influencers

What do you feel like reading today?

Stay up to date with the latest trends and insights in the influencer marketing world.

  • Social Commerce and Influencers: a win-win

    Date: August 13, 2024

    Category: Influencer Marketing

    Today, the union between social commerce and influencers has become an essential strategy for connecting brands with their consumers in an authentic and effective way. This evolution reflects a shift from the traditional Tupperware parties of the 1950s to the sophisticated integration of technology and social media we see today. After the conversation we had on the mAD Podcast with Patricia Aragón and Fabiola Guerrero Ros, we better understand the constant relationship between influencer marketing and social commerce, and how properly leveraging this practice will be crucial for managing strategies that truly influence consumers’ purchasing decisions.

    The Tupperware parties of the 1950s, where hostesses like Brownie Wise demonstrated products in a social setting, are the precursors of today’s social commerce. The difference now is that technology has amplified these interactions, allowing consumers to connect with brands and products through their mobile devices and social media in a more direct and personal way.

    Social Commerce and Influencer Marketing: A Powerful Intersection

    Influencer marketing has evolved significantly over the last decade: what began in the beauty and fashion sectors has diversified, encompassing a wide range of industries. Influencers are no longer just celebrities, but content creators who bring authenticity and closeness to brands through their own professionalism and expertise.

    The key to success at this intersection is the ability of influencers to generate trustworthy and genuine recommendations. This shortens the purchase cycle and builds a more loyal customer base. Additionally, the constant interaction between influencers and consumers creates engagement that benefits both the brands and the content creators themselves.

    Benefits of Social Commerce for Brands

    Social commerce offers brands a unique opportunity to create larger and more qualitative audiences. Instead of focusing all efforts on driving traffic to a website, where elements like UX, UI, and trust throughout the experience come into play, brands can now interact directly with consumers on social platforms, facilitating more effective conversions and strengthening their relationship with the audience.

    Social commerce as a practice allows brands to benefit from more powerful conversion and a sense of familiarity with the consumer. This close connection, provided by influencers, is something that other marketing strategies cannot match, as it is perceived as a much more credible and personal recommendation.

    Facing a VUCA Environment

    The term “VUCA” (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity) perfectly describes the current environment in which brands operate. In this context, integrating social commerce and influencer marketing presents both challenges and opportunities. Technology plays a crucial role, helping brands capture users’ attention in a saturated digital space.

    The main challenge is to use technology to offer attractive and personalized shopping experiences, leveraging tools such as artificial intelligence and augmented reality. These technologies not only enhance the user experience but also allow brands to quickly adapt to changing market demands.

    Looking to the future, the relationship between social commerce and influencer marketing will continue to evolve. Some emerging trends include:

    • Omnichannel Integration: Social commerce, social media, community management, influencer marketing, and paid advertising strategies must be aligned to create a cohesive experience.
    • Rise of Video and Livestreaming: Video will continue to be a crucial tool, with increasing demand for high-quality content and livestreaming.
    • Personalization and VR/AI: Personalization will be key, with greater use of virtual reality and artificial intelligence to offer unique and immersive experiences.

    In this regard, social commerce and influencers represent the forefront of digital marketing. Brands that know how to leverage this relationship and adapt to new technologies will have a significant advantage in creating meaningful and sustainable connections with their consumers. With a well-structured strategy and a deep understanding of market dynamics, the brands that best adapt and integrate their advertising efforts will be the first in users’ minds.

     

    Patricia Aragón

    Global Director
    Commerce & Innovation – ES&I

    Read more

  • Evolution of Social Media and Content Creators

    Date: May 27, 2024

    Categories: Influencer Marketing, Social Media

    The world of social media has come to an end as we know it

    Over the past few years, the landscape of social networks has undergone a profound transformation, leading us to reconsider our perceptions and approaches towards these platforms. While the headline may seem sensationalist, the reality is that social media is no longer just a realm of entertainment and connection; it has evolved into a multifaceted ecosystem where brands, creators, and consumers intersect in complex ways.

    One of the most notable changes is the realisation among brands that they must humanise their presence on social media to effectively engage their audience. This has led to a growing emphasis on leveraging content creators and personalities to embody and communicate the brand’s message. The integration of influencer marketing and social media strategy has become paramount, emphasising the need for a cohesive approach that aligns with long-term objectives.

    This support for content creators clearly differs depending on the brand’s goals in two distinct practices, based on the number of followers of the creators. On one hand, to generate personalised daily content, brands are relying on niche creators who are well-versed in the market and audiences, embodying the brand in a differential way, adding value to their social networks, but also rely on major content creators, who generate a greater impact and attribution of values.

