Tommy purse with a beaded tomato print on the front in partnership with the New York-based Italian restaurant Monte’s at the Manor and food brand Monte’s Fine Foods, which has since sold out (but will be restocked in mid-July, per the brand).

Influencer Marketing Works For B2B Customers – June 30, 2024 

Influencer marketing is not about getting millions of views on TikTok. It’s about influencing a specific group of customers, who could be reached on many different channels, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, industry-specific podcasts, YouTube, webinars and many more—including TikTok, if that is where the target audience resides.

How brands are using the comments sections to drive results – June 25, 2024 

In the comments on a TikTok of a dog yelping into a pillow, you’ll find Google making calendar jokes. Below a TikTok about NYC ice-cream trucks, you’ll find fashion brand Kenneth Cole commenting that “Mister Softee must be earned. Never tracked.” And in the comments section of a TikTok of influencer Alix Earle dancing and lip-syncing in her pajamas, you’ll find meal-delivery company HelloFresh encouraging her to drop an album.

NAVIGATING THE DISCONNECT BETWEEN INFLUENCER AND AFFILIATE MARKETING – June 25, 2024 

In today’s dynamic digital landscape, influencer marketing has emerged as a powerful force, driving brand awareness and consumer engagement. However, despite its potential, many brands struggle to integrate influencers effectively into their affiliate marketing strategies.

What creator Niamh Adkins looks for in a brand partner – June 24, 2024 

If you’ve liked or engaged with content about Jellycats, having a sister, or listening to Taylor Swift, chances are good that Niamh Adkins has made an appearance on your For You page. The 28-year-old creator has built an audience of more than 3 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube by posting comedic content about her life and interests. As she’s built her following, she’s worked with brands like Neutrogena, Uniqlo, Supergoop, Kosas, and Laneige.

16 Ways To Vet An Influencer Before Partnering With Them – June 24, 2024 

Organic engagement and authentic content can take your next marketing campaign to new heights. To make that happen, more and more brands have begun partnering with influencers, utilizing their established relationships and authenticity to engage with a large and loyal following. However, companies must conduct their due diligence to ensure a smart partnership between their brand and the influencer.

Healthcare

Why Healthcare Brands Should Tune Into Women’s Audio Habits – July 2024 

It’s Monday morning, you’re in bed scrolling on social media and you find yourself angsting. Is my wardrobe too basic? Does my skincare routine dry me out? Did my lunch have adequate protein? In contrast, imagine starting your day listening to Alie Ward’s podcast, Ologies. You crack up at her remarks about the cicadapocalypse and learn something new about the species while sipping your morning coffee. Ready for work, you grab your bag, pop in your earbuds, and switch to the Maggie Rogers station on Pandora as you head to the bus.

Non-Profit

GivingTuesday Releases 2023 Data Commons Lookback Report – July 24, 2024 

The GivingTuesday Data Commons released “The Giving Bridge: Lookback at 2023 Trends in Global Generosity,” its fourth annual exploration of global giving trends. This comprehensive report offers an in-depth analysis of generosity worldwide, aiming to foster a more effective and evidence-driven social sector.

Why Nonprofits Need To Think More Like Marketers With Their Strategic Plans – June 24, 2024 

As someone with a background mostly rooted in marketing, I might be biased, but I firmly believe that everything is marketing. This belief extends beyond traditional marketing activities and permeates the entire strategic planning process for nonprofits. For nonprofits to thrive and expand their impact, they must adopt a marketer’s mindset and apply it across their strategic framework. Here’s why.

Social News

How To Improve Your Website’s Reputation With Google – July 28, 2024 

The team from Red Website Design share their tips for improving your online reputation in this infographic.

Here’s a quick summary of what you’ll learn:

• Review your current backlink profile

• Create a list of your top posts and keywords

• Add long-form content to your site

• Generate a list of websites that you’d like to link into your site to start a guest posting effort

• Pitch your best content to websites

YouTube Shares Quick Tips and Pointers on How to Grow Your Channel – July 25, 2024 

YouTube’s Creator Liaison Rene Ritchie is now sharing a range of YouTube insights and pointers via Shorts, providing quick snapshots of knowledge on various elements.

For Olympic activations, brands are turning to platforms beyond broadcast – July 17, 2024 

The Olympics is expected to be one of the biggest broadcast events of the summer. But for many younger viewers, they might spend more time watching the competition and the content that surrounds it on social platforms like TikTok than on the TV screen.

Meta Plans To Allow New Studies Into Instagram’s Impact on Teens – July 17, 2024 

After years of accusations about Instagram’s impact on teens, and refutations of the same from Meta, the company is looking to allow researchers to conduct an in-depth study of the platform’s impacts on young users, as part of a new expansion of its restrictive research program.

Meta Expands Reels Overlay Ads to More Brands – July 17, 2024 

Meta’s rolling out a new way to advertise within Reels, its fastest growing content format, with Reels overlay ads now being made available to selected advertisers.

TikTok Announces New Eventbrite Integration – July 16, 2024 

TikTok has announced a new partnership with events platform Eventbrite which will enable both creators and fans to promote Eventbrite links in-stream.

Online tracker ID5 gets into the streaming game – July 10, 2024 

A potential solution to tracking and measuring users on the open web is coming for the small screen. ID5, an alternative ID tool that provides publishers and marketers with a way to track users without the use of cookies, is pitching itself to streamers, broadcasters, and CTV platforms, CEO Mathieu Roche told Marketing Brew. The company, Roche said, is holding conversations with device makers like Samsung, LG, and Roku, channel providers like DirecTV, and media giants like Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount.

Etsy seeks to return to its roots with human-centric campaign – July 10, 2024 

Etsy was once known as a marketplace for artists selling handmade goods. After becoming a destination for resellers peddling drop-shipped and mass-produced items, the nearly 20-year-old brand is preparing for a refresh—and hoping to re-emphasize the human element. In a new marketing campaign that rolled out this week, Etsy is focused on showcasing the work of its artisan sellers, not robots, and encouraging consumers to “keep commerce human.”

Mastering TikTok Shop: A Guide For Brands To Launch In 2024 – July 14, 2024 

With over 150 million users in the US and an estimated 55.5 million users making purchases through the platform in 2023, TikTok Shop presents an unprecedented opportunity for brands to connect with consumers and drive sales. TikTok Shop allows users to discover and purchase products directly within the app, capitalizing on the platform’s engaging short-form video format. The viral nature of TikTok content, exemplified by trends like #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt, has already demonstrated its power to influence purchasing decisions and create overnight product sensations.

Instagram’s Looking to Enable Retrospective Tags for Collaborative Posts – July 11, 2024 

Here’s a small but important update from IG regarding a coming functional improvement. Right now, if you want to add a collaborator to your IG posts, you need to do so in the initial creation flow, it’s not possible to add a collaborator in retrospect. Well, you can on Reels, as of recently (check out this how-to guide from influencer marketing expert Lindsey Gamble), but for feed posts and Stories, you can’t add a partner profile after publishing.

