• SIZES, NICHES AND HOW TO CHOOSE THEM

    It’s clear that influencer campaigns are a highly effective strategy, as evidenced by the fact that 8 out of 10 marketers plan to allocate 10-20% of their budget towards it in 2022-2023. Actually, the market size of influencer marketing is projected to reach $21.1 billion, according to Viralyft.

    What all these numbers reveal? That brands and businesses recognise the value of influencer marketing, not just for increasing awareness, but also for driving sales. In fact, our study, State of the Influencer Marketing, shows that 36% of marketers consider driving sales to be the most important conversion metric for their IM strategy.

    The rise of influencers has created a booming “creator economy,” revolutionising the way businesses and brands engage with consumers

    Forbes, 2023

    Truth be told, influencer marketing is a profitable business. Various media outlets and studies have highlighted the key elements of an effective marketing strategy, including setting clear goals, selecting the right influencer, considering their reach and expertise, ensuring brand values align, developing a content strategy, and measuring results. The question, now, is how to achieve these goals.

    In the Influencer world, there is room for all sizes and territories

    Regarding the “size” or “reach” of influencers, it is outdated to believe that the largest influencer is always the best choice just because of that. Several factors must be taken into consideration, including the niche we are trying to reach as a brand, whether it’s our established target audience or a new business opportunity.

    Actually, selecting hyper-specialised influencers is becoming increasingly popular, with some brands finding their work to be more relevant and relatable to their fanbase, which provides a great opportunity for local and regional influencers as well.

    However, the main question remains: how do we filter, select, and develop a strategy with the right influencer? Many CMOs and CEOs are concerned with this issue. Fortunately, through innovation in technology and solutions, we have discovered a way to achieve these goals.

    The role of AI in Influencer Marketing Campaigns

    In today’s influencer marketing industry, artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionising the way brands identify and collaborate with influencers. By analysing key data such as engagement rates, audience demographics, and content quality, AI-powered systems can help brands efficiently and effectively select the right influencers for their campaigns, saving valuable time and resources.

    We have taken our 10 years of experience in the field to develop our own AI tools that enable us to plan, strategize, create, execute, and evaluate influencer marketing campaigns with unparalleled precision and customization. Our AI-based approach ensures that each campaign is tailored to the unique needs of our clients, delivering optimal results every time. 

    Influencer campaigns tools: we take the high Road

    We offer a range of tools and services to help brands optimise their digital marketing strategies. We start with our digital strategy audit, which measures brand reputation and compares it to competitors, giving us valuable insights into a brand’s current position and potential opportunities.

    This way we can analyse the latest consumer trends and social media content, using social listening to identify the topics that generate the most traction among audiences. Our ShineBuzz AI technology helps us identify the best match among over 120 million Key Opinion Leaders (KOL) for successful social media campaigns.

    In addition, we use advanced analytics tools to identify niche influencers and non-influential characters who are driving conversations on social media in specific territories. We also analyse the affinity between influencers and brand profiles to create awareness among target audiences.

    Our technology provides optimal benchmark prices for each influencer, taking into account performance KPIs, demographics, platforms, and formats. We also monitor campaign success and analyse KPIs of each publication comparatively, to determine the effectiveness of each influencer and compare strategies with competitors.

    With this suite of tools and services, we help brands predict, plan, and report on their influencer marketing campaigns, providing valuable insights into market benchmarks and performance metrics.


    Influencer marketing is here to stay as a powerful tool for brands to reach potential customers throughout various stages of their decision-making process. With the help of AI technology, brands can now identify the right influencers to collaborate with more efficiently and, combining the human expertise, develop hyper-personalised campaigns that resonate with their target audience and achieve their business goals of digital strategy, unlocking the full potential of influencers.