    Hence why we also need to deep dive into how we are performing influencer marketing campaigns, understanding there is a strong fatigue due to content over-saturation and we need to pin-point all the steps among the campaign to ensure better results. Our Influencer Fatigue study goes deeper into this matter.

    “Implementing a social strategy with Influencer Marketing as part of that discipline allows us to approach the audience in a more authentic and entertaining way, which leads to greater engagement and will help us to take the next step in social media, where the performance goal is increasingly present.”

    Social Media = social commerce

    Another notable change we are witnessing in the evolution of social networks is based on a new functionality that goes beyond mere entertainment or connection; it now encompasses commerce. Platforms like TikTok are pivoting towards social commerce, introducing features such as TikTok Shop, which allows companies, brands, and content creators to promote products online so that consumers can buy them quickly and directly through videos in the feed, live streams, and a dedicated tab showing store products. 

    This change not only transforms how we use social networks but also how we perceive online shopping and community building.

    On the other hand, other e-commerce giants and experts like Miravia or AliExpress are charting a course in the same direction but from the opposite perspective, seeking to foster and generate communities within their e-commerce platforms with the aim of producing engagement and entertainment within them, increasing usage time.

    The evolution of social networks transcends beyond changes in the platforms; it represents a fundamental transformation in our way of interacting, connecting, and consuming. By embracing this evolution and staying at the forefront through integrated digital strategies supported by innovation and creativity, we can harness the potential of community platforms to cultivate meaningful connections, stimulate engagement, and achieve brand goals, increasing both engagement and conversion.

    At the end of the day, as marketers, we have the challenge of being able to measure the effectiveness of our social media strategies, and although we work with numerous KPIs as metrics of success, there is also a great holistic and qualitative work behind it that continues to evolve and we keep understanding. In fact, this is the reason why our sister agency, SHARE Creative, decided to create the CAOS study and measuring test score, which creates the first metric system to measure community management strategies in terms of community management, loyalty, and growth on networks. Such innovative tools will enable us to get closer and closer to users.

    Nevertheless, one thing is clear: we must continue to pay close attention to consumer response to this new paradigm of networks, needs, buying behaviour, and personality; a challenge to which brands must also respond and adapt quickly, effectively, and with a 360-degree approach, where social networks, influencers, paid advertisements, and creativities align to respond to the consumer’s voice.

    – Ainoa Brenes, Global Growth Excellence at Samy Alliance.

    Read more

  • Revolutionizing the Music Industry: TikTok’s version of “hits”

    Date: November 15, 2023

    Category: Influencers

    As we all know to this point, TikTok has settled as a cultural phenomenon and a powerhouse in the world of social media. The platform’s influence on Gen-Z’s behaviour is remarkable, and has affected the way entertainment is perceived. Even for something as big as the music industry it has become increasingly evident, with many artists and content creators adapting themselves to cater to the tastes of “TikTok Generation”. As indicated for both artist and listeners, TikTok is now the preferred for discovering everything, even music and this is making content creators reshape themselves and, at the same time, the industry, to the algorithm. The music is “built” differently, now the chorus is adapted to the “trend-setting” filter and the marketing strategy involves influencers who play it on loops and memes, and that has priority over PR or interviews. 

    TikTok: A Music Discovery Hub

     

    According to TikTok’s studies, 80% of those surveyed have identified TikTok as their preferred platform for discovering new music. This statistic places TikTok ahead of other digital platforms, streaming services, and even recommendations from friends. The most remarkable aspect of this trend is that over half (56%) of these musical discoveries happen organically through the “For You” feed, a testament to the platform’s ability to connect users with new, fresh, exciting music effortlessly.

     

     

    One of the key drivers behind TikTok’s success in transforming the music industry lies in the support it has received from celebrities and influencers. Figures like María Pombo have thrown their weight behind songs and artists, propelling them to stardom and even securing spots on popular Spotify playlists – a practice known as “playlisting.” This phenomenon highlights the symbiotic relationship between TikTok and the broader music ecosystem, where artists, influencers, and the platform itself collaborate to create chart-topping hits.

     

    • The Role of SEO and SEM

     

    TikTok’s impact on the music industry is not limited to its own platform. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and SEM (Search Engine Marketing) strategies on other platforms, like Spotify, have proven to be essential for positioning songs. These strategies also involve partnerships with influencers and content creators who play a pivotal role in boosting the visibility of music content and therefore impulsing people to look for terms related to the song or the artist. Many times, the tunes are viral because of a remix or a trend, even before the whole song is out. However, content creators are finding alternative ways to stimulate platform algorithms.