FTC bans ‘ask me anything’ app for teen use – July 10, 2024 

Anonymous messaging apps like NGL: ask me anything are attractive to curious teens eager to share unfiltered opinions or hear candid confessions from their peers. But a new order from the Federal Trade Commission highlights how such apps can be weaponized against teen users through bullying, harassment, and deception. Often marketed as free, the apps can impose a different cost, taking a toll on users’ mental health.

TikTok Publishes New Back to School Marketing Guide – June 30, 2024 

With the end of the summer break now coming into view, many will be shifting their attention to planning for school’s return, which means that marketers need to map out their strategy for reaching students, and their parents, with their latest offers and promotions.

The White House Announces Its First Creator Economy Conference – June 30, 2024 

Look, I’m not totally convinced that the “Creator Economy” is a thing, outside of a clever promotional strategy that helps to promote the use of social media platforms. But the U.S. Government is buying in, with The White House announcing an upcoming “Creator Economy Conference,” where industry experts, and creators themselves, will be invited to meet with Government officials to discuss their opportunities, challenges, and more, in order to better inform related policy.

TikTok Launches Support Program for Beauty Creators – June 30, 2024 

TikTok has announced a new initiative to help support beauty creators in the app, partnering with Estée Lauder on a program called “The Catalysts” which aims to find emerging voices in the sector.

YouTube Tests Picture-In-Picture Viewing for Shorts, Channel Mentions in Comments – June 27, 2024 

YouTube’s officially added picture-in-picture viewing for Shorts, providing another way to consume Shorts content, while it’s also testing a new way to mention other users in comments, as well as Shorts downloads for Premium members.

TikTok Launches Big Brand ‘Deal Days’ To Promote In-Stream Shopping – June 27, 2024 

TikTok’s Deals For You Days will see big brands share discounts in the app, across a range of trending products, which TikTok’s hoping will get more people browsing and spending in-stream.

TikTok Shares Updated Trend Insights for Marketers – June 25, 2024 

TikTok has shared some new insights into key trends in the app, as an addendum to its “What’s Next 2024” report. TikTok published its What’s Next trend prediction report in December last year, which outlined the key engagement shifts it was seeing in the app. And now, it’s published a new “What’s Next: In Action” update, which aims to provide more insight into how its trend predictions have evolved throughout the year, and what marketers should be aware of heading into the second half of 2024.

TikTok Shares Insights Into Upcoming Shopping Trends – June 25, 2024 

TikTok may be on its way out of the U.S. (potentially), but it’s not gone just yet, and with over a billion active users, it’s still a valuable channel for marketing, and connecting with prospective shoppers via promotions.

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

June 2024

May 2024

April 2024

March 2024

February 2024

January 2024

December 2023

November 2023

October 2023

September 2023

August 2023

July 2023

June 2023

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

Why Influencer Marketing on Pinterest Has Huge Potential for B2C Businesses – June 20, 2024 

In many ways, working with an influencer on Pinterest is very different from marketing on other social media channels. Thus, any brand contemplating influencer marketing for Pinterest will need to change their mindset on how to go about it.

The dos and don’ts of writing an influencer brief – June 20, 2024 

Writing a brief for an influencer requires an entirely different approach from other briefs. They should inspire an influencer, not overwhelm them with information and rules.

B2B influencer marketing is a growing field – June 20, 2024 

How does EMARKETER define a B2B influencer?

A B2B influencer is an expert or thought leader in a specific industry or professional niche. They can help a B2B company stand out in a competitive market, reach its target audience, and guide informed purchasing decisions through insights and recommendations. They are selected for their credibility in their field, which allows them to be more effective than a brand can be on its own. They might cocreate and share content on social media and/or host events and webinars.

If Authenticity Is Less “A Thing” In Influencer Marketing, Then What Is? – June 19, 2024 

If you are a marketer, you likely have either a love or hate relationship with influencer marketing. According to Sprout Social, 49% of consumers make purchases at least once per month because of influencer posts, and 30% trust influencers more than they did six months ago. It’s no wonder that, according to a similar report from Influencer Marketing Hub, 67% of marketers plan to increase their influencer marketing budgets this coming year.

I was a micro-influencer – here’s how brands should work with us – June 19, 2024 

Micro-influencers are a great way to reach a gen Z audience, says Dami Oladapo of Raptor – who should know, having been one. Here’s what brands should consider when working with these digital gatekeepers.

What to expect from the first year of Lions Creators – June 17, 2024 

It’s the first year of Lions Creators, the official creator track at Cannes Lions, and the excitement is palpable. Lions Creators programming will include presentations, panels, roundtables, and networking events, as well as the Social & Influencer Lions Awards Show, building on years of increased creator participation in the festival, mostly on the brand side. Executives told us that, in response, creators, as well as creator marketers, will be there in higher numbers than ever this year. We spoke with some of the executives behind the program—Thea Skelton, VP of events at Cannes Lions, and Joe Gagliese, co-CEO and co-founder of Viral Nation—about why 2024 was the year to make Lions Creators happen and what attendees can expect to see.

What To Know About Generation Alpha And Influencer Marketing – June 17, 2024 

It’s super important for brands to keep up with newer generations of consumers to stay relevant. While the focus has been on Gen Z for a while, many brands are now thinking ahead to the next big thing—Gen Alpha. By 2025, Gen Alpha will be comprised of more than 2 billion people, the largest generation ever, according to McCrindle Research.

How influencer agencies vet and navigate past fake influencers and followers – June 12, 2024 

With the rise of virtual influencers and generative artificial intelligence content creeping into the influencer world, it can get complicated for influencer agencies to navigate partnerships and verify the authenticity of their followings and engagement metrics those influencers claim to attract. Not helping matters, a number of social media services, including Viralyft and Twicsy, sell followers, likes or views directly to creators and businesses wanting to boost their clout. Some of that traffic is made up of bots.

HOW PIECE OF CAKE IS USING INFLUENCER MARKETING IN THE MOVING BUSINESS – June 12, 2024 

Known for its bright pink trucks, New York-based moving company Piece of Cake has experienced explosive growth since launching in 2017 with the purchase of one truck for $20,000. It now makes 100,000 moves a year across the U.S., with 800 employees and 350 trucks.

What influencer marketers are expecting at Cannes this year – June 11, 2024 

“Get ready with me to go to Cannes Lions” is a phrase that you could very well hear while scrolling on social media this month. 2024 marks the first year of Lions Creators, a networking and events experience dedicated to creators at Cannes Lions, which offers creators the opportunity to attend the festival at a discounted rate. For that reason, influencer marketers are abuzz, and they seem ready to take over the Croisette alongside creators in record numbers.

The ultimate playbook to build a Snapchat influencer marketing strategy – June 11, 2024 

In the rapidly evolving landscape of social media, Snapchat stands out as a vibrant platform, particularly beloved by younger audiences. With 422 million daily active users worldwide, there’s a relevant potential audience worth your brand’s pursuit. Snapchat’s distinctive features and authentic vibe make it an excellent avenue for influencer marketing. This playbook will help you harness the power of Snapchat influencer marketing with guidance on forging partnerships, creating engaging content and tracking business results.

