A few weeks ago, I was invited to speak on a panel with other social media marketers hosted by advertising agency, Laughlin Constable in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The theme of their conference this year was influencer marketing. This was probably one of the coolest things I have done since starting my brand. It was interesting to get the perspective of brands and agencies, I learned a ton and thought I would share it with you!

To give some context, it was an entire day focused on influencer marketing with different brands like Southwest Airlines and Mintel, which is a global, marketing research agency. There were different sessions and then ended the day with the influencer panel moderated by IZEA. For those that may not know, IZEA is a influencer marketing agency that connects brands to influencers. Although I haven’t worked for them yet, I have heard of some really successful partnerships. You can find more out here.

Back to the day, it was interesting to hear different perspectives from social media marketers (I would prefer to use that term rather influencer!). There were instagrammers there with 800 thousand followers and then there was me. haha. But I learned so much about the new wave of marketing and how social media plays a role.

Statistics (from Mintel)

Mintel conducted a survey of 1,000 people and found:

• 59% discovered a new product through social media
• 45% purchased that product
• 39% purchased directly through media
• Mommy bloggers are a powerful group and on the rise in marketing
• Only 30% of followers trust influencers, but feel more connected to them over celebrities

Obviously, these numbers are only going to continue to rise as traditional advertising is a thing of the past.

Media Outlets

Mintel broke down each media platform and what it best serves for every type of audience.

1. YouTube- Giving life advice and health/fitness
2. Pinterest- Inspirational/getting ideas
3. Facebook- News and entertainment
4. Instagram- Visual platform
5. Watch dog accounts- These accounts like Jameela Jamil that take a strong stand against brands or even celebrities that do not seem authentic.

What brands are looking for

• Long term collaborations, not just one time post
• Storytelling throughout their feed and stories
• Looking for influencers that are excited and engaged with their audience
• Micro influencers are on the rise and brands want to work with them more now than ever
• Being transparent is crucial, especially with FTC guidelines and followers learning more about media marketing
• Balance of sponsored vs. unsponsored content
• Would prefer to talk directly to the influencer, rather than a manager. This helps build relationships.

Future of social media marketing

There are now several platforms (yes, there’s more than just Instagram!) that will be on the rise for the future of marketing. Things like:

• Twitch- which is built for the gaming industry (never heard of it, but apparently it’s getting popular!)
• Tik Tok- short videos that is popular with younger people
• In general, live streaming, IGTV, periscope are all going to be more dominant rather than stagnant posts. Especially with 5G making live streaming easier.

So that’s it! Kind of interesting right? I hope some of you find it interesting and learn something in this crazy blogging world! Let me know if you have any questions or even if you have any other blogging tips. As always, thanks for following along and you can sign up for weekly emails here and on Instagram.

Until next time,

Christine