     

    • Enter Playlisting

     

    Iñigo Quintero, an Spanish artist in the music industry, has found his own unique approach to success, maybe by accident. His song “Si no estás”, launched in 2022, was featured on playlists created by small users and started to escalate the “trend” ladder, such as “Novedades Viernes” or “Éxitos España.” This allowed Quintero to reach broader audiences and gain recognition through TikTok’s impact on music consumption and discovery. 

     

    Soon, Iñigo became the #1 in the Global Top by Spotify, topping artists like Miley Cyrus. All he needed to do was hit the spot on TikTok, and the users did the rest. They connected to the lyrics, created a trend and the rest is story. 

    “Generation TikTok” and the Future of Music

     

    TikTok has undoubtedly ushered in a paradigm shift in the way we consume and discover music. Unlike platforms like Instagram, where the creator’s identity is paramount, TikTok places more emphasis on the content itself. As Fabiola Guerrero Ros, Head of Brand & Campaign Strategy Europe, aptly puts it, “TikTok is pure entertainment.” It’s not about who you are; it’s about the content you create. This shift in focus has allowed for a more democratic and inclusive approach to music discovery, where talent can shine regardless of the creator’s background or fame.

     

    This study released by TikTok identifies the three main factors driving the music experience on the platform: discovering, being discovered and rediscovering. People using TikTok possess a highly exploratory “discovery mindset” that drives their behaviour, but it also shows how TikTok is inspiring people to break out of their existing music bubbles. After hearing new music, nearly half of people on TikTok add the song to their favourites (47%), view the artist’s profile (46%), and even follow the artist on TikTok (43%), and this in turn has triggered a massive wave of discovery of new artists.

     

    Artists targeting young audiences are compelled to incorporate this app as part of their song release strategy. Hootsuite’s July 2022 Digital Report reveals that TikTok also captures that more than a third of its advertising audience is between 18 and 24 years old.

     

    TikTok’s type of hits: the old and the news

     

    For example, we have seen many old tunes came back to life by creators; from Luis Miguel to Elvis and everything in between; actually, after TikTok creator Nathan Apodaca posted a viral video of Fleetwood Mac’s song “Dreams,” the piece, which was released more than 43 years ago, shot to No. 2 on Rolling Stone’s Top 100 songs list. This is a clear sign that one of the keys to success is that nostalgia is one of the main drivers of trends on TikTok.

     

    The influencer Addison Rae is another example of how TikTok can relaunch your career or even open you up to new professions. The American went from being an influencer more than recognised by everyone to being a singer, and even Lady Gaga herself has given her songs that she has never published, such as Nothing On (But The Radio). Her most famous track, Obsessed, has 27 million plays on YouTube and almost 53 million on Spotify.

     

    Also, the three-time Grammy Award-winning rapper Doja Cat debuted in 2016 with a mixtape, but it wasn’t until 2020 that she achieved worldwide fame for her virality on TikTok, but was not globally recognised until 2020, when her track Say So went hugely viral, earning her the number 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for her remix with Nicki Minaj.

     

    Although it was worked to launch many careers in the concept of niche users, not all of artists are thrilled; US singer Halsey complained via her own TikTok account that her label, Astralwerks-Capitol, would not let her release a single if it failed to go viral on the platform: “I’ve been in this industry for eight years and I’ve sold over 165 million records, and my label says I can’t release a new song if they can’t force some viral video on TikTok. It’s all marketing and they’re doing the same thing with all the artists today”.

     

    British singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi, known for his humour, has also embraced TikTok. He often uses humour to engage with his audience and promote his music on the platform, making memes of how hard it is to have “good numbers” despite having such amazing talent. His playful and light-hearted approach demonstrates how artists can utilise TikTok not only for their music but also to connect with fans on a more personal level, making people empathise with him, and even being more understanding when the artist announced a break due to health reasons. 

    @lewiscapaldi

    pointless explicit version coming soon stay tuned fam original swearless version out at midnight #swing #singersongwriter #viral #help #me #lewiscapaldi

    ♬ Pointless – Lewis Capaldi

    If there is something we all, even celebrities, are learning from the hit content of TikTok is that the profound impact on the music industry is evident, and the users are craving that human touch. If we all think about it, the trends are trends because they set a common place for many people, most of the time unknown among each other, and give them the sense of belonging to this “small but welcoming group” all through humour and memes, making it easier and less of a advertising space, and more like a place to connect with the artist behind the songs. 

     

    Read more

  • Types of Influencers. Learn about all of them

    Date: April 13, 2021

    Categories: Influencer Marketing, Influencer World

    How many types of influencers are there? Which are the best profiles for my marketing strategy?