The Brands and Retailers Successfully Engaging Gen-Z on Social Media – June 11, 2024 

Generation Z, or Gen-Z — those born roughly between 1995 and 2009 — today account for more than two billion people, or about 30 percent, of the global population, according to the World Economic Forum. Next year, Gen-Z is estimated to make up 27 percent of the global workforce and have a spending power of $450 billion, according to the BBC in 2023.

The art of collaboration: Successful partnerships in the creator economy – June 7, 2024 

The creator economy doesn’t just offer an opportunity for creators and influencers; it offers an amazing opportunity for brands as well. When you work with an influencer who has built a loyal following with an audience in a niche that would need your products or services, it creates an incredible chance to drive great return on investment when there is a successful partnership in place.

The past, present and future of influencer marketing, according to Taylor Lorenz – June 5, 2024 

The beginning of the millennium marked the dawn of modern internet culture. For the first time, ordinary people could create loyal global communities and have mainstream influence. Bloggers began generating revenue streams from brand deals typically reserved for celebrities.

Where Swehl—and its censored breastfeeding ad—goes from here – June 4, 2024 

Swehl wants to be known for more than recent events. Over the last few weeks, the lifestyle brand, which provides tools and resources for breastfeeding, was embroiled in the latest example of the double standard in depictions of women’s bodies in advertising after a campaign image of cook and recipe developer Molly Baz holding lactation cookies over her bra with the tagline, “Just add milk,” was pulled by Clear Channel, the company powering the billboard. (The ad eventually returned to Times Square after the probiotics brand Seed donated a portion of its billboard to Swehl.)

How influencers are harnessing social media to boost cancer screenings – May 31, 2024

Recent research has shown a worrying trend: there’s been a staggering uptick in young people being diagnosed with late-stage cancer. Equally worrisome is the fact that there has also been a drop in cancer screening since the COVID-19 pandemic. These troubling metrics spurred Michelle Dunst, MD of integrated intelligence at Real Chemistry, to take a deeper look into what’s happening and how it can be changed.

The Importance Of Trend-Spotting In Influencer Marketing – May 30, 2024

Successful trend-spotting is the thread that links evolving social trends and marketing strategies together. The ability to identify and leverage current trends is what really sets proactive brands apart from the rest. Understanding and acting on these trends quickly helps you capture and engage your audience and position your brand as a market leader in the fast-paced social media world.

Influencer pricing: how much influencers really cost – May 30, 2024

According to the Sprout Social Q3 Pulse Survey, 80% of marketers agree influencers are an essential part of their strategy. That doesn’t mean everyone has mastered influencer marketing. In fact, our 2024 Influencer Marketing Benchmarks Report shows most marketers struggle to measure the ROI of their influencer campaigns because of the complexity of influencer marketing.

In Their “Deinfluencing” Era: Gen Zs Becoming More Skeptical of Influencers and Sustainability Messaging – May 29, 2024

VANCOUVER, Canada — Rival Technologies and Reach3 Insights, the world leaders in conversational research and insight communities, today released a new report revealing Gen Z’s attitudes on social media, influencer marketing, online shopping, sustainability, and brand loyalty. Based on a mobile-first, conversational survey of 750 Gen Zs in the US and Canada, the research study found that social media’s role in purchase discovery is increasing, but it is only one step in a long and complex buying journey. Among Gen Z consumers who shop online, only 18.4%

Social News

TikTok Expands ‘Out of Phone’ Campaigns with UGC – June 20, 2024 

TikTok’s looking to help brands expand their promotions off the platform, with a new element of its “Out of Phone” offering that’ll enable brands to use TikTok creator content on billboards, within in-store displays, cinema promos, and more.

New York Seeks to Ban Algorithmic Feeds for Teens – June 20, 2024 

Amid ongoing concerns around the harms caused by social media, especially to young children, various U.S. states are now implementing their own laws and regulations designed to curb such wherever they can.

The 9 Defining Traits of the Modern B2B Marketer – June 17, 2024 

LinkedIn recently partnered with Ipsos to dig into what the next generation of B2B marketing leaders will need to prioritize in order to maximize their future opportunities. The research, which incorporates feedback from 2,000 B2B marketing leaders, established nine core characteristics that will set marketers and marketing teams up for success in the years ahead. 

Instagram Tests Creator Insights Profile Performance Overview for Brands – June 16, 2024 

Instagram’s adding another way to help creators establish partnerships with brands, this time via a new “Creator Insights” display on their profile, which provides a snapshot of their account performance over the last 30 days.

TikTok’s Rise as a Discovery Platform – June 16, 2024 

While TikTok has become a key platform for entertainment, it’s also increasingly becoming a destination for discovery, with more and more people now turning to app to learn more about products, trends and more. Which could be an important consideration for your marketing efforts. Depending on your target market, TikTok may now be a key driver of interest, and as such, your brand should have a presence within the expanding TikTok space.

Instagram Tests Creator Insights Profile Performance Overview for Brands – June 16, 2024 

Instagram’s adding another way to help creators establish partnerships with brands, this time via a new “Creator Insights” display on their profile, which provides a snapshot of their account performance over the last 30 days.

Instagram Tests New Ads Overlaid on User Stories – June 12, 2024 

Instagram seems intent on trying out more annoying and intrusive ad formats, with the platform now testing new promoted prompts that are displayed within your friends’ Stories, driving viewers towards promoted apps.

TikTok Adds Image Search for Similar Products in TikTok Shop – June 12, 2024 

TikTok is determined to convert itself into an online shopping powerhouse, in order to maximize its revenue opportunities, though users still seem largely perplexed as to why they would go from watching short-form video clips to buying products in the app.

Instagram Will Soon Enable Creators To Build AI Versions of Themselves – June 12, 2024 

Look, I don’t know why Meta is convinced that enabling people to make AI bot versions of themselves is something that will have real, tangible value to users. But whatever the reason, it is indeed looking to facilitate such, with new screenshots showing its evolving AI bot creation framework.

Instagram Clarifies Advice on Single Word CTAs and Longer Reels – June 5, 2024 

Hey, remember how Instagram sparked a wave of concern among creators last week when it published a video which explained that asking your audience to comment on a post with a single word could impact your post reach? Well, Instagram’s now sought to add some additional qualifications to its advice, to ensure that people understand exactly what those impacts might be, while also providing some extra notes on its broader approach to CTAs, Reels recommendations, and more.

Instagram’s Testing Video Ads That Stop You From Scrolling Further – June 2, 2024

Unskippable video ads in your main Instagram feed? How would that work? According to various reports, Instagram is currently testing out a new video ad format that does indeed stop users from scrolling in the main feed of the app until they’ve viewed a video ad.

Instagram Implements More Protection Measures for Teens – May 30, 2024

Instagram has announced two new updates to help protect younger users in the app, including an expansion of its “Limits” feature, which was originally only available to creator accounts, and new ways to restrict who can engage with your posts.

Instagram Shares More Info on the Distribution of Longer Reels Clips – May 29, 2024

Okay, I can see how on the surface this may seem confusing. “Hang on,” I hear you say, “didn’t you just report, like, two weeks ago that posting 90-second Reels is bad for reach?” Yes, yes I did, but these two things are actually both in alignment.

 

Click here to sign up to receive info on trends in social media, the influencer marketing industry, best practices and news straight from our experts to your inbox at a frequency that works best for you.