  • Influencer marketing has become an essential tool for brands to connect with their target audience, and that’s already said and set, embraced by companies of all sizes. As the industry continues to grow and evolve, it is crucial for brands to keep up with the latest trends in influencer marketing to stay ahead of their competitors, and the way to go on this is by understanding the shape of influencer marketing strategy for these upcoming years

    “Brands are increasingly recognising influencers as professional publishers with valuable audiences (…) Even behemoth social media companies recognise the pull influencers have in connecting people and keeping them engaged on their platforms—so much so that they’re actually designing some of their new features specifically to support creators’ business efforts ”

    Forbes, 2023

    The need for authenticity: believe the expert 

    Authenticity has become a buzzword in the influencer marketing world. Both brands and consumers are becoming more aware of fake followers and fake stats on social media, and users resent that. They are not looking for perfect idols anymore, but authenticity and realness. Brands that collaborate with influencers need to ensure that the influencers they work with have an actual and genuine connection with their audience, and have a place among them as equals.

    In 2023, we can expect to see brands focusing more on authenticity and collaborating with influencers and niche influencers who have an honest connection with their audience, based on interests and talents.

    Consumers are more likely to trust an influencer who they perceive as an expert in their field, this means that brands need to work with influencers who have a solid understanding of the industry they are promoting, but also rely on their knowledge and expertise; no one understands the target as they do.

    Partnering with influencers who have an intimate knowledge of their niche will enable brands to establish a deeper level of trust with their target audience, thus significantly improving their likelihood of success in influencer marketing campaigns. To achieve this, choosing the right influencer is key.

    Exploring the Metaverse

    The Metaverse needs no explanation at this point, and it has become an exciting platform for brands to connect with their target audience, offering new spaces, goods, and experiences worldwide – all from the comfort of each individual’s home.

    One of the most interesting aspects of the Metaverse is the possibility of having virtual ambassadors, also known as digital influencers. These are characters developed by brands or individuals that can represent them in the virtual world and, getting ahead of the upcoming Fashion Week, beauty and fashion brands are the ones rocking these virtual ambassadors, showing how amazingly effective they can be in promoting products and the brand itself in the Metaverse.The use of virtual ambassadors is just one example of the many opportunities that the Metaverse offers to brands. As more and more people spend time in this virtual world, brands have the chance to engage with their target audience in new and innovative ways. By building a presence in the Metaverse, brands can create a unique experience for users and establish a strong connection with their audience that can translate into increased brand awareness and loyalty.

    Live Shopping

    Live shopping is becoming increasingly popular in the influencer marketing world. It allows consumers to interact with influencers in real-time and purchase products directly from the live stream, a whole entertaining and unique experience.

    The game changer here is to build confidence: people want to be sure about what they are buying, as well as excited to see their favourite influencer talk about it.

    According to Statista, the primary benefits of livestream shopping globally are the ability to access exclusive discounts and use it as a source of inspiration and ideas. Additionally, 31% of respondents stated that this purchasing channel enabled them to shop smarter and make more informed buying decisions.

    Therefore, we can assure that collaborating with influencers to host live shopping events will represent a great strategy in the upcoming years, and it will result in a highly engaging and interactive shopping experience that will significantly increase the possibilities of consumers making a purchase.

    Niche Influencers

    As stated in our report “The rise of niche communities”, with this action involved in a strategy brands will have direct access to the target audience, meaning they can talk and communicate with them directly. Not only will they increase loyalty towards the brand, but also will get first-hand insights, challenges, goals and feedback.

    Either way, users are extremely jealous and protective with their close spaces, therefore the best way to access to them is through niche influencers; who’s that might not seem as shiny, but have the strongest bond in the community, and understanding why they are there is the base to give proper information that will result into buying decisions for them.

    Why are communities looking for decentralised spaces?

    Discover new things77%
    Connect with people who have similar interests66%
    Find funny/entertaining content62%
    Keep up with the news/current events60%
    Ask a question to people knowledgeable about a topic60%
    To seek honest advice55%
    Get a recommendation for a product/service to buy54%
    To have a safe space to share ideas, thoughts, etc.49%
    To have genuine conversations with other people44%
    To share advice38%
    As we can see, it’s not only about showing off a product in these spaces, it’s about offering a solution based on the interests of people who belong there. And that’s why we, as brands, need an insider.

    Best Platforms to be IN

    In today’s ever-changing digital landscape, influencer marketing has become a crucial tool for brands to connect with their target audience. As the popularity of social media continues to grow, so does the number of platforms available for influencer marketing. While Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are currently the most popular platforms for influencer marketing, it is important to note that the best platform for your brand may differ based on your industry and target audience. For instance, a brand that caters to young people may find TikTok to be the best platform, while a brand targeting professionals may find LinkedIn to be more effective.

