Influencer marketing has been going through a period of explosive growth, with an entire industry of celebrity-level creators getting top dollar to share brand sponsorships with their millions-strong followers. However, savvy marketers have begun setting their sights on the influencers who aren’t nearly as popular as their big-name peers, which has driven fresh interest in smaller-scale outreach.
Many brands have separate departments for content marketing and media planning, both of which help get their products and services out in front of customers. However, for a business to truly engage its target audience, these factions need to collaborate to ensure they build upon one another’s efforts.
Even during a year like no other, influencer marketing thrived in 2020. Lockdowns led to increased social media usage, a change in consumer behavior from Covid-19, there were production challenges around traditional advertising shoots, audiences turned toward authenticity and curated content, and brand budgets were upended, requiring quick-turn pivots. All of these issues and more inspired plenty of brands to partner with influencers this past year in order to get the word out in a relevant, topical and mindful way.
While professional production value goes a long way toward making a video popular (and possibly viral) on social media, incorporating highly original content could be even more important. Doing the same thing that everyone else is doing with video won’t garner attention for your brand.
If there’s one thing we can probably agree on about 2020 and its impact on brands and consumers, it’s that last year was extraordinary — unprecedented even, although I think most of us are over that particular term. At my influencer marketing agency, we spent the last weeks of 2020 wrapping up end-of-year programs while also turning our attention ahead to the new year.
Influencer marketing has long matured from an edgy Wild West tactic to an integral part of many brand marketing strategies. A recent survey shows that more than half (63%) of businesses that budget for influencer marketing intend to increase their spend for the next year.
Occasionally, an agency will take on a project that seems simple at first but quickly becomes complicated, requiring specialized skills and out-of-the-box thinking. While your agency might offer services in multiple practice areas, clients’ specific needs may fall somewhere in between them.
We’ve all heard the maxim, “There’s no such thing as bad publicity.” Anyone who has paid attention to social media over the last decade will realize that this statement is not true. Consumers can be fickle, and all it takes is one instance of poorly crafted messaging to wreak untold havoc on a brand’s reputation.
Seasonal marketing campaigns may look a little different this year. Marketers might find that they need to modify or even totally upend commonly used tactics this holiday season to reach consumers who are in a very different mindset and facing a whole new set of circumstances.
In a devastating pandemic that is affecting nearly every citizen and business, some are struggling more than others. Research shows that there are racial and ethnic disparities among the afflicted, with Black and Hispanic/Latino communities being hit disproportionately harder by Covid-19 than white communities.
In the past, a company’s brand image was a lot easier to craft. Brands were more isolated and could count on consumers to buy their products even if they maintained their distance. With the world becoming more connected, brands have had to shift their focus. Today’s consumers, especially the younger ones, are more drawn to brands they can personally identify with.
With social distancing protocols and shelter in place orders part of life these days, businesses have had to become more creative in engaging their audience. Livestreaming sites offer these companies the perfect chance to do so. The sector has seen massive growth between March and April of 2020 because of how many businesses are trying it out as a means of marketing outreach.