 

 

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

May 2024

April 2024

March 2024

February 2024

January 2024

December 2023

November 2023

October 2023

September 2023

August 2023

July 2023

June 2023

May 2023

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 Rates: How Much do Influencers Really Cost in 2024? – May 24, 2024 

Influencer marketing is one of the most effective ways to reach your target audience—especially on social media platforms. But influencer costs can vary widely based on your business goals, industry, platforms you’re targeting, posting frequency, and more. How can you find the right influencer for your brand without breaking the bank?

The Influencer Marketing Reality – May 24, 2024 

It is impossible to deny that influencer marketing is a key branch in the atmosphere of digital marketing. The importance is so much that many people dedicate themselves exclusively to it. Although we are indeed at a new point, with some level of professionalization, we are far from a formalized framework of professionalism across the entire sector. Even so, we do see the tool of influencer marketing helping to generate conversions and meet the KPIs imposed by the market.

16 Influencer Marketing Trends That Will Shape 2024 – May 23, 2024 

If you want to know what influencer marketing trends 2024 will bring your way, you’ve come to the right place. Influencer marketing is already big, and it’s only going to get bigger. Every year brings about new social media platforms, new types of content, and new ways brands can engage with their potential customers. The best influencers stay on top of the trends so they can offer brands what they need to shine. With the social media landscape changing so quickly, it’s important that influencers leverage the hottest influencer marketing trends quickly to develop their authority and expertise, making themselves more attractive to brands. For their part, brands will want to jump on these influencer marketing trends to expand their audience, generate new leads, and earn more revenue.

17 Expert Insights Into The Rise Of AI Influencers – May 23, 2024 

Traditionally, many companies have used an illustrated or animated “spokesperson” or corporate mascot as the face of their brand—think Tony the Tiger, the Jolly Green Giant and the Geico Gecko. Given the success that some of these characters have driven, the increasing capabilities of artificial intelligence and the ever-increasing power of real-life influencers in the digital age, it makes sense that businesses today are considering adopting virtual AI influencers to represent their brands.

Will AI Influencers Displace Creators? – May 23, 2024 

We are not far off from a world where you can type a prompt into any major social media platform and generate an entire video of content with virtual people saying whatever you command. If that’s the case, and the platform’s AI gets sophisticated enough to make the content high quality and on-trend, then what role do creators play in the future?

What To Know About Social Selling With Influencers In 2024 – May 22, 2024 

How many “Shop Now” ads did you see while scrolling through your social media feeds today? Social commerce has yet to come to full fruition, but it is well on its way, with influencers increasingly acting as a driving force. Some numbers to consider:

Influencer Rates: How Much do Influencers Really Cost in 2024? – May 16, 2024 

Influencer marketing is one of the most effective ways to reach your target audience—especially on social media platforms. But influencer costs can vary widely based on your business goals, industry, platforms you’re targeting, posting frequency, and more. How can you find the right influencer for your brand without breaking the bank?

Marketers focus on competitive analysis to grow their influencer marketing strategies – May 14, 2024 

As influencer marketing continues to mature and marketers increase ad budgets for this category, there’s more effort than ever to keep tabs on the competition, according to four marketers who told Digiday they’re more focused on competitors’ influencer marketing strategies this year.

Why it’s time to hire an influencer marketing manager – May 14, 2024 

More than 80% of marketers agree influencer marketing is an essential part of their overall social media strategy, according to a Q3 2023 Sprout Pulse Survey. Yet, less than a quarter (24%) say their brand has a dedicated influencer marketing manager. Most companies say influencer marketing is owned by their already overtaxed social or digital teams.

Nano vs. Micro-Influencer Marketing: What’s the Difference? – May 14, 2024 

In an age where people are more likely to trust the recommendation of a YouTuber over that of a celebrity, influencer marketing is alive and kicking. However, as consumers become more starved for authenticity and credibility, they’re quickly turning their attention toward nano-influencers and micro-influencers who have a more niche influence. 

Partnering With Small Creators Sees Brands Grow EMV While Building Local Reach – May 13, 2024 

Size is just a number. If you don’t believe me, just ask Simone Biles. The all-conquering American gymnast has overcome questions surrounding her height to become one of her sport’s most revered athletes. Biles has dominated both the Olympics and World Championships over the past 11 years, racking up 37 medals in the process. And when asked about her formula for success, she was succinct: “I don’t think about size. I focus on being powerful and confident.”

How AI, automation and authenticity are changing influencer marketing – May 13, 2024 

From digital diaries to an integral part of any marketer’s playbook, influencer marketing continues to soar in popularity—it’s set to grow from $16.4 billion in 2022 to $21.1 billion in 2023. During the COVID-19 pandemic, people were stuck at home and spent more time browsing social media, product recommendations and other creator-led content. Live-streaming through TikTok replaced in-person shopping and provided a new way for shoppers to engage.

A Franchise’s Guide To Becoming A Local Influencer – May 10, 2024 

Influencer marketing has become a key method for promoting brands and building relationships. As the head of a digital marketing agency, I’ve seen firsthand that in the franchise sector, marketers are experimenting with how trusted influencers can promote their products and narrate their service experiences to attract current and new customers.

Influencer marketing trends across industries – May 9, 2024 

When singer Shay Lia showed off her vivacious dance moves during Kaytrandas’ iconic Boiler Room set in 2013, she dazzled audiences and quickly became a meme. Over a decade later, people still reminisce and rave over the viral moment.

4 Ways Brands Can Use Influencers for Better Sales This Summer – May 8, 2024 

The power of influencer marketing is unquestionable. It is projected to hit around $21 billion in 2024 and is no longer optional but inevitable for brands aiming to grow and capture new audiences. The upcoming summer provides an ideal opportunity for brands to reevaluate and refine their strategies. One possibility is to invest in effective influencer collaborations. This article outlines how brands can forge successful partnerships with bloggers and influencers to maximize their summer sales.

Digiday+ Research: Influencers see more Instagram engagement with still images than Reels – May 6, 2024 

This is part of a research index that was originally published on Digiday’s sibling publication Glossy. Read the full index here. These days, it can feel like social media is a bit obsessed with the short-form video format. But recent research on influencer marketing conducted by Digiday came to a bit of a surprising conclusion: When it comes to sponsored posts featuring influencers on Instagram, images actually perform better than short-form videos.

Gen Z mostly doesn’t care if influencers are actual humans, new study shows – May 4, 2024 

A new study has found that Gen Z may value AI and authenticity on social media differently than older generations. Analytics firm Sprout Social’s 2024 Influencer Marketing Report gathered feedback from 2,000 respondents across the US and UK about their experience consuming social content.

11 Brilliant Examples of Brands that Work with Micro-Influencers – May 3, 2024 

With the rise of micro-influencer marketing, brands are increasingly turning to smaller, more niche influencers to drive meaningful engagements. Although micro-influencers don’t have as much reach as influencers with millions of followers, they deliver impact by speaking to a more targeted audience. As such, they can help you engage a highly relevant audience that finds value in your offering.