    Looking ahead, we can expect to see more brands explore new and emerging platforms for influencer marketing. Clubhouse, the audio-based social media app, has already gained significant traction among certain audiences, and brands are starting to take notice. Similarly, Reddit, Twitch, and Discord are all platforms that have the potential to become popular for influencer marketing in the near future.

    By staying informed on the latest trends and platforms, brands can stay ahead of the curve and effectively reach their target audience through influencer marketing.

    Down to business: is it worth the Investment?

    Influencer marketing has been proven to be a valuable tool for brands to reach their target audience and increase brand awareness. By connecting with their audience in a more authentic and personal way, brands can increase sales and revenue. As such, we can expect to see more brands investing in influencer marketing, since 8 out of 10 marketers intended to dedicate from 10% to 20% of the marketing budget to Influencer Marketing in 2022, given the potential for high returns on investment.

    However, influencer marketing is an ever-evolving industry, and brands need to stay up-to-date with the latest trends to stay ahead of competitors. It’s, indeed, a huge effort and strategy that needs to guarantee that this ally will retrieve the investment in terms of growth and driving sales, and understanding the needs of brands and considering the over 90.000 content creators that signed up for TikTok only in 2022, we saw the need of developing specialised high-tech tools to assure effective influencer marketing campaigns.

  • Spark Ads on TikTok

    TikTok is trying new things. As news broke in the media that the platform was testing a Snapchat-like concept for stories, the platform unveiled Spark Ads.

    The global launch of this new form of advertising will allow brands to grow through real connections with the user community, elevating and sharing relevant native content.

    What is Spark Ads?

    According to TikTok for Business, this new type of ads is: “a new native-like ad display format. Brands will be able to promote their own organic videos and/or amplify creators’ content in an immersive, full-screen, auto-playing native video format.” 

    These videos will be able to be placed as In-Feed or TopView ads in the “For You” feed, among user-generated content. 

    With its launch, the platform aims to create a unique solution for brands to consolidate their presence in a natural and unobtrusive way. Spark Ads is based on the idea of starting conversations and aims to increase interactions between brands, creators and the community.

    How does it work?

    They are a native advertising format that allows you to run ads using your own TikTok account or a content creator’s account with their permission.

    Within the TikTok Ads Manager, Spark Ads only allow the following targets and products: 

    • Auction Ads: Reach, video views, engagement (Beta), traffic, conversion and app install targets.
    • Booking Ads: Reach and Frequency (Beta)

    If we talk about how Spark Ads look, we are talking about organic videos belonging to an existing TikTok account (commercial, creator or normal user). 

    In terms of specifications, there are no creative restrictions whatsoever in terms of video appearance, resolution, file type, etcetera. Basically, as long as the video is already published, it can be a Spark Ad.

    What can you do with Spark Ads?

    This ads allow brands to amplify existing organic videos that match their campaign objectives. Brands can now leverage creative content and connect with creators to help them bring their products and services to life. 

    In this sense, brands looking to build a strong content strategy can amplify original creative videos through Spark Ads.

    In addition, they can also increase community engagement with Duo-enabled features, making it easier to create more creative stories.

    Spark Ads enables brands to create more lasting and authentic connections in the community, while delivering sustainable and impactful business value. 

    With them, brands can track trending content and support other great campaigns. To acquire first-party data, TikTok uses pixels, though users must opt-in on iOS.

    What are the benefits of this kind of ads?

    There are several points highlighted by the platform that show the value of Spark Ads.

    It is a sort of hybrid format between ads and organic content that helps brands to be perceived as native and authentic TikTok brands thanks to its 100% native in-feed format and to the fact that it provides a better experience, generating greater trust through real accounts, with all the benefits that this entails.

    Not only that, but TikTok points out that Spark Ads can generate lasting marketing impact. These ads drive traffic to a profile rather than a landing page, generating long-lasting connections and being a starting point for creating communities and building culture within the platform.

