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

  • Influencer Marketing Over the Decade:

    Date: December 4, 2023

    Categories: Influencer Marketing, Influencers

    Influencer Marketing Over the Decade: A Transformational Journey

    Over the past ten years, influencer marketing has undergone a fascinating metamorphosis, evolving from an emerging phenomenon to an essential element in brand marketing strategies. Ultimately, we’ve come to understand that the best approach is to make every impact count, guiding the evolution of education on influencer marketing in parallel with platforms and audiences.

    From Creators to Storytellers

    In its early stages, influencers were primarily seen as creators of visually appealing content. However, the last decade has witnessed a profound transformation, with influencers becoming true storytellers. According to data from a GlobalWebIndex survey, 68% of consumers consider an influencer’s authenticity crucial when making purchasing decisions.

    As influencer marketing matured, challenges emerged in measuring real impact. Beyond superficial metrics like “likes” and followers, brands found the need to assess genuine engagement and brand perception. A Nielsen report indicates that 84% of global marketing specialists consider ROI measurement one of the significant challenges in influencer marketing.

    Due to these metrics, justifying the investment in influencers became a central theme. As brands sought to compare influencers  with other strategies, it became evident that the emotional connection and personalization offered by influencers generated not only direct revenue but also loyalty. Data from a Linqia study reveal that 57% of marketers believe influencer marketing outperforms other forms of advertising in terms of generating loyal customers.

    This is based on two key elements: authenticity and transparency. At SamyRoad, always striving for the best possible match between influencer briefs and client expectations, coherence between the two is critical in collaborations. Consumer trust, essential for long-term success, is built on the foundation of authenticity. With stricter regulations, such as those established by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), brands have had to prioritize transparency in their collaborations.

    In recent years, we’ve witnessed a significant evolution in regulations regarding influencer advertising. The FTC, for example, has intensified its efforts to ensure that collaborations are clearly labeled as advertising. This evolution has led to increased awareness of ethical practices in influencer marketing and strengthened the trust relationship between brands and consumers.

    The Future of Influencer Marketing

    Looking ahead, collaborations between brands and influencers are heading towards greater regulation and transparency. Additionally, the integration of new technologies like artificial intelligence promises even deeper personalization in identifying and collaborating with influencers. Brands that embrace these trends and adapt to emerging regulations will be better positioned to maximize the effectiveness of their influencer marketing strategies.

    Every post, every collaboration, every shared story matters. They are bridges that build trust, create communities, and impact not only metrics but also hearts and minds. Ultimately, influencer marketing is not just about products or services; it’s about people, experiences, and the magic of connecting in a digital world.

     

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  • The Podcast: Why consider it and how to use it in marketing

    Date: August 4, 2021

    Category: Social Media

    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.

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  • 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!

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