Influencers are changing how we buy – is your brand ready? – May 1, 2024 

New research from Sprout Social found that almost half of consumers indicate that they make daily, weekly or monthly purchases because of content they saw influencers post. For as long as social media has been around, marketers have struggled to articulate its impact on revenue. Many brands still quantify social media in terms of metrics like reach, engagement and sentiment—and in the most sophisticated cases, revenue. So it’s no surprise that when we think about influencer marketing, our conversations default to KPIs like views, comments and impressions.

Influencer relationships (with consumers & brands) are evolving—what does that mean for marketers? – April 29, 2024 

Do you have a “comfort influencer?” The one whose content you go back to again and again. You’re more invested in their personal life than any celebrity or other internet personality. No, you don’t know them. But you trust them. Our favorite influencers really do feel like friends, and we take their product recommendations seriously. According to the 2024 Influencer Marketing Report, almost all (86%) consumers make a purchase from an influencer at least once a year, proving the hold influencers we trust have over our buying habits.

This baseball season, the Seattle Mariners are embracing an ad strategy from decades past – April 25, 2024 

It’s no secret that Major League Baseball has been trying to make its games more exciting with new gameplay rules. One team is trying to get fans, especially younger ones, hyped the old-fashioned way. The Seattle Mariners are tapping into their back catalog of ads from the ’80s, ’90s, and early 2000s as inspiration for a kitschy new series of social videos meant to engage older fans who might fondly remember the originals, as well as a next-gen fanbase that’s seeing them—and, at times, the team—for the first time on social media.

Healthcare/Pharma

After years of caution, pharma advertisers are embracing influencer marketing – May 3, 2024 

Healthcare and pharmaceutical advertisers such as Gilead Sciences are injecting more and more of their media budgets into the creator economy. Brand advertisers in the health and pharma sector are some of the biggest-spending clients on media agency books. In the past, though, they’ve steered clear of influencer marketing. Now, despite uncertainty over the future of TikTok, industry experts say that influencer marketing has matured enough that healthcare clients are embracing it. And with the third-party cookie on its (albeit delayed) way out, pharma brands are hoping it’s an alternative means to target key audiences.

Why I’m uncomfortable with healthcare marketing’s obsession with ‘patients’ – May 1, 2024 

Atomic Matter’s Frankie Everson has lost patience with healthcare’s dependency on language like ‘patients.’ She shares how her time with illness revealed just how dehumanizing the term actually is. As a strategist working on health brands, I’ve spent the best part of my career trying to imagine and evoke what has always been described as the ‘patient experience.’ I’ve diligently mapped out ‘patient journeys,’ trawling the internet for quotes and blogs that help bring to life the intricacies of living with a particular disease. I’ve tried my best to bring ‘patient insight’ into my briefs.

3 ways healthcare marketers can navigate the shifting data privacy landscape – April 30, 2024 

For The Drum’s Healthcare & Pharma Focus Week, Acxiom’s Brady Gadberry (SVP, head of data products) and Jordan Abbott (chief data privacy officer) talk data compliance and audience engagement in the healthcare sector, and share insights of regulatory frameworks, privacy laws, and ethical considerations. Right now, most brands are reassessing how to connect with and grow their audiences. This is part necessity, with cookie deprecation looming (albeit not until next year, as recently announced), and part opportunity as generative artificial intelligence (AI) continues to redefine the madtech art of the possible.

Personalization in healthcare is broken: Introducing the ‘user-forward’ paradigm – April 30, 2024 

Next-generation CRM in healthcare is here – but are ethics and personalization at odds? For The Drum’s health & pharma focus week, Merkle’s Dagmara Scalise and Erin Kelsh investigate. Today’s dominant personalization framework is all about knowing the individual and applying that information to intercept their journey and serve up relevant content that meets their needs. The end goal is to drive a relationship with the brand or product.

Is Ozempic’s marketing leaning into its viral weight loss reputation? – April 29, 2024 

In the realm of pharmaceuticals, few stories have captured attention quite like Ozempic’s transformation from a type 2 diabetes treatment to a viral tool for weight loss.

Nonprofit

How Nonprofit Organizations Can Boost Donations Via Social Media – May 6, 2024 

Amidst the COVID-19 crisis and now in its aftermath, nonprofit organizations have faced onerous financial burdens. Nonprofits rely on donations to survive, and fundraising became even more challenging during the pandemic. Sadly, this is still true post-pandemic due to economic factors such as inflation, high interest rates, and countless layoffs. 

5 Takeaways From M+R’s Online Fundraising ‘Benchmarks’ – April 30, 2024 

Online fundraising continues to become a larger part of nonprofits’ fundraising strategy. But, in 2023, online fundraising remained relatively flat with a 1% median reduction. This is according to the 18th annual “Benchmarks” report, a look at digital fundraising that M+R released last week. The new edition, which included 225 participants and relies on their year-over-year comparisons as opposed to the prior year’s results of the study, aims to provide nonprofits with insight to make data-driven decisions, as well as trends and context to put that insight into perspective to help nonprofits put it into practice at their organizations. 

Google Announces Video Ad Targeting Options – April 29, 2024 

Google’s announced a range of new ad updates as part of its 2024 NewFronts presentation, including expanded placement options, improved data tracking tools, and AI-based audience creation.

Social News

Instagram Could Give Users Optional Access To Experimental Features – May 27, 2024 

Would you be interested in testing out upcoming IG features ahead of time? You may soon have the option, with a new “Early Access” menu item now being tested in the back-end code of the app.

TikTok Updates Disclosures Around State-Based Influence Efforts – May 23, 2024 

Amid ongoing questions about the influence of the Chinese Government on its operations, TikTok has launched an updated transparency report, which will now provide more specific insight into detected influence operations that have been removed from the app, while it’s also updating its rules to restrict the reach of state-affiliated media accounts that attempt to influence communities outside their home country. 

Pinterest Shares Report Into Gen Z User Trends – May 21, 2024 

If you’re looking to get a better handle on the interests of Gen Z, there’s one platform that you should turn to: Pinterest. Okay, maybe not, but according to Pinterest, it is becoming a bigger focus for young, shopping-ready audiences: “From self-exploration to shopping lists, Gen Z is increasingly turning to Pinterest. In fact, they’re our fastest growing audience, making up more than 40% of our global monthly users. And they’re even more engaged than other generations, searching and saving at higher rates.”

TikTok Launches Program To Highlight Creators Making Positive Change – May 21, 2024 

TikTok’s launching another program to support creators on the platform, this time focused on those who are making an impact on society via their in-app presence. The new TikTok Change Makers Program will highlight creators and non-profits “who create meaningful change in their communities through TikTok.”

Instagram Chief Says Post Share Rates Are Now a Key Driver of Reach – May 19, 2024 

In response to a question posed in his most recent Q and A session on Instagram about how to expand your reach in the app, and the top considerations factored into the algorithm at present, IG chief Adam Mosseri provided this answer: “More important than watch time or like and comment counts is send rates, [and] generally, I think the rate is more important than the count. So the number of sends per reach, the number of likes per reach, the number of comments per reach. But sends per reach correlate more, in my experience, with overall reach than anything else, because we are looking to help people discover content they want to connect with friends over, and so sends is a great proxy for that sort of connection over creativity.”