    According to data provided by TikTok, with Spark Ads (if we are talking about the auction mode), we see a notable increase in performance in:

    • Video viewability metrics: 58% increase in 2-second VTR, 66% increase in 6-second VTR and 30% increase in video play rate compared to nother kind of ads. 
    • Engagement metrics (Beta): 170% increase in % of paid comments, 100% increase in % of engagement and 222% increase in % of likes compared to non-Spark ads. 
    • Conversion metrics: 42% increase in immediate CVR compared to non-Spark ads. 
    • Cost metrics: 35% decrease in 2-second CPV, 39% decrease in 6-second CPV compared to non-Spark ads. 

    Want to learn more about how to create an engaging, natural and organic strategy for your brand?

    SamyRoad is part of Samy Alliance, where we are experts in digital marketing, offering 360 solutions that are tailored to our clients’ needs.

    If you need help or want more information, don’t hesitate to contact us.

  • Podcast and Marketing

    The podcast is here to stay. Increasingly embraced by well-known figures and professional media, this type of content is making the leap to anonymous individuals and also to large brands and agencies seeking to generate engagement in a non-invasive and qualitative way.

    Who said that radio was an endangered medium? Like others, the audio-only format has evolved, transforming and adapting to new user needs. According to a study conducted by the specialised platform Discovery Pods, 82.4% of podcast fans listen more than seven hours a week and 59% say they spend more time listening to podcasts than on social networks.

    A podcast can accompany the user on a journey, while commuting or travelling to the other side of the world, while working or doing some kind of chores, or simply in their free time. And this is also useful for brands, especially because it is sought-after content that is consumed with a very high degree of interest, something that is in short supply in the age of the attention economy and dual screens.

    Whether creating a podcast as branded content or simply advertising on one, companies can benefit from this rising trend. What’s more, 55.6% of respondents say they have purchased a product after hearing about it on a podcast. 

    This type of content can be found on multiple platforms, notably Spotify and Audible (Amazon), with paid, freemium or free formats. All of them offer content of all types and topics, creating the possibility of reaching more general or specific targets.

    According to Statista data, in 2019, the top 5 podcasts with the highest revenue were, at an international level: The Joe Rogan Experience, hosted by Joe Rogan himself, comedian and former athlete, My Favorite Murder, belonging to the popular True Crime theme, The Dave Ramsey Show, a Morning Daily Show, Armchair Expert, hosted by actor Dax Shepard, a talk show with a touch of comedy, and The Bill Simmons Podcast, with content focused on basketball.

    Coffee break and podcast

    Why is it important to consider the podcast when creating a digital marketing strategy?

    Podcasts are considered, according to a Comscore study, to be the least intrusive form of digital advertising. They also have the ability to forge a greater sense of intimacy between the presenter and the listener, and this intimacy creates a feeling of trust.

    Approximately 80% of listeners have reacted to hearing announcements introduced by a podcast host, whether it be researching a product or service, connecting with a brand on social media, discussing it with a friend or making a purchase.

    Listeners are also more receptive when listening to podcasts because this type of content captures attention in a way that other media cannot. 

    As noted above, many consumers play podcasts in the background while multitasking, but still absorb the information. “60% of our audience says they tune in to podcasts for education,” Spotify reports, “and two out of three podcast listeners give them their full attention.

    Different ways to advertise on a podcast:

    • Pre-Roll: this is the announcement that appears at the beginning of a show. It is usually announced by the presenter or another voice, and it makes it known that the episode or podcast is sponsored by a specific brand.
    • Mid-Roll: once the first half of the podcast has finished, approximately, there is an intermission in which the presenters introduce announcements, take a break or simply take a moment to thank the sponsors for their collaboration with the podcast.
    • Post-Roll: at the end of the episode, or at the end of each episode if it is always the same sponsor, during the farewell they take the opportunity to thank the sponsor for their support.

    This is not the only way to create announcements or sponsorships within a podcast, there are several different styles of announcements including the following:

    • Announcements narrated by the host of the podcast: when it is the hosts and/or regular contributors to the podcast themselves who carry out the announcement, a sense of credibility and trust is generated.

    These types of announcements are close to the “shout-out” or endorsement of a brand by a public figure. They can be scripted or completely improvised by the presenter and always follow the dynamics of the podcast in a natural way.