    In Influencer Marketing it is essential to know the types of influencers that exist, the different ways to classify these profiles and to know, thanks to expert help, which are the characteristics that make an influencer the perfect one for your brand.

    There are four main ways of classifying the types of influencers

    Firstly, we would have the classification according to content, i.e. based on the content generated by that profile.

    Secondly, we have the classification according to the size of their audience, since depending on the campaign we want to carry out, we are interested in a more or less defined audience.

    Thirdly, according to the platform, there are influencers known on various platforms but many of them move on a main one, a streamer is not the same as an instagramer.

    Fourthly, we find the classification according to profile, i.e. influencers can be divided according to their professional or personal life.

    Variety of Influencers according to content:

    • Fashion:

    The fashion sector is one of the most popular thanks to its versatility. These profiles are mainly focused on clothes and accessories and how to combine both to create different looks.  They usually offer product reviews, promotions, work directly with lines created by different brands, show the “haul” achieved post-shopping and also offer style tips.

    • Beauty:

    Another big sector, especially on networks such as Instagram, but also Youtube. These influencers share beauty tips, product reviews, tutorials and more, and can easily raise awareness about a beauty brand and increase sales. Influencers of this type vary from ordinary people who love makeup to professional makeup artists.

    • Gamers:

    The gaming sector is on the rise, and with it the gamer or caster profile, i.e. professional or semi-professional video game players and also those who narrate competitions in the eSports world. From collaborative videos, gameplays, tutorials to energy drink promotions, the world of gaming is becoming more and more mainstream every day.

    • Fitness

    Healthy lifestyles are something that many of us pursue. Influencers focused on fitness or sports are a motivating element for many of their followers. They endorse sports brands, food and beverage brands related to the health and wellness sector, specific food and fitness programmes, etc.

    Type of Influencers according to audience size:

    Depending on the type of campaign to be carried out, we benefit from a certain size of audience, at a more general or niche level, when it comes to generating impact. This is why we must define whether we want to have nano, micro, macro or mega influencer. The number of followers of each varies according to different studies.

    • Nano influencers (1K – 10K)

    These are those with a small community, ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 followers. Although their number of followers is smaller, their audience is highly loyal.

    • Micro influencers (10K – 100K)

    Micro influencers’ followers can reach up to 100,000. The fame of most of these profiles was born in the social networks themselves. They have a high level of engagement and a very segmented audience.

    • Macro influencers (100K-1M)

    Macro influencers have between 100,000 and one million followers. Like micro influencers, they tend to be popular thanks to their profile on different social networks. They have a large audience and, in addition, this audience has been cultivated thanks to their continuous relationship with them, so it is a loyal one.

    • Mega influencers (1M or more)

    In this type of influencers we usually find celebrities or previously known personalities, who reach large audiences and therefore, these audiences are highly diversified.

    Type of Influencers by platform:

    The term itself is self-explanatory. Not all influencers use the same platforms to communicate or publish content. Depending on the type of campaign, product or service to be promoted, it is necessary to know whether we need the profile of a streamer, a youtuber, an instagrammer or a twitterer. Each platform has its own characteristics and therefore it is very important to know what type of profile to use.

    Classification of Influencers by profile:

    Finally, we find the differentiation of influencers according to profile. Within this classification we find expert profiles, trend-seekers, celebrities and consumers.

    • Experts:

    These are profiles that have professional knowledge of what they are talking about. They can be techies, personal shoppers, professional make-up artists, etcetera.

    • Trend-seekers:

    They are those who are always up to date. They are always the first to find out what’s coming up and to get hold of them so they can show it to their audience.

    • Celebrities:

    They are public figures who have a large number of followers and use their social networks to be closer to their fans.

    • Consumers:

    Consumers themselves can also be influencers thanks to their interest in sharing opinions or recommendations with their followers. In addition, consumers are also content generators, so brands should take them into account.

    How can we help you?

    Choosing the right profile, according to characteristics, our type of product and the data we want to collect is, on many occasions, a complex task.

    At Samyroad we can help you find the perfect profile for your campaign thanks to our experience as an agency focused on influencer marketing.

    Moreover, at Samyroad we have our own tool, Shinebuzz, which allows us to analytically choose the perfect profiles for your brand and measure the campaign to know its reach and success.

    If you have any doubts or you want to know more about it, don’t hesitate to contact us!

    Want to know more about our expertise? Follow us on LinkedIn!

    Read more

  • What is Influencer Marketing?

    Date: April 5, 2021

    Category: Influencer Marketing

    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!

    Read more