The Evolution of Marketing: From Product-Centric to Human-First – May 19, 2024 

The advent of social media changed marketing, but in recent times, the emphasis of “social” media has also shifted, putting less focus on driving likes and shares, and more on entertainment, and authentic connection. Which is what this infographic from the team at Giraffe Social Media explores, by looking at how brands can re-align their promotions around broader social engagement shifts, and how that relates to their brand messaging.

TikTok Announces New Strategy Summit for SMBs – May 16, 2024 

May is National Small Business Month in the U.S., and TikTok is looking to mark the occasion by running a new Small Business Summit, a one-day event that’ll feature a range of creators, internal experts and SMB owners, who’ll share their insights into how to maximize your TikTok presence.

Everything You Need to Know About Live Shopping on TikTok – May 16, 2024 

Live shopping on social media has boomed as a direct result of the pandemic. Between March 2020 to July 2021 only, live commerce purchases around the world rose by 76%, and the live commerce industry shows no signs of stopping. Compared to other e-commerce formats, conversion rates through livestreams are ten times higher. 

TikTok Shares Insight Into the Rise of #FinTok – May 16, 2024 

“TikTok is the #1 source for financial information among Canadian users under the age of 45 in social and video platforms, surpassing financial institutions’ websites, financial advisors, and family & friends.”

Instagram Says Posting Longer Reels Can Hurt Your Performance – May 13, 2024 

Here’s an important note for IG creators. According to Instagram’s content team, posting Reels longer than 90 seconds can actually hurt your reach in the app.

TikTok Announces Campaign and Creative Optimization Webinar – May 8, 2024 

Looking for ways to improve your TikTok marketing approach? This will help. TikTok has announced a new, free marketing webinar, which will dig into content creation, production techniques, campaign optimization, and more.

Social Media Marketers Need to Focus More on Entertainment – May 8, 2024 

The biggest shift in social media marketing over the past five years hasn’t been short-form video, or even the development of generative AI. The key evolution, from a marketing-specific perspective, has been the move away from interaction and towards straight entertainment.

UMG music to return to TikTok after companies reach licensing agreement – May 3, 2024 

We’re so back. TikTok and Universal Music Group struck a new deal that will bring music from UMG artists back onto the platform, the companies announced Wednesday. The new agreement was announced the day before TikTok’s NewFronts presentation and ends a three-month-long dispute between the two companies that left the social media platform devoid of music from UMG.

Instagram Says a Glitch Temporarily Erased Millions of Followers From Accounts – April 29, 2024 

If you logged into Instagram over the weekend, you may have noted a precipitous drop in your following count in the app. Yeah, losing 5 million followers (as per this example from @tank.sinatra) would be hard to take, and would definitely have you questioning what you possibly could have said wrong to spark a mass cancellation.

How to Use Rhythm in Your Social Media Content – April 28, 2024 

Using different styles, based on tried and true formats, can help to drive better flow, encourage participation, spark more interest, etc. You can check out Giraffe Social Media’s full overview here.

Meta reported strong ad revenue in Q1, but AI investments worry investors – April 26, 2024 

Not even Zuck’s swagged-out rebrand could get Meta investors hyped for the future. Despite exceeding expectations and reporting $36.5 billion in revenue this quarter—27% up YoY due largely to a 20% jump in ad impressions and a 6% increase in price per ad—the company lost $200 billion in value after releasing its Q1 earnings.

 

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April 2024

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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

BEHIND POPPI’S INFLUENCER MARKETING STRATEGY WITH NEON SWEATSUITS – April 27, 2024 

For its Coachella partnership with TikTok star Alix Earle, Poppi not only rented out a luxurious house for Earle and her entourage—it also designed custom neon green sweatsuits for Earle and her group of friends emblazoned with the name Poppi invented for the partnership, “Coachearlea.” 

Influencer Marketing Gets An Upgrade: How AI Is Changing The Game – April 27, 2024 

Influencer marketing came on the digital scene in the early 2010s. Skip forward to 2024, and it’s now a multi-billion-dollar industry. Yet, even with all that money flying about, brands still need help finding the right influencers and building successful campaigns. The potential is enormous. Companies that figure it out see an awe-worthy return on investment—an average of $5.78 for every $1 spent, or 478%. Unsurprisingly, many brands are jumping on the bandwagon, ready to spend big on influencers.

Crafting Influencer Campaigns For Every Stage Of The Buyer’s Journey – April 26, 2024 

Succeeding with creator marketing means knowing what will resonate with your audience and keeping trends in mind. It also means partnering with creators to generate quality content that meets your goals at the appropriate stage of the buyer’s journey. Let’s explore how you can align your influencer campaigns with the buyer’s journey to drive results.

Miss AI shows just how far influencer marketing can miss the mark – April 25, 2024 

Move over Miss World, the robots are here: there’s a new competition where virtual influencers in bikinis battle it out to be crowned Miss AI. Sorry, but are we living in a simulation? Judges will rank these virtual women for their looks, their social media clout, and the AI-prompting skills behind these creations in a bid to win a share of a $20,000 (£16,000) prize pool. Even some of the judges are AI-generated. They probably won’t be wearing pixelated bikinis right enough. So far, so dystopian.

5 Big Influencer Marketing Myths Busted: Navigating Risk In 2024 – April 25, 2024 

Influencer marketing is playing an increasingly critical role for brands aiming to boost their visibility and connect with their target audience. Given its undeniable impact over the years, it’s hard to find a business today that isn’t eager to explore influencer marketing as a key strategy to win over hearts and minds.

15 Emerging Social Media Trends To Leverage In Influencer Marketing – April 22, 2024 

For marketers in charge of influencer marketing, staying on top of the latest developments in social media is like honing a superpower. Being in the know on social media trends not only helps influencer marketing professionals understand where their target audience is hanging out online, but also how to best leverage new platform features and handle changes to algorithms and rules to avoid pitfalls and ensure their campaigns stay effective and compliant.

How To Successfully Enter A New Market With Influencer Marketing – April 22, 2024

Chief Growth Officer (CGO) at HypeFactory, a global AI-powered influencer marketing agency.

In recent years, businesses have increasingly adopted influencer marketing, a form of advertising that leverages people with media followings, to promote their products and services. This strategy aims to strike the right balance in targeting specific demographics based on age, gender and product life cycle stage to maximize sales potential. As firms see the impact of influencer marketing, more are considering incorporating it into their marketing efforts.

Nepo Influencers Are Thriving on Social Media Thanks to Their Famous Parents – April 21, 2024

While it might look like a walk in the park to some, having a successful career as an influencer is more difficult than many people think—but being the offspring of someone famous makes it a lot easier. It isn’t uncommon for a “nepo baby” to grace our movie screens or hit the runway, but these days, they’re also all over our social media feeds.

5 Startup Opportunities In Influencer Marketing – April 17, 2024

Influencer marketing isn’t going anywhere, especially in the case of new brands and products. Very few people are willing to take costly risks, which means that the only way to expand beyond the small group of early adopters is to use social proof in order to convince the larger market consisting of early and late majority users that your product or brand has been tested and deemed worthy. Put simply, Influencer marketing is the best way to get social proof at scale, which makes it an indispensable marketing tool.