    • Hybrid or produced commercials: this type of commercials are introduced as a wedge within the show, and are often given a lead in advance. They tend to attract attention because they are accompanied by music or sound effects and are usually narrated by a voice other than that of the presenter/presenters.
    • Branded Podcasts: nowadays, the best way to generate content on various platforms is through sponsored content. The fact that a brand itself, without being invasive, generates interesting content or that content is generated with the excuse of being sponsored is successful, as it does not force an advert on the audience and it is interesting content regardless of whether it is sponsored or not.

    This type of sponsorship goes beyond a simple thank you from the presenters. The brand can be the creator, with the contributors belonging to the brand or simply by embedding the content within their other networks or domains, clearly showing, thanks also to the style, that they are the owners of the content.

    We can help you

    Today there are many types of native advertising, branded content and digital marketing elements adapted to different social platforms, reaching audiences in a less intrusive, more organic and honest way.

    At Samy we are experts in 360 solutions for your brand. If you have any questions or curiosity about how we can help you, don’t hesitate to contact us.

  • Big brands and influencer marketing

    Just like brands that have yet to make themselves known, large companies, although already established, need to remain top of mind for consumers, adapting to new forms of advertising and marketing as they emerge and evolve.

    This is why, as we mentioned previously in another of our articles, the importance of keeping up to date with Advocacy Marketing and, specifically, Influencer Marketing, is essential in the world of advertising.

    Influencer Marketing continues to be one of the most effective ways of reaching the target market for each product. Each profile offers unique characteristics that allow the brand to connect with a particular type of consumer.

    What is the need for a brand to collaborate with an influencer?

    Brands need to approach and connect with their audience in a subtle way, avoiding invasive marketing techniques and obsolete commercial messages. They also need to humanise their brand and present themselves as beneficial to their target audience.

    Consumers are better informed than ever before and they also care more about receiving real, honest and more personalised advertising than traditional marketing.

    Big brands have a reputation for being somewhat detached from the reality that surrounds them and having the help of profiles that humanise them is essential nowadays to carry out effective advertising.

    An influencer marketing campaign can provide everything that big brands have been losing over the years, the credibility of customers and potential customers, visibility in front of their target, loyalty and engagement generating a sense of community.

    Why is the figure of the influencer important?

    An influencer brings the experience of using the product, the personal touch to the content created and the charisma of a person that a neutral advertisement cannot provide to a brand.

    It is important to know how to choose the right profile for the campaign to be effective, which is why agencies specialised in influencer marketing are a key element in this type of campaign. 

    Using profiles that really generate engagement, knowing who has among their followers the target that the company is looking for and being able to create campaigns that follow the branding line of companies, especially large and consolidated companies, is essential to carry out an efficient campaign.

    We can help you

    At SamyRoad we are experts in influencer marketing campaigns and we have been working for years with big brands to help them to keep positioning themselves while maintaining the values that define their brand. We also provide, as part of Samy, proper expertise in Advocacy Marketing through our 360 grades solutions.

    If you want to know more, do not hesitate to contact us.

  • Gaming: Fortnite Switch

    Video games are everywhere. In the APP of your favourite clothing shop, which allows you to try on clothes with AR, in schools, in companies and in satisfaction surveys.

    Gaming is growing exponentially every year and occupies a large part of today’s popular culture on social networks. The gamer community also reaches a hard-to-reach target audience, young men belonging to generation Z and millennials.

    Today, gamification is extrapolated to virtually every aspect of life and now, those aspects of life are turning gaming into another form of marketing.

    Gaming & Fashion

    Major luxury clothing brands have jumped into the arms of entertainment technology to present their collections and exclusive collaborations in games with a strong presence on different platforms.

    Gucci presented its collection in the Sims4, Animal Crossing triumphed and Tommy Hilfiger decided to present an exclusive winter collection by creating its own island for people to visit, Balenciaga created its Fortnite skin and Burberry, taking advantage of the popularity of the Chinese game Honor Of Kings, carried out a virtual catwalk with the game’s characters as protagonists.

    Moreover, eSports are replacing classic sports in terms of popularity, with professional teams having partnerships with brands such as Armani, Adidas, Fila, etc.

    The new influencers:  streamers and gamers

    If we continue to focus on the fashion industry we find Willyrex’s collaborations in Spain with the Springfield brand, launching his own clothing collection. On an international level, the collection of Ninja, the most popular American streamer on an international level, with Adidas stands out without a doubt.

