It’s not news that brands are devoting an increasing percentage of their marketing budgets to influencer marketing. What is new is how companies and influencers themselves are adapting their processes and creating new best practices to truly evolve in this rapidly growing space.
Podcasts are rapidly growing, with businesses across several industries leveraging the format. According to research, consumers are more receptive to ads on podcasts than on any other medium. As the likelihood of ad spend on podcasts continues to rise, more brands will be looking to differentiate themselves through podcast advertising.
The rise of influencer marketing can be credited to the fact that the most impactful advertising comes from the people in our lives. With reports like Nielsen’s Global Trust in Advertising saying that 83 percent of people trust the recommendations of friends and family over traditional ads, it’s no wonder influencer marketing has emerged as a successful strategy for boosting awareness and sales.
With marketing technology advancing at a rapid pace, it can sometimes be difficult for a company to keep up. Some businesses are still stuck in the old ways of advertising and using practices like pop-up ads that are now frowned upon by marketers and consumers alike.
More than possibly ever before, social media is all about being in the moment. It’s no wonder then that live video capabilities have been adopted by multiple social platforms as of late. Going live is an excellent way to engage with audiences and can open up a business to new opportunities. Due to its immediate nature, going live allows people to experience what your business is doing and react in real time.
While influencer marketing was once primarily a blog-based industry, there are now multiple platforms available, and many sponsored programs don’t include blog posts at all. As the CEO of an influencer marketing agency, I am often asked which platform I recommend most, and I have the same response every time: It depends on your goals.
Influencer marketing is a force to be reckoned with, and the industry is showing no signs of slowing down. We’ve all seen the data that supports this powerful form of marketing and the studies that show how today’s consumers are much more influenced by their peers than traditional advertisements. In fact, according to Nielsen’s Global Trust in Advertising report, 82% of those in the U.S. trust recommendations from people they know.
The use of key influencers to drive awareness and spark engagement has become an integral part of almost every modern marketing strategy, but for many brands, even the most successful influencer marketing campaigns aren’t as powerful—or cost-effective—as they could be.
Is blogging dead? According to Google’s search results (as of this writing, anyway), there are over 34 million answers to this question, all of which vary by author opinion. In my experience as a previous blogger and current CEO of an influencer marketing agency, blogging is alive and well, but it sure does look different.
For a consumer scrolling through their favorite blog or social media feed, a successful sponsored post doesn’t feel like an advertisement — rather, it’s perceived as a natural extension of the influencer’s regular content, leveraged with the trust and credibility built up over time between influencer and audience.
Word of mouth has always been a highly effective form of marketing. That’s why influencer marketing has become such a popular strategy in the social media age: Nearly 80% of marketing decision makers plan to invest in this strategy in 2018.
Using technology to reach your customers is a make-or-break opportunity: it offers you the ability to better connect with some but can turn others off who are looking for a more personal experience.