An Inside Look At Olipop’s Dream Job Contest & The Creators Who Won – April 16, 2024

Olipop, a beverage brand with over $200 million in sales that’s sold in more than 30,000 retail stores, recently unveiled winners for its latest influencer marketing campaign: the Dream Job contest. Stemming from the brand’s commitment to leveraging consumer insights and the voices of authentic brand advocates, the Dream Job contest was born as a creative way to harness the power of Olipop’s superfans and amplify their voices across social media platforms.

What We Lose When Influencers Only Post Paid Content – April 9, 2024 

No one appreciates an influencer more than I do. I’ve been a believer in real people sharing their points of view and building platforms long before Instagram existed—I touted the power of message forums, bloggers and YouTube haul videos (remember those?) back in the early days of social media.

Gen Z’s fading dream – April 9, 2024

More than half of Gen Zers want to be full-time influencers, a recent Morning Consult poll found, and it’s not hard to see why. They’ve grown up watching their peers on YouTube film makeup tutorials, narrate their “Fortnite” games, and explain money. It’s both where they live their lives and where they learn about the world. Plus, the career path sounds like a dream: You get to be your own boss, you can make more than you could at a traditional job, and you just have to be good on camera. Success stories of influencers making millions of dollars have only galvanized the generation.

Beauty brand Merit went viral twice. It’s not counting on a third time – April 8, 2024

In some ways, beauty brand Merit delivered the Gossip Girl revival that HBO didn’t. A recent “get ready with me” video featuring actress Kelly Rutherford—known for playing Lily van der Woodsen on the mid-aughts CW show—is now Merit’s most-watched, most-liked TikTok video to date, with over 9 million views and more than a million likes.

Why the Influencer Industry Needs Guardrails – April 2024

The author argues for an industry in which unethical behavior is punished; professional expectations, pay, and desired outcomes are standardized; and creators are given the same rights and protections as other professional marketers. Over the past 20 years the social media influencer industry has grown from nothing into a pervasive global force that has completely rearranged the way information and culture are conceived, produced, marketed, and shared. Commercial sectors such as fashion, beauty, and travel led the way, but nonprofits, government services, and political campaigns are increasingly joining in, hoping to harness the seemingly more authentic medium of influencer marketing.

How Marketers Choose College Athlete Influencers – April 2024

Summary: The authors’ research findings: Athletes’ image and quality of social media posts are more important than their follower counts, posts should feature sports more than personal content, and sexy imagery should be avoided.

Brands Aren’t Just Targeting Young People with Influencers – April 8, 2024

Influencer marketing is maturing, with a majority (62%) of communications specialists having worked with influencers for at least 4 years, according to a recent report from Influencer Intelligence. As the area matures, the target audience may be shifting a little also, although youth are still the predominant target for influencer programs.

The Power Of Micro-Influencers In Niche Markets – April 8, 2024

Micro-influencers, which typically have followers ranging from 1,000 to 100,000, offer brands a smaller yet more focused follower base. Oftentimes, when we use micro-influencers with our clients, we see higher engagement rates because these influencers not only have a more personal relationship with their followers but also accept products and brands they know will resonate with their audiences. Micro-influencers (usually!) don’t take on products or brands that will not interest their audience; lack of sales and engagement is a quick way to lose credibility with a brand. This is particularly impactful in niche markets, where specificity and depth of knowledge are highly valued.

Influencer marketing: How to target Gen Z – April 5, 2024

With over 30 years in the industry, I have seen a number of marketing strategies come and go. Some stick, others fade, but they all reflect the generation of adults at the time of their creation. Now that Gen Z is entering adulthood, I stress to my customers how important it is to understand the best ways to reach them. From their preferred social media platforms to the things they value most, marketing to this new crop of adults presents its own challenges.

Matching Influencer Tiers With Your Brand Goals: A Guide For TikTok And Instagram – April 4, 2024

In 2024, the stakes in influencer marketing have never been higher. Success now demands more than just teaming up with someone who has a big follower count; it’s about building real, meaningful partnerships with influencers who can embody a brand’s vision and goals with authenticity.

Influencers are now asking to be in our brand ad. And we should listen – April 4, 2024

From the now infamous Fyre Festival to the hordes of influencers jetting off to Dubai during Covid, influencer marketing has been the topic of plenty of controversy over the years. But for everything that went wrong, there’s also plenty that’s gone right. Reflecting the growth and maturation of the sector, influencers and social media platforms took center stage at many of the key marketing festivals last year, including Cannes Lions. Influence has arrived in the marketing mix as its own specialist channel, and it’s finally being taken seriously by brands and agencies alike. Or at least the smart ones.

The Role Of AI In Influencer Marketing – April 3, 2024

Nothing has had marketers and creatives on their toes in the past few years like the rise of AI. With the introduction of ChatGPT at the end of 2022, there was an underlying fear of human creativity being replaced. That fear has since become obsolete. While AI may be a great help in streamlining and supporting creative processes, it is not (yet) capable of reproducing human tone and creativity completely. So, the notion of AI replacing our jobs hasn’t immediately held up. However, leveraging AI successfully is a skill that is now highly sought after.

Why influencer marketing is critical in B2B – April 2, 2024

What’s the key to B2B marketing success? Influencers. B2B influencer marketing involves collaborations between creators and brands to develop and share content that promotes the brand’s products or services. The same influencers you see on your personal social media feeds could be the missing link in your B2B marketing strategy. Whether you’re looking at big fish with millions of followers or investigating micro-influencers with fewer than 100,000 followers, the investment is worth it.

Why multicultural needs to be part of general marketing investments, especially for Gen Z – April 2, 2024

Media agencies that approach multicultural as a separate or smaller investment almost immediately hamstring their marketing strategies, argues one programmatic vendor — and it will negatively impact their engagement with communities beyond Gen Z and communities of color.

Sweet Success: Hershey’s, SheSpeaks and Walmart harness influencer power – April 1, 2024

In a world dominated by digital landscapes, the collaboration between brands like Hershey’s, SheSpeaks and retail giant Walmart has generated promising engagement in a growing era of marketing innovation through influencer partnerships. Hershey’s launch into influencer marketing paired the confectionery empire with tastemakers to spotlight its latest creations. These include delectable KitKat flavors like Apple Pie, Key Lime Pie, and Birthday Cake. Emphasizing authenticity and genuine consumer engagement, Hershey’s handpicked influencers shared a heartfelt affinity for their products, ensuring the campaign resonated deeply with audiences.

3 Tips For Working With Influencers To Build Audience Trust – April 1, 2024

Now more than ever, influencer marketing is one of the leading tactics brands use to bolster awareness, promote products or services, and ultimately drive conversions among billions of social media users. In simple terms, influencer marketing involves collaborating with an online influencer to help market your products or services. While this is not necessarily new to the world of marketing, some still wonder if this modern-day content-driven strategy effectively works to build long-term brand trust.

How CEOs are using LinkedIn to become their own brand ambassadors – March 27, 2024

As LinkedIn evolves as a hub for consuming and sharing professionally oriented content, more C-suite executives are posting on the platform to connect with their customers and employees. According to LinkedIn, C-suite leaders have increased their posts by 9% year over year on the platform, resulting in a notable 37% uptick in post engagement.