    In addition, professional LoL player Rekkles, a member of the G2 team, one of the most popular gamers today, has been chosen by Polo Ralph Lauren as one of the faces to advertise its Wimbledon line.

    The home of Ibai, the Spanish streamer with one of the most remarkable careers today, collaborates with so many brands that it’s almost impossible to keep up. Endesa, Dominos, Colacao, Grefusa, are just some of the big companies that have decided to support the group of streamers.

    Fortnite everywhere you look around

    The Fortnite phenomenon is related to absolutely all kinds of brands and collaborations.

    One of the most outstanding actions carried out during 2020 have been the concerts of international stars such as Marshmello, JBalvin or Travis Scott, which broke records, achieving 27 million viewers.

    In addition, another of Fortnite’s advantages are the exclusive skins, which allow users to customise their character. Many brands, especially those in the entertainment industry, have found an advantage in this, creating their own popular skins for users.

    Football teams, Marvel, Star Wars, DC Comics, TheGrefg, Ninja, Mashmello, are just some of the brands (and characters) that have their own skin or collection of skins within Fortnite, highlighting the popularity of the video game internationally and the importance of positioning themselves in front of it.

    Experts in digital marketing

    At Samy we are experts in digital marketing and we can help your brand to position itself in different ways within the gaming industry. From our agency Share, we have launched a whitepaper on the growing importance of the industry.

    In addition, SamyRoad, as experts in influencer marketing, can help you find the perfect campaign with industry-focused profiles.

    If you want to know more or are curious to see what we can do for you, don’t hesitate to contact us.

  • What is Influencer Marketing?

    Date: April 5, 2021

    Influencer marketing is a digital marketing strategy that consists of taking advantage of a public profile and, through collaborations, getting the brand’s message or commercial proposal across.

    Although it may seem simple at first glance, influencer marketing involves a difficulty that arises, firstly, when choosing the profiles that best suit your brand and, secondly, the creation of appropriate content according to the social platform used.

    The value of influencer marketing has been more than backed up by its results and the interest it generates among brands. 

    According to BusinessInsider, investment in influencer marketing will reach $15 billion by 2022. In 2020, 47% of brands were already planning to increase their budget for influencer campaigns. 

    Moreover, this type of strategy generates up to eleven times more ROI than traditional marketing.

    But, what’s an influencer?

    Social networks are the cause of this type of marketing, as they are where the emergence of the well-known influencers has been generated, a figure that nevertheless already existed before in the concept of celebrities.

    An influencer is a person who, thanks to their profile, their way of communicating and the content they generate, has created a loyal audience base.

    The strength of influencers lies not only in their charisma but also in generating closeness and a bond with the public that brands cannot achieve through traditional marketing. People see themselves reflected in the profiles they follow, whether by tastes, lifestyle or values.

    61% of consumers trust social media networks as their main source of information regarding the quality of a product or service. In fact, according to BrandManic, up to 92% of people are willing to trust opinions about brands even without knowing the person making the recommendation.

    In other words, the influence, hence the name, generated by this type of profile is much greater than that generated by a brand profile. Moreover, the public is increasingly demanding more reality, naturalness and content generated by others as opposed to a standard advertisement.

    How to choose the perfect influencer for your marketing campaign?

    67% of brands believe that an influencer marketing campaign reaches much more specific target audiences. In addition, 94% of those who have used influencers for campaigns consider this method to be an effective strategy.

    However, not any influencer will do.

    Brands must take into account a series of essential values to choose the right profiles when carrying out an effective strategy, given that these profiles are the ones that will ensure the success or failure of the strategy. 

    The influencer must share the values of the brand they are going to represent.

    As has been proven with other types of marketing strategies, it is essential to have the ability to quantitatively measure the content and success of the campaign, as well as to know how to judge both quantitatively and qualitatively the different potential profiles from which to choose the perfect match.

    How can we help you?

    At Samyroad we are experts in influencer marketing.

    We have our own tool that allows us to analytically choose the perfect influencer profiles for your brand and measure the campaign to know its reach and success.

    Do you want to know more? Contact us!