For legacy industries, influencer marketing is key to evolving the customer journey – March 26, 2024

When you think of influencer marketing, what comes to mind? A fitness expert touting a new athleisure brand? A get-ready-with-me video singing the praises of the latest plant-based moisturizer? Even if influencer marketing has become synonymous with industries like fashion, lifestyle products, and food and beverage, its potential extends way beyond that. More than half of marketers say that influencer marketing has a high impact on both their brand’s awareness and customer loyalty, according to a Q3 2023 Sprout Pulse Survey.

How media agencies are shifting toward generative AI content in influencer marketing – March 26, 2024

There is a shift happening in influencer marketing as influencers increasingly rely on artificial intelligence to make content — and agencies working with them are trying to balance different types of content with new strategies and tools. In a new AI study on the creator economy this month, influencer agency Billion Dollar Boy found that 92% of marketers have commissioned creator content either fully or partly using generative AI. Creators and influencers are embracing the trend too — 91% said they use generative AI at least once a week, according to the study. Yet there is also a growing preference among consumers and creators for AI-generated content over traditional creator content made without AI.

Influencers Are Hot In Media, But They’ve Always Been Here – March 26, 2024

A recent report on the State of Influencer Marketing 2024 from the Influencer Marketing Hub (IMH) provides some impressive statistics confirming the growing influence (sorry) of this media marketing strategy. Ironically, I’ve recently gone through a little social media “influencer” journey of my own, rediscovering the enduring power of the “influencer” networks all around us.

Pharma

Why should science-based brands invest in doctor-driven influencer marketing? – April 8, 2024

PharmaLinea has recently seen an uptick in cases where doctor or pharmacist influencers are creating outstanding results. Those in charge of marketing for a nutraceutical brand, know: traditional medical detailing is costly, and doctors can see 50 patients per day at most. However, there is a more efficient way for brands to get their message to consumers than through healthcare professionals. Recently, many doctors and pharmacists have become active on social media, enabling them to reach thousands of patients in minutes. Influencer marketing is a powerful tool, and it has now become fit for science-based supplement brands.

Social News

Meta Offers $5K Bonus for Influencers to Post to Threads – April 28, 2024 

With the latest numbers showing that Threads usage is rising in the U.S., Meta’s now looking to make another push to boost in app engagement, by offering high-profile creators financial incentives to post to the app.

Average Screen Time and Social Media Usage by Region – April 21, 2024

People are spending more and more time online, and social platforms are still rising in popularity, and utility, in many ways. But which countries spend the most time online, and which are more reliant on social media than others? The team from Electronics Hub recently put together this visualization, based on data published by Datareportal, which provides some perspective on overall screen time and social media usage by region.

US Senate Looks to Advance TikTok Ban Proposal – April 18, 2024

The pressure’s rising on TikTok, with the U.S. Senate looking to quickly advance the proposed bill that could force the company into U.S. ownership, due to national security concerns.

YouTube Launches Premium Placement Option for Shorts Ads – April 17, 2024

YouTube’s looking to help advertisers ensure prime placement for their Shorts ads, with a new “YouTube Select Shorts” option, that’ll enable brands to place their ads alongside top Shorts content in various categories.

TikTok Could Remain Available, Even if Sell-off Bid Is Approved – April 10, 2024

So what’s going on with the TikTok ban, and is it actually going to happen this time around? Well, at the moment, it seems to be caught up in bureaucratic process. But if it is banned, or more accurately forced into U.S. ownership, it may well end up being available in the U.S. for another year, before any further action is required from TikTok’s current owners.

Snapchat Announces Ad Analytics Partnerships To Improve Campaign Insight – April 9, 2024

As part of its continued work to get its ad business back on track, Snapchat has today announced a range of new partnerships with third party data tools and ad platforms, in order to help ad partners make the most of their Snapchat campaigns.

LinkedIn Highlights the Potential of Video Ads for B2B Brands – April 9, 2024

LinkedIn’s looking to make a bigger push on video content, via expanded video ad options, and a new, dedicated video feed, that’s currently in testing with some users. Video has long been one of the top-performing content formats in the app, but LinkedIn hasn’t necessarily made video discovery easy, especially for live events, which are regularly being held in the app, but are not showcased in any specific way.

A 6-Step Guide to Social Media for Small Businesses – April 8, 2024

Looking for ways to boost your social media marketing performance? This will help. The team from SEMRush recently put together a 6-step guide to social media strategy, which provides some practical, actionable notes that you can implement in your approach.

Meta Updates AI Labeling Policy To Expose Generated Content in Its Apps – April 5, 2024

Instagram has added a new Notify sticker for creators, which will provide another way to help keep their audience informed of when they post in the app.

Instagram Adds Notify Sticker To Help Creators Maximize Fan Connections – April 5, 2024

Meta’s updating its AI content labels to ensure that a broader range of synthetic content is being tagged, in response to a growing flood of generative AI posts in the app.

Facebook Launches an Updated Vertical Video Display and Recommendations Algorithm – April 3, 2024

The TikTok-ification of social media more broadly continues, with Facebook rolling out a new, consistent full-screen video player, which will see all videos posted to the app expand to the TikTok-like vertical format.

Instagram Shares Tips To Help Create More Standout Stories – April 1, 2024

Looking for ways to improve engagement with your Instagram Stories? This might help. Today, Instagram has provided an expanded overview of tips and tricks for Stories, which don’t reveal any new features, but do provide some interesting notes to consider in your creative process. The overview includes five presentation tips, and a couple of sharing notes, which could enhance your Stories usage. The first tip is to use “Sticker Templates” which Instagram first launched in December last year:

TikTok Launches New Ad Campaign To Oppose Sell-off Bill – March 31, 2024

TikTok’s pulling out all the stops to oppose the sell-off bill proposed in the U.S., which would force its owner ByteDance to sell the app to a U.S. company in order to address potential national security concerns. TikTok’s latest effort on this front is a new, $2.1 million ad campaign, which aims to showcase the benefits that TikTok provides to U.S. users.

Instagram Tests Blend Feed for Private Content Sharing – March 28, 2024

Instagram continues to test out more private engagement options, this time via a new option called “Blend”, which is essentially a combined Reels feed, based on the Reels that you’ve shared with a friend.

YouTube Adds Members-Only Shorts To Drive Creator Subscriptions – March 27, 2024

YouTube has added another way to incentivize channel subscriptions with Members Only Shorts, enabling creators to share exclusive short-form content with their paying fans.

YouTube Adds Improved Audience Retention Data, Streamlined Pre-Checks – March 26, 2024

YouTube adding even more analytics tools, providing additional avenues to compare your content performance, while it’s also rolling out a new channel display customization option, as well as streamlined pre-upload checks. First off, YouTube’s adding audience segments into its “Audience Retention” report, which will enable channel managers to compare viewer engagement for different audience groups.

LinkedIn Adds Dynamic UTM Parameters to Campaign Tracking – March 25, 2024

LinkedIn is rolling out a new way to track ad campaign performance, with the addition of dynamic UTM parameters, which will enable marketers to include custom tracking elements in their campaign URLs.

 

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